Get degree ideas using our A level explorer tool

Religion, Philosophy and Ethics

Entry requirements


A level

C,C,C-B,B,C

Pearson BTEC Level 3 National Extended Diploma (first teaching from September 2016)

MMM-DMM

T Level

P

Pass (C or above on the core)

UCAS Tariff

96-112

About this course


Course option

3years

Full-time | 2024

Subjects

Philosophy

Religious studies

**Why Religion, Philosophy and Ethics**?
The study of Religion, Philosophy and Ethics shouldn’t just be about the traditions and beliefs of world religions, philosophical ideas, and ethical values, but also their relevance to our world. Social justice and how it relates to contemporary global issues lies at the heart of our ethos. On this course, you’ll examine how values and belief systems shape the way we live and determine how we respond to issues such as climate change, politics, technology, gender and race in an ever-changing world. You’ll also study, critically and in depth, world religions, new religious movements, philosophy from the Greeks to transhumanism, and ethical theories. Our lecturers know that real life experience is central, and therefore you will get the opportunity to take Religion, Philosophy and Ethics off campus and into the world. We have organised international field trips to Europe and India, as well as local field trips in the U.K. We also provide opportunities for students to work with local and national organisations who are committed to social justice and sustainability.

You will be taught by experts in their respective fields, who will work with you individually to develop your academic skills, motivation and confidence, but who also care about you as a person and your hopes and aspirations for the future. We encourage every student who studies this course not only to be knowledgeable, but also to have the capacity to analyse complex problems and offer solutions with evidence. These are skills that are greatly valued by all employers and are central for whatever future aspirations you choose. Most of all, we want our students to have the courage to be themselves, so they can make their own choices and take the next steps in their lives with confidence.

**Why University of Gloucestershire?**
At University of Gloucestershire, we’ve been encouraging students to meet every ambition since 1847. Join us and you’ll benefit from our three UoG promises:

**1. UoG Career Promise** – if you are not in a job 6 months after graduating, we’ll guarantee you 6 months of free support post-graduation should you need it, followed by the offer of a paid internship and lifetime career coaching* (*eligibility conditions apply).
**2. UoG Accommodation Promise** – we guarantee all first-year students accommodation on, or near, the campus you’re studying at.
**3. UoG Connections Promise** – whilst at UoG, you’ll find the connections to reach your goals. With over 4,000 placements and more than 60 clubs and societies to join, you’ll make connections for life.

Our ambition is boundless. Experienced lecturers promote a real-world ethos and treat our students as more than just a number. Alongside our strong support system, guest speakers, networking events and influential partnerships will help you prepare for life after graduation, whether that be in a successful career in your field or onto further study. Students never tire of finding inspiration here in the unique county of Gloucestershire – innovation and bravery thrive here. Cheltenham and Gloucester offer the best of city and country living, with the rolling hills of the Cotswolds paired with vibrant nightclubs and stunning parks in the bustling town and city centres.

**After the course**
Your story doesn’t end with us at graduation. We support our graduates to balance purpose with ambition, and 96% of University of Gloucestershire graduates are in work or further study within six months of completing their course*.
*Graduate Outcomes Survey published 2023 and based on 2020/21 leavers.

**Experience an open day**
Book yourself a place at a University of Gloucestershire open day at www.glos.ac.uk/BookAnOpenDay.

**To find out more information about this course, visit www.glos.ac.uk/OurCourses, email us on [email protected] or call 03330 14 14 14.**

Modules

Lectures and seminars exist alongside more innovative teaching methods. We make full use of video podcasts, e-texts, Skype Q&As with external experts, and students are actively involved with these resources. We have a strong commitment to tutorials, and work with our students, one-to-one and in small groups, to help them produce the best work and ideas that they are capable of. The course encourages an open forum with small group discussions to exchange ideas. Tutors talk you through classical philosophical and religious texts. You'll also learn through seminars, field trips and online resources such as podcasts and videos.

Tuition fees

Select where you currently live to see what you'll pay:

England
£9,250
per year
EU
£15,450
per year
International
£15,450
per year
Northern Ireland
£9,250
per year
Scotland
£9,250
per year
Wales
£9,250
per year

The Uni


Course location:

Francis Close Hall - Cheltenham

Department:

School of Education and Science

Read full university profile

What students say


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.

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?

100%
UK students
0%
International students
42%
Male students
58%
Female students
48%
2:1 or above
13%
First year drop out rate

Most popular A-Levels studied (and grade achieved)

B
C
C

Theology and religious studies

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?

100%
UK students
0%
International students
39%
Male students
61%
Female students
48%
2:1 or above
13%
First year drop out rate

Most popular A-Levels studied (and grade achieved)

B
C
B

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.

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.

£18,000
med
Average annual salary
93%
med
Employed or in further education

Top job areas of graduates

19%
Other elementary services occupations
14%
Sales, marketing and related associate professionals
14%
Sales assistants and retail cashiers

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.

Theology and religious studies

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.

£18,000
med
Average annual salary
92%
low
Employed or in further education

Top job areas of graduates

19%
Other elementary services occupations
14%
Sales, marketing and related associate professionals
14%
Sales assistants and retail cashiers

Theology can actually be a very vocational subject —by far the most common move for theology graduates is to go into the clergy and at the moment we have a serious shortage of people willing to go into what is one of the oldest graduate careers. If you want to study theology but don't want to follow a religious career, then there are plenty of options available. 2015 graduates went into all sorts of jobs requiring a degree, from education and community work, to marketing, HR and financial analysis. Postgraduate study is also popular — a lot of theology graduates train as teachers, or go into Masters or even doctoral study - where philosophy and law are very popular postgraduate subjects of study.

What about your long term prospects?

Looking further ahead, below is a rough guide for what graduates went on to earn.

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.

£24k

£24k

£23k

£23k

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.

Theology and religious studies

The graph shows median earnings of graduates who achieved a degree in this subject area one, three and five years after graduating from here.

£24k

£24k

£23k

£23k

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.

Explore these similar courses...

Share this page

This is what the university has told Ucas about the criteria they expect applicants to satisfy; some may be compulsory, others may be preferable.

Have a question about this info? Learn more here

This is the percentage of applicants to this course who received an offer last year, through Ucas.

Have a question about this info? Learn more here

This is what the university has told Ucas about the course. Use it to get a quick idea about what makes it unique compared to similar courses, elsewhere.

Have a question about this info? Learn more here

Course location and department:

This is what the university has told Ucas about the course. Use it to get a quick idea about what makes it unique compared to similar courses, elsewhere.

Have a question about this info? Learn more here

Teaching Excellence Framework (TEF):

We've received this information from the Department for Education, via Ucas. This is how the university as a whole has been rated for its quality of teaching: gold silver or bronze. Note, not all universities have taken part in the TEF.

Have a question about this info? Learn more here

This information comes from the National Student Survey, an annual student survey of final-year students. You can use this to see how satisfied students studying this subject area at this university, are (not the individual course).

This is the percentage of final-year students at this university who were "definitely" or "mostly" satisfied with their course. We've analysed this figure against other universities so you can see whether this is high, medium or low.

Have a question about this info? Learn more here

This information is from the Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA), for undergraduate students only.

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.

Have a question about this info? Learn more here

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.

Have a question about this info? Learn more here

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

Have a question about this info? Learn more here

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?

Have a question about this info? Learn more here