Philosophy and Politics BA
AAA at A level; graduates earn a median £31,500 three years on.
100% of entrants came with A levels · 98% stay on after year 1 · Warwick course page, Discover Uni
What do you need to get in?
Typical offer — the grades most applicants are asked for. Contextual offer: ABB, for applicants from under-represented backgrounds.
Warwick course page, read 19 September 2026 · Discover Uni entry profile
Other qualifications4
| Qualification | Typical offer | Required subjects |
|---|---|---|
| IB | 36 points36 | — |
| BTEC | —BTECs will be considered for this course. | — |
| Advanced Highers | AAAA in two Advanced Highers, and AAB in Highers in 3 further subjects. | — |
| Access | 45 Credits at Level 3, including Distinction in 33 Level 3 credits and Merit in We will consider applicants returning to study who are presenting a QAA-recognised Access to Higher Education Diploma on a case-by-case basis. Typically, we require 45 Credits at Level 3, including Di | — |
What do you study?
Compulsory modules this year: arts & humanities 35% · social & cultural skills 25% · language & communication 19% · mathematics & statistics 15%.
Module — one course unit, usually a term or a year long; “core” means everyone takes it. One UK credit is about ten hours of study; a full year is 120 credits.
Warwick course page · optional modules vary by year
- Introduction to Philosophy
What you learn (10)
- describe key debates across philosophical subject areas
- formulate a personal position on philosophical debates
- critique alternative philosophical viewpoints
- analyse philosophical arguments from different subject areas
- evaluate the strength of philosophical arguments
- identify the significance of canonical philosophical texts
- critique arguments presented in canonical philosophical texts
- explain the concept of logical validity and related notions
- apply formal techniques to demonstrate argument validity
- translate statements between first-order logic and English
- Introduction to Politics
What you learn (8)
- identify major theoretical perspectives in political science
- critically discuss key debates within political science
- describe foundational concepts of political theory, processes and institutions
- explain patterns of political change over time
- construct a well-structured academic essay
- analyse and critique arguments in written work
- apply independent study techniques to manage learning
- communicate ideas effectively in academic contexts
1 optional module
- Justice, Democracy and Citizenship
What you learn (5)
- explain key debates around the concept of justice
- explain key debates around the concept of democracy
- explain key debates around the concept of citizenship
- analyse political arguments relating to justice, democracy and citizenship issues
- present critical analysis of political dilemmas orally and in writing
Year 2 · 5 core · 90 credits ≈ 900 hours
- History of Modern Philosophy
What you learn (5)
- explain key ideas and arguments from modern philosophical texts
- evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of philosophical arguments
- formulate a personal position on philosophical debates
- compare differing interpretations of key philosophical texts
- present philosophical ideas verbally in group discussion
- Ethics
What you learn (11)
- differentiate major positions in normative ethics and metaethics
- justify a given ethical position with relevant supporting reasons
- critique ethical positions by identifying their weaknesses
- present philosophical arguments clearly in spoken discussion
- compose written arguments clearly on ethical questions
- extract the key claims made within a philosophical text
- analyse the logical structure of philosophical arguments
- evaluate philosophical views using illustrative examples and comparisons
- conduct philosophical research using diverse print and digital sources
- record research sources accurately and systematically
- engage independently in philosophical debate
- Applied Ethics
What you learn (9)
- differentiate competing positions on key applied ethics issues
- support or criticise ethical views using case studies and empirical evidence
- present ethical arguments clearly in spoken discussion
- present ethical arguments clearly in written form
- identify key claims within philosophical readings
- analyse the logical structure of philosophical arguments
- evaluate ethical theories using case studies and empirical evidence
- organise philosophical research drawing on diverse sources
- engage independently in ethical debate
- Topics in Political Theory
What you learn (7)
- analyse complex arguments from contemporary political theory texts
- interpret diverse scholarly perspectives within political theory literature
- formulate a reasoned personal judgement on a political theory issue
- compare opposing arguments and perspectives on a political issue
- construct an original argument about core political values
- defend a political argument against sceptical objections
- apply insights from other disciplines to support a political argument
- Foundations of Political Theory
What you learn (5)
- explain how political theory addresses freedom, equality and human nature
- interpret key texts by major political thinkers
- critically evaluate arguments of major political thinkers
- analyse complex ideas in political theory
- construct and defend a written argument on political theory
Year 3 · 0 core, 8 optional
8 optional modules
- The Philosophy of Terrorism and Counterterrorism
What you learn (3)
- explain key concepts and arguments in terrorism philosophy
- describe ethical and epistemological issues in counterterrorism debates
- relate terrorism debates to broader questions of morality and causation
- Philosophy of Evil
What you learn (11)
