Philosophy and History
University of Wales Trinity Saint David
UCAS Code: VV5C | Bachelor of Arts (with Honours) - BA (Hons)
University of Wales Trinity Saint David
UCAS Code: VV5C | Bachelor of Arts (with Honours) - BA (Hons)
About this course
The BA in Philosophy and History is an exciting degree for those who want to delve deeply into philosophical ideas and historical events that have shaped the world. This course offers a rich opportunity to explore the connections between human thought and society, equipping students with critical thinking and analytical and reasoning skills to understand the complexities of the past and present.
In Philosophy, you will examine the big questions that define human existence. Who are we? What is our purpose in the world? How should we live? What is reality? Through structured debate, argument and imagination, Philosophy will challenge you to develop your own views while appreciating diverse perspectives on these timeless concerns.
The study of History will broaden your understanding of historical contexts and change, investigating the key moments that have shaped societies. The course spans a wide range of topics, from political, social, economic, military, and cultural history, to the impact of major events. You will study change over time, starting with the medieval and modern world in introductory modules. More focused topics include Norman society and the Crusades, the First World War, and cultural shifts such as those in 1980s Britain.
This degree not only deepens your knowledge but also prepares you for a variety of careers. Graduates are equipped to succeed in roles across academia, advocacy, and analyst work, as well as fields like business, government, and the heritage sector, including work in libraries, archives, museums, and tourism. Other opportunities include education, law, media, and positions within NGOs and charities.
By combining Philosophy and History, this course offers a holistic approach to understanding the forces that shape the world. It is ideal for students who wish to develop their ability to think critically, engage with complex ideas, and gain a deeper appreciation of how the past informs the present. Whether you are fascinated by historical contexts or drawn to answering profound philosophical questions, this degree provides a solid foundation for both personal growth and professional success.
Modules
In the first year, you will build a solid foundation in Philosophy and History, exploring the big questions of existence and studying key historical events.
Historicising Texts (20 credits)
The Modern World (20 credits)
Doing History: Past in Practice (20 credits)
Myths and Mythology: How Stories Shape the World (20 credits)
An Introduction to Ethics (20 credits)
Ancient Philosophy (20 credits)
Freedom, Equality and Justice: An Introduction to Political Philosophy (20 credits)
The Big Questions (20 credits )
Year two deepens your understanding of historical contexts and change, with a wide range of flexible modules available to match your interests. In Philosophy, you will critically examine ethical and metaphysical questions, further honing your analytical and reasoning skills while exploring the intersection of human thought and society across time.
In the final year, you will further specialise in areas that align with your interests. Independent research, supported by expert guidance, enables you to develop a Independent project, showcasing your expertise in Philosophy and History while preparing for future opportunities.
From Desert Myths to Sheep Tales: The Cistercians in the Middle Ages (20 credits)
Cold war, hot wars. Global perspectives on post-war history (20 credits)
Gwlad, gwlad: Aspects of Welsh History 1200 to the present (20 credits)
Special Collections Research: The Roderic Bowen Library and Archives (20 credits)
Celtic Sanctity and Spirituality: Hagiography and Saints' Cults (20 credits)
Independent Project (40 credits)
Freedom, Agency and Responsibility
Free-Market Environmentalism, Big Business and Global Politics (20 credits)
Early Modern Philosophy (20 credits)
Existentialism and Phenomenology (20 credits)
Metaphysics and Epistemology (20 credits)
The Ethics of Life and Death: Contemporary Debates in Applied Ethics (20 credits)
Philosophy of Mind: Humans, Animals and Machines (20 credits)
20th Century Philosophy (20 credits)
Ancestors, Death and Burial (20 credits)
Confessing with Saint Augustine: God and Religion in the Twilight of the Roman Empire (20 credits)
Activism, Protest and Campaigning for Global Justice (20 credits)
Women and Religion (20 credits)
International Mobility Opportunity (60 Credits)
Complex Bodies: Questioning Gender, Religion and Sexuality (20 credits)
Religions in Africa (20 credits)
Professional Placement (20 credits)
Global Genocides (20 credits)
Assessment methods
The programme is assessed in a variety of ways and will include several of the following type of assessment: essays, document analysis, book/ journal reviews, short reports and reflective journals, time tests, seen and unseen exams, field journals, posters, group and individual presentations, dissertations, wikis, commentaries and film evaluations.
