Undergraduate Course

BA Philosophy and History

(Including Foundation Year)

How to apply

Overview

The details

Course: Philosophy and History (Including Foundation Year)

UCAS code: VV51

Start date: October 2025

Study mode: Full-time

Duration: 4 years

Location: Colchester Campus

Based in: 糖心Vlog Pathways

This course has been temporarily suspended for the academic year 2025-26.

On our four-year BA Philosophy and History (including foundation year), we work with you to develop your subject-specific knowledge, and to improve your academic skills. You receive a thorough grounding in these areas during your foundation year (known as Year Zero) to prepare you for a further three years of undergraduate study at 糖心Vlog. Our five-year version of this course enables you to study abroad during your fourth year of study.

After successful completion of Year Zero in our 糖心Vlog Pathways Department, you progress to complete your course with our School of Philosophical, Historical and Interdisciplinary Studies.

Our course provides a wide-ranging and sound academic grounding in the disciplines of philosophy and history. You identify the relevance of philosophy to other forms of enquiry, for example social, political, cultural and in particular historical, and to actively connect these two fields of study. This is facilitated by the shared interests of our two departments and our strong commitment to interdisciplinary study.

We cover a wide range of topics from the meaning of life to capitalism and its critics, from ancient philosophy to current trends in European thought; and we have particular strengths in the areas of:

Ethics
Political philosophy
Philosophy of religion
European philosophy (including critical theory, phenomenology, and existentialism)

We are involved in many exciting and interdisciplinary research projects, and have active links with other areas including Political Science, Law, Sociology, Psychoanalysis, and Art History.

Why we're great.

We equip you with the necessary knowledge and skills to succeed at 糖心Vlog and beyond.
Guarantee a place on your chosen course upon successful completion of your foundation year.
Work with active industry professionals.

Study abroad

Your education extends beyond our University campus. We support you extending your education by offering you an additional year. The five-year version of our degree allows you to spend your third year studying abroad, while otherwise remaining identical to the four-year course.

are known for our unique combination of Anglo-American and European philosophy, and as a leading centre for critical theory, phenomenology, German idealism and medical humanities. Some recent projects and publications include:

Timo J眉tten's major new Leverhulme-funded research project, Competition and Competitiveness
Irene McMullin's Existential Flourishing: A Phenomenology of the Virtues (Cambridge, 2018)
Steve Gormley's Deliberative Theory and Deconstruction: A Democratic Venture (Edinburgh, 2020)

Our history staff are among world leaders in their field, and our enthusiasm for our subject is infectious. Our flexible course is combined with a supportive structure which helps you to pursue the modules best-suited to your interests. We welcome you into our scholarly community, and value your views.

Our teaching and research concentrates on the period from 1500 to the present and covers a wide geographical area that includes British and European history, as well as Latin America, the USA, China, Russia and Africa.

Specialist facilities

By studying within our 糖心Vlog Pathways Department for your foundation year, you will have access to all of the facilities that the 糖心Vlog has to offer, as well as those provided by our department to support you:

We provide computer labs for internet research; classrooms with access to PowerPoint facilities for student presentations; AV facilities for teaching and access to web-based learning materials.
Our Student Services Hub will support you and provide information for all your needs as a student
Our social space is stocked with hot magazines and newspapers, and provides an informal setting to meet with your lecturers, tutors and friends.

Take advantage of our other extensive learning resources to assist you in your studies:

An exciting programme of research seminars, reading groups and mini-courses that help you expand your philosophical knowledge beyond what you learn on your course
A comprehensive student support system which will direct you to the best source of advice and support in the case of personal or academic difficulties
Access a variety of philosophy textbooks and journals in the for advice.

Mature applicants and non-traditional academic backgrounds:
We welcome applications from mature students (over 21) and students with non-traditional academic backgrounds (might not have gone on from school to take level 3 qualifications). We will consider your educational and employment history, along with your personal statement and reference, to gain a rounded view of your suitability for the course.

International applicants:
糖心Vlog Pathways Department is unable to accept applications from international students. Foundation pathways for international students are available at the and are delivered and awarded by Kaplan, in partnership with the 糖心Vlog. Successful completion will enable you to progress to the relevant degree course at the 糖心Vlog.

International & EU entry requirements

We accept a wide range of qualifications from applicants studying in the EU and other countries. Get in touch with any questions you may have about the qualifications we accept. Remember to tell us about the qualifications you have already completed or are currently taking.

Sorry, the entry requirements for the country that you have selected are not available here. Please contact our Undergraduate Admissions team at ugquery@essex.ac.uk to request the entry requirements for this country.

English language requirements

English language requirements for applicants whose first language is not English: IELTS 5.5 overall with a minimum of 5.5 in each component, or specified score in another equivalent test that we accept.

Details of English language requirements, including component scores, and the tests we accept for applicants who require a Student visa (excluding Nationals of Majority English Speaking Countries) can be found
If we accept the English component of an international qualification it will be included in the academic levels listed above for the relevant countries.