- identify key historical philosophers who addressed the problem of evil
- describe how philosophical thought on evil has evolved over time
- explain core theoretical concepts in the philosophy of evil
- apply technical philosophical terminology relevant to the study of evil
- communicate philosophical ideas clearly in written form
- communicate philosophical ideas clearly in spoken discussion
- research primary and secondary philosophical texts independently
- present findings from philosophical source analysis
- evaluate complex philosophical texts critically
- construct original philosophical arguments on positions regarding evil
- defend a philosophical position against counterarguments
- Freedom, Blame and Moral Responsibility: Contemporary Problems and Perspectives
What you learn (9)
- describe contemporary theories of freedom and moral responsibility
- explain key ideas relating to moral responsibility debates
- analyse different philosophical approaches to moral responsibility
- evaluate criticisms and defences of competing theories
- identify central points of contention in freedom and responsibility debates
- formulate independent judgements to resolve philosophical disputes
- compare differing viewpoints on moral responsibility
- critically interpret philosophical texts on moral responsibility
- apply scholarly conventions when engaging with academic literature
- Gender and Development
What you learn (6)
- explain core theoretical debates in gender and development studies
- evaluate competing theories of gender and development
- justify a preferred theoretical model with persuasive argument
- carry out independent research on gender and development issues
- apply statistical and qualitative development indicators to analyse gender issues
- structure written academic work clearly and coherently
- Vigilant State: Understanding Secret Intelligence
What you learn (5)
- explain the historical development of intelligence practice
- evaluate the features of intelligence accountability frameworks
- assess strengths and weaknesses of theories explaining the intelligence cycle
- analyse current issues in national and regional intelligence approaches
- present intelligence analysis in written form
- Race and International Politics
What you learn (6)
- compare how race shapes governance across different policy areas
- critically assess how race drives political contestation in policy debates
- evaluate scholarly literature addressing race within international politics
- explain the historical origins of race as a political concept
- describe how imperial structures shaped the development of race as a concept
- analyse the ongoing influence of race on contemporary world politics
“What you learn” restates each module’s published learning outcomes in our own words, as short skill statements in the same form as the GCSE and A level curriculum, with the help of an AI model; fields of knowledge follow the twelve fields of the knowledge sphere. The university’s module page, linked from each title, is the authoritative description.
Where does it lead?
Median — the middle earner: half earned more, half less. Pay is for graduates of this subject at this university who finished in 2016-18, not adjusted for inflation; based on 175 graduates.
Discover Uni dataset (HESA and Office for Students, CC BY 4.0, contains HESA data); earnings from the Longitudinal Education Outcomes data (Department for Education) · aggregation level 13, 14, 23
Half of graduates earned between £25,500 and £40,500. Five years on, the median is £41,500. 89% were in work or further study 15 months after finishing; 76% of those in work were in professional or managerial jobs.
All outcome figures7
| Measure | Value | Based on |
|---|---|---|
| Continue after year 12% left | 98% | 385 |
| In work or study, 15 months on10% studying | 89% | 165 |
| Professional or managerial job | 76% | 115 |
| Pay 15 months on, median | £33,000 | 75 |
| Pay 3 years on, median | £31,500 | 175 |
| Pay 5 years on, median | £41,500 | 180 |
What does it cost?
Tuition fee loan — paid straight to the university; repayments start the April after you leave, at 9% of income above the threshold. UK fees are capped by government and rise with inflation; placement and study-abroad years are usually charged at a lower rate.
Warwick fees page · source
About £30,150 in fees over 3 years, covered by a tuition fee loan you repay only when earning above the threshold.
What do students say?
NSS — a yearly survey of final-year students at every UK university; 79% of this course’s final year answered. Small groups can swing a lot year to year.
National Student Survey, via Discover Uni · 460 students answered
Highest: 98% agreed on question 20; lowest: 74% on question 25.
All questions26
| Question | Agree |
|---|---|
| Question 1 | 97% |
| Question 2 | 93% |
| Question 3 | 96% |
| Question 4 | 91% |
| Question 5 | 92% |
| Question 6 | 89% |
| Question 7 | 93% |
| Question 8 | 79% |
| Question 9 | 87% |
| Question 10 | 82% |
| Question 11 | 86% |
| Question 12 | 86% |
| Question 13 | 84% |
| Question 14 | 76% |
| Question 15 | 95% |
| Question 16 | 93% |
| Question 17 | 89% |
| Question 18 | 91% |
| Question 19 | 93% |
| Question 20 | 98% |
| Question 21 | 96% |
| Question 22 | 95% |
| Question 23 | 95% |
| Question 24 | 87% |
| Question 25 | 74% |
| Question 26 | 89% |
Question texts are published by the Office for Students; the dataset carries only the question numbers.
Modules, entry requirements and fees are facts read from University of Warwick’s course page on 2026-09-19 and may change; the university’s page is authoritative. Descriptions are not reproduced. Outcome figures are from the Discover Uni dataset. University of Warwick is a trade mark of the university; sch.today is independent of it.