Computer Science and Philosophy & Ethics
Computer Science and Philosophy and Ethics is a combination that brings together the technical discipline of computing and the philosophical inquiry into values, reasoning, and the good life. Computer science is one of the most rapidly changing and consequential fields of knowledge, shaping every aspect of how people live, communicate, work, and relate to one another. Philosophy and ethics asks the deep questions about what matters, how we should act, and what kind of world we want to create, and these questions have never been more urgent than in a moment when technology is transforming society at speed.
At Liverpool Hope University, this four-year, full-time programme includes a foundation year, a sandwich year, and a year abroad, as well as work placement opportunities. The foundation year provides the academic preparation students need before beginning the main degree. The computer science strand covers a wide range of topics including networks, artificial intelligence, robotics, mobile computing, virtual and augmented reality, and the programming and systems thinking that underlie them.
The philosophy and ethics strand develops your ability to reason precisely about values, rights, justice, and the frameworks through which ethical decisions are made. The combination is particularly powerful in a world where the ethical dimensions of technology design, data use, and artificial intelligence are subjects of growing professional and societal concern.
Graduates of this combination work in software development, technology ethics, policy, compliance, AI research, user experience, and education. The philosophical dimension adds a distinctive quality to your profile in an industry increasingly grappling with questions of fairness, privacy, responsibility, and algorithmic accountability. Many graduates go on to postgraduate study in computer science, philosophy, AI ethics, or related fields.
The year abroad and placements add professional and international experience that complements the degree's analytical depth.