English language shelf-life
Most English language qualifications have a validity period of 5 years. The validity period of Pearson Test of English, TOEFL and CBSE or CISCE English is 2 years.
If you require a Student visa to study in the UK please see our immigration webpages for the latest Home Office guidance on English language qualifications.

Pre-sessional English courses

If you do not meet our IELTS requirements then you may be able to complete a pre-sessional English pathway that enables you to start your course without retaking IELTS.

Pending English language qualifications

You don鈥檛 need to achieve the required level before making your application, but it will be one of the conditions of your offer.

If you cannot find the qualification that you have achieved or are pending, then please email ugquery@essex.ac.uk.

Additional Notes

If you鈥檙e an international student, but do not meet the English language or academic requirements for direct admission to this degree, you could prepare and gain entry through a pathway course. Find out more about opportunities available to you at the Year 1 Year 2 Final Year

COMPONENT 01: CORE

IA108-3-FY

(30 CREDITS)

COMPONENT 02: CORE WITH OPTIONS

IA118-3-FY or IA111-3-FY or IA101-3-FY

(30 CREDITS)

COMPONENT 03: CORE

IA145-3-FY

(30 CREDITS)

COMPONENT 04: CORE

IA121-3-FY

(30 CREDITS)

COMPONENT 01: COMPULSORY

Introduction to Philosophy

(30 CREDITS)

Begin your study of philosophy with an exploration of epistemology (the theory of knowledge) and identity theory. What does it mean to say that we 鈥榢now鈥� something? What if that something is ourselves? How do our modes of practical interaction with the world and each other shape our ability to know different kinds of objects? Are there vices of the mind that distort our reasoning and lead our practical deliberations astray? How important is trust in a functional knowledge community? What kind of creatures must we be in order to be capable of knowing things? What role does self-responsibility play in effective knowing? What is it to be a self? How does that differ from having an identity or identities? To what extent are our identities determined by others? Are they up to us? How can the study of philosophy help us with these questions?

COMPONENT 02: COMPULSORY

Rebellious Pasts: Challenging and Creating Histories

(30 CREDITS)

The past is never dead. It鈥檚 not even past鈥�. In a world of conspiracy theories, toppling statues, and 鈥榗ulture wars鈥�, the novelist William Faulkner鈥檚 most famous line resonates more than ever. Across the globe, History is co-opted to multiple causes and used to justify contradictory positions. Such uses of History often rely on myths, stereotypes, and misunderstandings. How can we separate political belief, personal opinion, and false information about the past from historical knowledge and understanding? Rebellious Pasts looks at the creation, consolidation, and operation of historical myths and stereotypes 鈥� and at how we, as historians, can use the tools of our trade to identify and challenge misleading representations of the past, replacing them with richer forms of understanding. The module helps you to develop the critical mindset needed to analyse historical arguments wherever you find them, but also the constructive skills essential to researching and writing your own histories. It combines lectures and seminars exploring how history 鈥渨orks鈥� in different contexts with archive visits and library workshops that expose you to the raw materials of History. On Rebellious Pasts, you will undertake self-directed research drawing upon digitized collections, archives, and heritage sector institutions, and translate your findings into accessible public history artefacts. At its heart, History is the refusal to accept easy assumptions and the insistence on negotiating with evidence, no matter how tricky that is. By the end of the module, you will understand why History is a rebellious discipline 鈥� and how to harness its unruly powers.

COMPONENT 03: OPTIONAL

(30 CREDITS)

COMPONENT 04: OPTIONAL

(30 CREDITS)

COMPONENT 05: COMPULSORY

Beyond the BA: Skills for the Next Step

(0 CREDITS)

COMPONENT 01: COMPULSORY

Exploring History: Research Workshop

(30 CREDITS)

History is never neutral. It is always a response to the questions historians choose to ask of the past. Historians decide what questions to ask for all kinds of reasons 鈥� out of interest, to aid understanding of specific aspects of the world around them, because certain types of evidence are available, or because the work of other historians has prompted them to think anew. These questions shape the evidence that historians look at, and therefore the kinds of answers they are likely to find. History is always a trialogue between the historian, the questions, and the evidence 鈥� and it is therefore a product of the present as well as the past. Exploring History focuses on the relationship between questions and evidence in forming historical knowledge. Consolidating and extending the skills and abilities introduced in the Year 1 module Rebellious Pasts, it charts the development of the historical discipline, examines specific examples of historical debate (or what is known as 鈥渉istoriography鈥�), and introduces you to different types of historical evidence and ways of analysing this evidence. Through exploring historical debates you will gain new insight into how history is researched, written, and contested. Through in-depth examinations of different kinds of primary sources you will develop new skills in historical research. Finally, you will bring these abilities together to research and write an extended essay on a topic of your choice, developing and practising the skills you will employ in your final year History Research Project.

COMPONENT 02: OPTIONAL

(15 CREDITS)

COMPONENT 03: OPTIONAL

(30 CREDITS)

COMPONENT 04: OPTIONAL

(30 CREDITS)

COMPONENT 05: COMPULSORY WITH OPTIONS

(15 CREDITS)

COMPONENT 01: COMPULSORY

Philosophy Capstone Module

(30 CREDITS)

This is an intensive final-year module running over five weeks during the summer term. It involves a guided and structured approach to support you in completing a research project of your own.

