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Overview

Programme disclaimer

Please note the course details apply to 2026 entry. Details for 2027 entry for our undergraduate courses will be published from September 2026.

This Philosophy BA will give you a deep knowledge of all areas of philosophy, help you develop your own philosophical ideas, and equip you with the skills to develop, analyse and communicate arguments.

As one of the best philosophy departments in the world (ranked 6th in the UK QS World University Rankings by Subject 2025), we’re able to offer a syllabus that covers all areas of the history of philosophy and contemporary philosophy, from early Greek philosophy to the present day. We also offer some topics you won’t find on many other philosophy degrees, like our teaching on Indian and Islamic philosophy.

You’ll also have the opportunity to study abroad for a semester or extend your studies for a year by transferring to Philosophy with a Year Abroad BA and taking philosophy at a partner university.

You'll have the option to transfer to the four-year Philosophy with a Year Abroad BA course. Students on the Philosophy with a Year Abroad BA will spend their third year studying abroad before returning to complete a final year with King's

Key benefits

  • The Philosophy Department is ranked 6th in the UK and in the top 10 in Europe in the QS World Rankings by Subject 2025.
  • Choose from an exceptionally wide range of topics covering all areas of the history of philosophy and contemporary philosophy - from early Greek philosophy to the present day.
  • Develop your philosophical ideas and arguments in a focused environment with plenty of feedback and discussion.
  • Benefit from small-group teaching, which ensures you acquire and hone the skills of critical thinking.
  • Build skills that are transferable and desirable, leading to a wide range of careers, such as law, journalism, teaching, financial services, communication and more
  • Enjoy our Central London location and take advantage of leading societies such as the Aristotelian Society and the Royal Institute of Philosophy.
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King’s has its base in the analytic tradition but is unique in offering an incredibly broad range of modules to suit anyone’s interest, including rarities such as Chinese and Indian Philosophy.
Aurora SosveenPhilosophy BA - Aurora

Course essentials

This philosophy degree combines theoretical and practical philosophy to equip you with the knowledge and skillset needed to identify, construct and evaluate an argument.

You’ll join a department that’s ranked among the top 10 philosophy departments in Europe. We have particular strengths in philosophy of mind, logic and philosophy of science, ethics and political philosophy, and the history of philosophy, ranging from early Greek philosophy through Medieval Philosophy to the present day.

As one of the largest and most distinguished philosophy departments in the country, we’re able to offer an extremely wide range of topics for you to choose from. This includes some highly specialised teaching that you won’t find in many other UK universities, such as Indian or Islamic philosophy.

The first year of your Philosophy BA is comprised entirely of required modules. You’ll build your understanding of Greek, modern and political philosophy while learning more about epistemology and exploring key questions around the study of knowledge. You will also learn how to use propositional and predicate logic to detect valid and invalid arguments.

Other required modules will introduce you to some of the main issues within metaphysics and a range of philosophical concepts, including set theory, philosophy of language, probability theory, decision theory, and more. The introductory ethics module will explore central topics of value theory alongside normative, applied and meta-ethics.

Once you reach year two, you’ll get to choose the rest of your modules for the remainder of your philosophy degree.

The pool of modules will be split into three lists, and you’ll choose two from each list. The first list includes courses in Greek and modern philosophy, the second offers modules covering ethics and political philosophy, and the third will let you choose between advanced modules on epistemology, metaphysics, intermediate logic, or the philosophy of language, mind or physics.

For the remainder of the second year of your Philosophy BA, you’ll get to choose modules from a wider list that includes Indian philosophy, Medieval philosophy, gender and philosophy, Continental philosophy, and more.

This course also offers the possibility of studying abroad for the second semester of your second year. You’ll get to study philosophy at a partner institution, with possibilities in Canada, the US, Hong Kong, Singapore, Australia, Germany and beyond.

You could even extend your study abroad. If you transfer to Philosophy with a Year Abroad BA, you’ll spend your third year studying at a partner university and return to King’s for your fourth year.

The final year of your BA in philosophy will see you choose modules from a broad list of options. You’ll get to follow your passion and select the topics that interest you most, whether that’s learning about Islamic philosophy, aesthetics, gender and philosophy, the theory of incompleteness and paradox, advanced logic, or further study on Greek or Continental philosophy.

The varied module options mean you could focus on the history of philosophy or explore the philosophy of mathematics or science. You might prefer to specialise in the philosophy of mind, with modules on metaphysics and the philosophy of psychology, or delve deeper into the world of ethics and pick up modules on applied ethics and politics or topics in ethics.

You may also choose whether you complete your Philosophy BA with a dissertation. It’s optional, so if you don’t choose to do a dissertation, you’ll get to pick two further modules instead.

During your studies, there will be a number of extracurricular opportunities that you could take advantage of. For example, you can benefit from our links with leading societies in London, such as the Aristotelian Society and the Royal Institute of Philosophy. The student Philosophy Society is also very active, offering a calendar of events throughout the year.

Special features

Optional study abroad

On this programme, you will have the opportunity to apply to study abroad, supported by the Study Abroad Tutor in your department and King’s Global Mobility Office. Together with partner organisations around the world, you will be supported in navigating your international, educational journey, developing new skills and competences and learning to apply different perspectives to your chosen discipline.

Find out more about Study Abroad

Key Information

Course type:

Single honours

Delivery mode:

In person

Study mode:

Full time

Required A-Levels:

AAA

Duration:

Three years

Application status:

Open

Start date:

September 2026

Application deadline:

14 January 2026

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Awarding body

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King's College London and Affiliates

Regulating body

King's is regulated by the Office for students

Base campus

Please note that locations are determined by where each module is taught and may vary depending on the modules you study.

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