Philosophy, Ethics and Religion

Philosophy, ethics and religion together form one of the richest intellectual traditions in human history, addressing questions that no other discipline handles directly: what is real, what can be known, how we ought to live, what we owe each other, and what role religious belief and practice play in individual and social life. These are not merely abstract questions. They arise in medicine, law, politics, environmental policy and everyday personal decisions, and the capacity to think about them with precision and intellectual honesty is genuinely valuable across many fields.

At Bangor University you will explore the major traditions of Western and comparative philosophy alongside a careful examination of the world's principal religious traditions and the ethical frameworks they contain and generate. You will engage with the philosophy of religion, metaethics, applied ethics, epistemology and metaphysics, and you will develop the ability to read difficult texts carefully, to reconstruct and evaluate arguments, and to communicate your thinking clearly in writing and discussion. The programme includes a foundation year, which provides an entry route for students developing the academic skills needed for degree-level study, and runs full time over four years in this configuration.

It also includes a placement year, a year abroad and work-placement experience, giving you the opportunity to apply your studies in a range of real-world settings and to develop the international and professional perspective that makes humanities graduates competitive in a wide range of careers.

The discipline is excellent preparation for careers that require careful reasoning, ethical judgement and the ability to handle complex or contested questions with sensitivity and rigour.

Graduates move into careers in education, law, the civil service, journalism, social work, healthcare ethics, the charitable sector, ministry and counselling. Postgraduate study in philosophy, theology, ethics, law or education is also a natural progression for many graduates.