Tuition fees
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The Uni
Carmarthen Campus
Humanities and Social Sciences
What students say
We've crunched the numbers to see if the overall teaching satisfaction score here is high, medium or low compared to students studying this subject(s) at other universities.
How do students rate their degree experience?
The stats below relate to the general subject area/s at this university, not this specific course. We show this where there isn’t enough data about the course, or where this is the most detailed info available to us.
History
Sorry, no information to show
This is usually because there were too few respondents in the data we receive to be able to provide results about the subject at this university.
Who studies this subject and how do they get on?
Most popular A-Levels studied (and grade achieved)
Philosophy
Sorry, no information to show
This is usually because there were too few respondents in the data we receive to be able to provide results about the subject at this university.
Who studies this subject and how do they get on?
Most popular A-Levels studied (and grade achieved)
After graduation
The stats in this section relate to the general subject area/s at this university – not this specific course. We show this where there isn't enough data about the course, or where this is the most detailed info available to us.
History
What are graduates doing after six months?
This is what graduates told us they were doing (and earning), shortly after completing their course. We've crunched the numbers to show you if these immediate prospects are high, medium or low, compared to those studying this subject/s at other universities.
Top job areas of graduates
History is a very popular subject (although numbers have fallen of late) — in 2015, over 10,000 UK students graduated in a history-related course. Obviously, there aren't 11,000 jobs as historians available every year, but history is a good, flexible degree that allows graduates to go into a wide range of different jobs, and consequently history graduates have an unemployment rate comparable to the national graduate average. Many — probably most — jobs for graduates don't ask for a particular degree to go into them and history graduates are well set to take advantage. That's why so many go into jobs in the finance industry, human resources, marketing, PR and events management, as well as the more obvious roles in education, welfare and the arts. Around one in five history graduates went into further study last year. History and teaching were the most popular further study subjects for history graduates, but law, journalism, and politics were also popular postgraduate courses.
Philosophy
What are graduates doing after six months?
This is what graduates told us they were doing (and earning), shortly after completing their course. We've crunched the numbers to show you if these immediate prospects are high, medium or low, compared to those studying this subject/s at other universities.
Top job areas of graduates
Although there aren't a lot of jobs around for professional philosophers, philosophy degrees are a relatively popular option, with more than 2,000 students graduating in a philosophy-related subject in 2015 - a little down on previous years, but still healthy. Nearly a quarter of philosophy graduates take a postgraduate qualification, and it's a relatively common subject at both Masters and doctorate level — so if you think academic life might be for you, think ahead about how you might fund further study. For those who go into work, philosophy grads tend to go into teaching, accountancy, consulting, journalism, PR, housing, marketing, human resources and the arts while a few go into the computer industry every year, where their logical training is highly rated.
What about your long term prospects?
Looking further ahead, below is a rough guide for what graduates went on to earn.
History
The graph shows median earnings of graduates who achieved a degree in this subject area one, three and five years after graduating from here.
£12k
£17k
£22k
Note: this data only looks at employees (and not those who are self-employed or also studying) and covers a broad sample of graduates and the various paths they've taken, which might not always be a direct result of their degree.
Philosophy
The graph shows median earnings of graduates who achieved a degree in this subject area one, three and five years after graduating from here.
£19k
£20k
Note: this data only looks at employees (and not those who are self-employed or also studying) and covers a broad sample of graduates and the various paths they've taken, which might not always be a direct result of their degree.
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You can use this to get an idea of who you might share a lecture with and how they progressed in this subject, here. It's also worth comparing typical A-level subjects and grades students achieved with the current course entry requirements; similarities or differences here could indicate how flexible (or not) a university might be.
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Post-six month graduation stats:
This is from the Destinations of Leavers from Higher Education Survey, based on responses from graduates who studied the same subject area here.
It offers a snapshot of what grads went on to do six months later, what they were earning on average, and whether they felt their degree helped them obtain a 'graduate role'. We calculate a mean rating to indicate if this is high, medium or low compared to other universities.
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Graduate field commentary:
The Higher Education Careers Services Unit have provided some further context for all graduates in this subject area, including details that numbers alone might not show
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The Longitudinal Educational Outcomes dataset combines HRMC earnings data with student records from the Higher Education Statistics Agency.
While there are lots of factors at play when it comes to your future earnings, use this as a rough timeline of what graduates in this subject area were earning on average one, three and five years later. Can you see a steady increase in salary, or did grads need some experience under their belt before seeing a nice bump up in their pay packet?
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