Department of Psychology | BA Philosophy and Psychology (with Placement Year)

BA Philosophy & Psychology (with Placement Year) at Durham University

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Gain an understanding of what it is to be human by studying profound questions concerning human psychology and the nature of the human mind.

Studying BA Philosophy & Psychology allows you to confront and study profound questions concerning human psychology and the nature of the human mind. There are numerous areas of overlap making these subjects particularly suitable to study alongside each other.

Within Philosophy you will confront questions such as ‘What does a flourishing human life look like?’ Embarking on this subject will equip you with the skills needed to think carefully and deeply about what matters in a good life and how individual happiness is related to Friendships, Relationships, Family, Society, the Political System and Culture.

The Psychology element is designed to give you an understanding of the mind and behaviour in humans and non-human animals. You will get the chance to study people in terms of their internal mental processes, the biological mechanisms that underlie their behaviour and the social and developmental context in which they act.

You can also apply to add a placement year or a year abroad  to your degree, increasing the course from three years to four.

Philosophy is a new subject for many students, so in your first year you will follow a range of introductory courses, introducing the fundamental philosophical subject areas. You will also take a comparable number of introductory modules in Psychology.

In your second year, you will further increase your knowledge by taking compulsory modules in Philosophy and Psychology.

The third year includes a dissertation that allows a deep, independently driven, exploration of a topic of your choice.

Your degree will equip you with the academic knowledge, analytical and problem-solving skills that are in demand across a wide range of professions.

We are committed to developing your skills and offer a range of support activities to help you find a career that’s right for you. From Year 1 you will have an academic advisor and you will be invited to graduate careers fairs where you can talk to recruiters. You can also attend the Psychology Employability Retreat.

Our undergraduate degrees are recognised by the British Psychological Society – the first step towards a career as a Psychologist.

Our graduates also progress to postgraduate courses and have qualified in areas such as teaching, law, and speech and language therapy.

Philosophical training will equip you with a range of theoretical and transferable skills, including critical thinking, problem solving, communication, project management, presenting and researching, that will be of value to employers across a range of industries.

Our graduates work in a vast range of employment sectors worldwide, including law, the Civil Service and politics, management, public relations, teaching, journalism, media and publishing, marketing, retail and business, IT and financial services. Examples of recent employers include Penguin, Random House Publishing, Save the Children, Amnesty International and The Guardian.

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