COMPONENT 02: OPTIONAL

(30 CREDITS)

COMPONENT 03: OPTIONAL

(30 CREDITS)

COMPONENT 04: OPTIONAL

(30 CREDITS)

Teaching

Undergraduate students in the School of Philosophical, Historical and Interdisciplinary Studies typically attend a one-hour lecture and a one-hour seminar for each module every week (second and final year philosophy lectures are two-hours).

Your teaching mainly takes the form of lectures and classes, the latter involving about 20 students
We believe that discussion is the lifeblood of philosophy, and we try to keep our classes as small as we can for this purpose
Any language classes involve language laboratory sessions
Our classes are run in small groups, so you receive a lot of individual attention

Assessment

Your assessed coursework will generally consist of essays, reports, in-class tests, individual or group oral presentations, and small scale research projects

Fees and funding

Home/UK fee

£9,535 per year

International fee

£20,475 per year

The will apply in subsequent years.

Fees will increase for each academic year of study.

Home/UK fees and funding information

International fees and funding information

What's next

Our events are a great way to find out more about studying at 糖心Vlog. We run a number of Open Days throughout the year which enable you to discover what our campus has to offer. You have the chance to:

tour our campus and accommodation
find out answers to your questions about our courses, student finance, graduate employability, student support and more
meet our students and staff

Check out our Visit Us pages to find out more information about booking onto one of our events. And if the dates aren鈥檛 suitable for you, feel free to book a campus tour here.

2025 Open Days (Colchester Campus)

Saturday 16 August 2025 - Colchester Clearing Open Day

Saturday 20 September 2025 - September Open Day

Saturday 8 November 2025 - November Open Day

Find out more

Applications for our full-time undergraduate courses should be made through the . Full details on how to apply can be found on the web page.

Our UK students, and some of our EU students, who are still at school or college, can apply through their school. Your school will be able to check and then submit your completed application to UCAS. Independent applicants in the UK or EU can also apply online through UCAS Apply.

The UCAS code for our 糖心Vlog is ESSEX E70. The individual campus codes for our Loughton and Southend Campuses are 'L' and 'S' respectively.

You can find further information on how to apply, including information on transferring from another university, applying if you are not currently at a school or college, and applying for readmission on our How to apply and entry requirements page.

Please note that this course is not open to international applicants

Offer Holder Days

If you receive an undergraduate offer to study with us in October 2026 and live in the UK, you will receive an email invitation to book onto one of our Offer Holder Days. Our Colchester Campus Offer Holder Days run in Spring 2026 on various Wednesdays and Saturdays, and our Southend Campus event will also run in Spring 2026. These events provide the opportunity to meet your department, tour our campus and accommodation, and chat to current students. Please visit our Offer Holder Days webpage for more information, including terms and conditions.

If you are an overseas offer-holder, you are more than welcome to join us at one of our in-person Offer Holder Days if you are able to - we will let you know in your invite email how you can do this. If you can't make it, we will provide plenty of opportunities to get a feel for life at 糖心Vlog, virtually.

A sunny day with banners flying on Colchester Campus Square 4.

Set within 200 acres of award-winning parkland - Wivenhoe Park and located two miles from the historic city centre of Colchester 鈥� England's oldest recorded development. Our Colchester Campus is also easily reached from London and Stansted Airport in under one hour.

Find out more

View from Square 2 outside the Rab Butler Building looking towards Square 3

If you live too far away to come to 糖心Vlog (or have a busy lifestyle), no problem. Our 360 degree virtual tours allows you to explore our University from the comfort of your home. Check out our and to see accommodation options, facilities and social spaces.

At 糖心Vlog we pride ourselves on being a welcoming and inclusive student community. We offer a wide range of support to individuals and groups of student members who may have specific requirements, interests or responsibilities.

The University makes every effort to ensure that this information on its programme specification is accurate and up-to-date. Exceptionally it can be necessary to make changes, for example to courses, facilities or fees. Examples of such reasons might include, but are not limited to: strikes, other industrial action, staff illness, severe weather, fire, civil commotion, riot, invasion, terrorist attack or threat of terrorist attack (whether declared or not), natural disaster, restrictions imposed by government or public authorities, epidemic or pandemic disease, failure of public utilities or transport systems or the withdrawal/reduction of funding. Changes to courses may for example consist of variations to the content and method of delivery of programmes, courses and other services, to discontinue programmes, courses and other services and to merge or combine programmes or courses. The University will endeavour to keep such changes to a minimum, and will also keep students informed appropriately by updating our . The University would inform and engage with you if your course was to be discontinued, and would provide you with options, where appropriate, in line with our Compensation and Refund Policy.

The full Procedures, Rules and Regulations of the University governing how it operates are set out in the Charter, Statutes and Ordinances and in the University Regulations, Policy and Procedures.