Philosophy with Foundation Year

Foundation Year
Our Foundation Year provides an excellent alternative route to Keele, providing a unique opportunity to better prepare for your chosen degree, and with guaranteed entry onto your undergraduate course once you successfully complete your Foundation Year. This extra year of study can improve your academic skills, expand your subject knowledge, give you a better understanding of higher education and, perhaps most importantly of all, build your confidence. On the Keele Foundation Year, you'll study on campus, joining our undergraduate community from the outset, with access to all the facilities and support that you'd get as an undergraduate student at Keele.

International Students
For International Students, Foundation Years are delivered through our dedicated on-campus provider, Keele University International College. Applications for International Foundation Years are also handled by KUIC; please do not apply via UCAS as the University will not be able to process your application and you may still be charged the UCAS application fee. To find out more and to apply for an International Foundation Year, visit https://kuic.keele.ac.uk/

Philosophy

From ethics to religion and the ultimate nature of reality, Philosophy BA at Keele offers a deep exploration of human life and its place within the world. Embark on a journey as an aspiring philosopher, driven by a passion for understanding and analysing philosophical ideas from ancient India and Greece to the present day. With a wealth of opportunities to enhance your career prospects, you'll develop into a well-rounded critical thinker, analyst, and communicator, ready to pursue a rewarding career across diverse industries.

Why choose this course?
• Philosophy at Keele is ranked Top 10 in the UK for student positivity* NSS 2023 (Broad-based universities) *based on overall student satisfaction, which is an average score across 27 questions asked in the NSS



• Top 20 in England for Philosophy (Guardian University Guide, 2025)



• Discover new ideas, debate big questions with your lecturers and peers, and better appreciate the views of others



• Enhance your career with the choice of a placement year, entrepreneurship year or international year



• Our research-led teaching and dedicated philosophy conferences provide insight into new and traditional topics, developing your subject knowledge and professional skills



On our Philosophy degree you will study a range of philosophical debates, answering big questions and evaluating reality. Philosophy is concerned with the nature of the good human life (Ethics), the nature and rationality of religion (Philosophy of Religion), the ultimate nature of reality (Metaphysics) and the extent to which we can achieve knowledge (Epistemology).

You will be introduced to the ethical and practical concerns of philosophy as well as the traditional ideas from Indian, Chinese, Greek and African ancient wisdom. You will cover a wide variety of historical, Western and Non-Western traditions as well as contemporary issues, from AI technologies to environmentalism.

About Keele

Keele University was established in 1949 by the former Vice-Chancellor of Oxford University. Founded to meet the needs of a changing world, Keele has always had a pioneering vision to be a different kind of university.

We excel in both teaching and research, with some of the most satisfied students in England, and research that is changing lives for the better at a regional, national and global level.

Our beautiful 600-acre campus is one of the biggest in Britain – but all the most important services and facilities are on your doorstep, with accommodation, teaching spaces, facilities including a medical centre, sports centre and pharmacy, and a range of shops, eateries and entertainment venues – including the Students’ Union – clustered around the centre.

Career focused courses, a vibrant student community and a beautiful 600-acre campus – this is Keele.

Whether you’re a passionate natural scientist, or eager to explore law, business, humanities or social sciences, our innovative courses are designed with your future in mind. Many of our courses offer a placement opportunity – just one of our initiatives that prepare you for real-world success.

Recognised for outstanding student experience and teaching quality, we were ranked a Top 10 UK university for student satisfaction across 15 subjects (National Student Survey 2025, broad-based English universities) and achieved Double Gold in the Teaching Excellence Framework (2017 and 2023).

Located in the Staffordshire countryside, but within easy reach of a bustling town, vibrant city and our noisy neighbours of Manchester and Birmingham, Keele truly offers the best of both worlds: a close-knit campus community and an exciting local area to explore.

We’d love to see you on campus soon.