Program Overview

Philosophy helps you to acquire the philosophical skills and background knowledge to enable you to engage with some of the deepest questions human beings have ever asked and History can enable you to understand them through past events.

If you want to understand the past to prepare for your future in a changing world, studying History is the way forward. As well as covering modern, early modern and medieval Britain and Europe, our degree course offers considerable scope to study the wider world. You get the chance to question some of the prevailing myths, preconceptions and prejudices which surround the writing of History.

Philosophy is for people who find they are bothered by questions that their friends can cheerfully ignore; people who do not want to settle for conventional answers and received wisdom, but want to arrive at answers that stand up to the most searching examination. Studying undergraduate Philosophy here will give you access to world-class talent in fields as diverse as Metaphysics, Philosophy of Psychiatry, Epistemology, Ethics, Philosophy of Religion, Philosophy of Mind and many others.

Both the History and Philosophy departments at the University of Birmingham have a friendly and relaxed atmosphere in an intellectually challenging and stimulating environment.

Employability

As a History and Philosophy student you will have an excellent opportunity to develop skills that are are attractive to employers.

These include:

• Strong communication skills
• A deep understanding of the past
• The ability to research, analyse and interpret complex information
• Leadership and teamwork
• Handling complex information
• The ability to form concise and articulate arguments
• Managing your time and prioritising your workload