BA Philosophy and Politics (Including Year Abroad)

4 Years On Campus Bachelors Program

University of Essex

Program Overview

Do you ever question why laws exist, whether governments are fair, or what makes an action truly right or wrong? If yes, then this degree is exactly where you belong. The BA Philosophy and Politics (Including Year Abroad) at the University of Essex combines deep thinking with real-world political understanding. You’ll study how ideas like justice, truth, power, and democracy shape everyday life — and you’ll also get the chance to spend a whole year abroad, experiencing politics and culture from a global perspective.

Curriculum Structure

Year 1 – Exploring Ideas and Power

Your first year introduces you to the foundations of both philosophy and politics. In Introduction to Philosophy and Introduction to Politics, you’ll examine what counts as truth, how societies are governed, and why political systems exist. Modules like Principles of Social Justice and Death, God and the Meaning of Life push you to think about fairness, human existence, and ethical responsibility.

Year 2 – Connecting Theory with Real Issues

You dive deeper into key thinkers and modern debates. In Modern Social and Political Thought, you’ll study philosophers like Hobbes, Rousseau, and Marx to understand how their ideas shaped democracy, rights, and government. In Ethics and Public Policy, you’ll apply philosophy to real political issues — climate change, war, human rights, freedom of speech, and more. This is the year where philosophy and politics truly start to overlap.

Year 3 – Year Abroad

Instead of staying on campus, you’ll spend this year studying at one of Essex’s partner universities abroad — in Europe, North America, Asia, or beyond. You’ll get to experience new cultures, political systems, and perspectives, while still earning credits towards your degree. It’s the perfect way to become more independent, globally aware, and employable.

Year 4 – Specialisation and Independent Research

In your final year, you choose what interests you most. You can study modules like Contemporary Political Philosophy, Human Rights: Global and Comparative Perspectives, or Existentialism and Phenomenology. You’ll also complete a dissertation — your own researched project on a topic you care about, like freedom of speech, ethics of AI, democracy, or civil rights.

Focus Areas

"Ethics and political philosophy, democracy and power, human rights, justice and law, global politics, European and contemporary thought."

Learning Outcomes

"Students learn to think critically, form strong arguments, analyse complex political and philosophical ideas, apply theory to real-world issues, conduct independent research and develop global awareness through a year abroad."

Professional Alignment (Accreditation)

This degree isn’t tied to a single profession like Law or Engineering, but it’s highly respected by employers in government, NGOs, international organisations, journalism, policy-making, civil service, and academia.

Reputation & Rankings

Essex is ranked Top 100 in the World for Politics and International Studies (QS World University Rankings).
The Department of Government is one of the most research-active and internationally respected in the UK.

Experiential Learning (Research, Projects, Internships etc.)

This course isn’t just about reading theories or writing essays — it’s about experiencing how philosophy and politics work in real life, in real places. At Essex, you don’t just study ideas in the classroom; you debate them, challenge them and see how they play out in governments, societies and even in other countries during your year abroad. From lively seminar discussions to accessing international libraries and political archives overseas, the learning here is active, immersive and global.

And the best part is — the experience is built into the course structure. Here’s exactly how:

Year Abroad Experience: In your third year, you’ll study at one of Essex’s partner universities around the world — whether that’s in Europe, North America or Asia. You’ll experience a different political system, new cultural values, and even study philosophy from another cultural perspective.
Debate-Based Learning: Classes aren’t just lectures — most are small-group seminars where you debate topics like human rights, justice, ethics and democracy. This is where you sharpen your public speaking, critical thinking and teamwork skills.
Albert Sloman Library & Digital Research Tools: You’ll have access to one of the best political and philosophical collections in the UK, plus online academic journals, historical archives and platforms like Moodle for essay submissions, lectures and feedback.
Student Societies & Real Discussions: You can join the Philosophy Society, Politics Society or Model United Nations, where students organise debates, mock parliaments, guest speaker events and discussions on current affairs.
Independent Research & Dissertation Support: In your final year, you’ll choose a topic you’re passionate about and work on an independent dissertation with guidance from academic mentors — learning how to research deeply, analyse arguments and present your ideas like a professional.
Language & Skill Development: Through the Languages for All programme, you can learn a new language alongside your degree — perfect for students planning to work internationally, go into diplomacy or study abroad.

Progression & Future Opportunities

This degree prepares you for careers where people value clear thinking, strong communication, and a deep understanding of how society works. Graduates go into roles such as policy advisor, political or parliamentary researcher, NGO or charity officer, journalist, or even into civil service, diplomacy, or public affairs. And because this version of the degree includes a Year Abroad, you’ll graduate not just with academic knowledge—but with international experience, cultural confidence and a global perspective that employers truly appreciate.

Here’s how Essex helps you turn your degree into a career:

Career & Employability Service – You get access to one-on-one career mentoring, CV and interview workshops, internships, part-time job listings, and employer networking events—all available via the university’s dedicated careers platform, CareerHub.
Strong Graduate Outcomes – Around 90% of Politics-related graduates from Essex are in employment or postgraduate study within just 15 months of finishing their degree (Discover Uni).
Graduate Salary Insight – The average salary for Essex politics graduates is around £26,500 after 15 months, with many progressing into policy, civil service, and consultancy roles.
Industry & Research Connections – The Department of Government is one of the UK's most respected political departments. It has links with UK Parliament, local councils, Amnesty International, BBC, NGOs, and policy institutes, giving students access to guest speakers, placement opportunities, and real political insight.
Long-term Value of the Degree – While it isn’t a vocational or accredited programme (like Law or Engineering), the transferable skills you gain—critical reasoning, ethical decision-making, debating, research, and global awareness—are exactly what employers look for in public policy, international organisations, journalism, education, law, and more.

Further Academic Progression:

If you want to continue studying after your degree, you’ll be well-prepared for:

MA Politics, MA Philosophy, MA Human Rights, MA International Relations, or Public Policy
Law conversion courses (GDL/LLM) if you’re thinking about legal careers
PhD or academic research in ethics, political theory, public policy, philosophy, or international studies