Philosophy and Politics

Philosophy and politics is one of the most intellectually demanding and practically relevant combinations in the humanities and social sciences. Philosophy sharpens your ability to reason rigorously about the most fundamental questions: what is real, what can be known, what makes actions right or wrong, and what constitutes justice. Politics examines how power is exercised and contested, how societies make collective decisions, and how institutions, ideologies, and interests shape the policies and structures that govern public life.

Studied together, they give you both the conceptual tools to think clearly about political principles and the empirical and historical knowledge to understand how those principles play out in practice.

At the University of Durham, this three-year full-time programme brings together two of Durham's strongest academic departments in a genuinely integrated combination. You will engage with political theory and philosophy alongside empirical political science, studying topics from the history of political thought and ethics to contemporary comparative politics and international relations. The degree includes a sandwich placement year, a year abroad, and a work placement, providing opportunities for professional and international experience that complement the academic rigour of the programme.

Durham's strong research environment and collegial culture make it an excellent setting for sustained intellectual development, and the programme attracts students with high academic ambition and genuine interest in the ideas that shape political life.

Graduates from Philosophy and Politics at Durham go on to careers in law, the civil service, politics and political research, journalism, public policy, international organisations, think tanks, banking and finance, management consultancy, and many other fields where rigorous analytical thinking and the ability to make and evaluate arguments clearly are valued. Some go on to postgraduate study in philosophy, political theory, law, or public policy. The combination is particularly well regarded by graduate employers who look for evidence of intellectual depth and disciplined thinking.