Bachelor of Arts (Hons) in Philosophy

at Keele University United Kingdom

The course will cover the fundamentals of engineering in medicine, introduce you to the latest developments in medical technology and expose you to the challenges of working with patients through clinical visits. Learning and teaching methods include lectures and demonstrations from medical and engineering specialists, practical classes using state-of-the-art facilities and seminars with leading national and international researchers.

Graduate destinations for our students could include: delivering non-clinical services and technology management in a hospital; designing, developing and manufacturing medical devices in the private sector; working for a governmental regulatory agency for healthcare services and products; undertaking further postgraduate study and research (PhD); pursuing a university-based, academic research career; or providing technical consultancy for marketing departments.

In Astrophysics, you will learn to formulate and tackle problems – from below the level of the atomic nucleus to astronomical scales. Astrophysics is active wherever the laws of physics are being tested to the limit – and beyond. Keele will help you to use astronomical observations, mathematical models and computer simulation to develop theories explaining some of the most complex phenomena.

You will reflect on the ways in which individual and business consumers are affected by, and drive the development of, a range of marketing and communications techniques. Looking at this from local, national and global perspectives, you will explore the role of consumers in society and will learn how to understand and communicate with them. You’ll also examine the impact of marketing on the culture of businesses, governments and other organisations. In the marketing modules you’ll learn how to plan and implement a successful marketing strategy.

You will learn about the history of the Earth, its past and present environments, and the planet's resources and hazards. We look at the Earth as a global system, including the causes and effects of global environmental change. There is strong emphasis on developing both laboratory and fieldwork skills.

Combining fieldwork, practical classes, tutorials and lectures, this course provides a diverse range of specialist options. You will focus particularly on research skills and aim to collect, analyse and interpret different types of data, and to carry out your own research using specialist software and equipment.

Explore contemporary issues in international relations and diplomacy, international business and international law and develop a genuinely international mindset. You will analyse the major political, business and legal aspects of how international processes work and study the relationships between national governments and other international players. transnational corporations, international governmental organisations (e.g. the United Nations), and non-governmental organisations, such as businesses, charities and pressure groups. 

Astrophysics is active wherever the laws of physics are being tested to the limit – and beyond. Keele will help you to use astronomical observations, mathematical models and computer simulation to develop theories explaining some of the most complex phenomena. You’ll develop your mathematics and computing skills, and apply them to solving a range of problems in the laboratory and beyond (you’ll have access to Keele’s own on-site observatory). We are committed to supporting you throughout your studies, providing you flexible access to our staff to seek advice or feedback.

In Philosophy, you will study texts, think about ideas and formulate your own philosophical theories. You will explore central themes – such as moral and political philosophy, logic, epistemology, and the philosophies of mind, religion and science – and will consider key philosophical problems about the nature of the world, the mind and various solutions proposed. You’ll learn about different philosophical traditions past and present, including Anglo-American, Indian, Buddhist, Greek, French and German philosophy. You’ll enhance your logical and critical thinking skills, and develop the use of sound arguments to defend your views while detecting fallacies and other argumentative weaknesses. You'll learn to present your work in a variety of ways. Keele has a thriving student-led Philosophy Society, and the programme engages widely with other universities, especially through its Royal Institute of Philosophy lecture series.

We will equip you with the skills to tackle a range of increasingly problematic and complex issues which may include our ever growing and ageing human population, our medical problems and the impacts our actions have on each other and on life on Earth.

Combining Biochemistry and Biology gives you the chance to approach problems from the molecular and organismal level. The Biochemistry element of the course covers mainly mammalian Biochemistry and has a focus on health and disease. You’ll have the opportunity to engage in additional opportunities which may include field courses and research projects. You may also have the opportunity to apply for a placement.

The Philosophy part of your degree will provide you with a grounding in key questions about theories around the nature of knowledge (epistemology), ethics, and the nature of the world, and enable you to explore a range of contemporary and historical philosophical works. Within Education, you will study a range of topics such as race and politics in education, poverty, digital technologies and comparative perspectives on education from the past. As a result of your study, you will enhance your logical and critical thinking skills, developing the use of sound arguments while detecting fallacies and other argumentative weaknesses. 

Studying Criminology and History at Keele will enable you to develop your appreciation of various global histories, whilst enjoying the rich history of our local area. Criminology is a rapidly developing field which draws on insights and methods from disciplines such as law, social sciences, and psychology to explore crime, crime control and justice from a range of perspectives. Similarly, you'll be introduced to a wide range of history - from political, social, economic and cultural history to the history of gender, health, sexuality and religion. In your spare time, you might find yourself exploring the largest collection of Anglo-Saxon metalwork most likely deposited in the 7th century in the then Kingdom of Mercia. The Staffordshire Hoard provides a window to England in the 6th and 7th centuries and also to the warrior elite that existed during these times and now rests less than 5 miles away from Keele.

The History element of the programme will carry you chronologically from the medieval period to the present, and span the globe. Throughout your first year, you may engage in modules that encourage you to explore topics such as how European rulers tried to strengthen their authority with the increase of military power between the late fifteenth and late seventeenth centuries, or some of the key defining moments in History which may include the 1720 South Sea Bubble in Britain, the 1791 Haitian Revolution or the 1933 Bauhaus movement.