Discover the latest specialist knowledge from our experts
Applied approach to understand how Philosophy can be applied to challenges in the modern world
Explore philosophy from a global perspective
Why Lancaster?
Discover a new take on studying religion that includes world, political and social perspectives
Join a pioneering department - the first Religious Studies department in the UK and the first to include world religions, we continue to innovate with fresh new takes on the study of religion
What is the relationship between faith and reason? Does morality require free will? Explore eternal questions of human existence in this stimulating programme
Study in a department that emphasises the practical applications of philosophy, working with our experts who regularly contribute to public policy debates
Examine age-old and emerging intellectual discussions in a global context – our decolonised curriculum is led by specialists in non-Western religions and philosophies
Graduate with critical thinking skills that will open up a range of exciting careers, from politics and diplomacy to consultancy and education
What is the nature of human existence? How do different cultures and faiths grapple with issues of ethics, meaning and knowledge? Our exciting programme will equip you with a global perspective on the fundamental questions that have gripped thinkers from ancient to modern times.
An intellectual world within your reach
You’ll become familiar with the thought of key historical and modern-day thinkers in philosophy and religion, from well-known authors like John Stuart Mill and Friedrich Nietzsche, to contemporary authors like Elizabeth Anderson and Iris Marion Young.
You’ll build upon this by constructing a degree from module choices that span the global intellectual landscape. From Islamic ethics, to Indian philosophical and religious thought, to Chinese philosophy. Our department’s experts cover a vast and varied terrain, and will support you to specialise in whichever areas of religion and philosophy you choose.
From thinking to practice
You’ll benefit from the opportunity to apply for an internship with our department’s Richardson Institute. Here, you’ll have the chance to apply the knowledge and skills you develop on your studies to a real-world research project with external bodies such as think tanks and faith-based organisations, working in a research centre known for its innovative output.
You’ll be able to bolster the global outlook you build on this programme by joining one of the short, overseas trips run by the University. Past visits have seen students travel to India, Ghana and the USA.
“It’s made me change the way I’m looking at everything”. Offering an expansive breadth of choices with a global perspective, discover how studying Philosophy at Lancaster University could deepen your understanding of the world.
Meet the team
Our Global Religions team bring together a rich and diverse set of knowledge, experience and interests.
Bihani Sarkar
I am lecturer in Comparative Non-Western Thought. I work on classical Indian religious history, Sanskrit poetry and drama, and the comparative study of literary genres and ideas. My work has focused on Indian Goddess traditions, the poet Kālidāsa and the reinterpretation of tragedy. I am interested in the philosophical and historical aspects of poetry and mythology and the retelling of sacred narratives by poets. I am currently working on wild women and goddesses in early Indian myth and poetry.
Brian Black
I am Senior Lecturer in Indian philosophy and religion, with a focus on the traditions of Hinduism and Buddhism. I love reading and teaching ancient Hindu and Buddhist literature. My research investigates how narrative is used to convey religious and philosophical ideas. I am also interested in the gender and political dynamics of Indian thought. Additionally, I am interested in comparative philosophy and religion, particularly resonances between ancient Indian, Chinese, and Mediterranean thought.
Chakravarthi Ram-Prasad
My research has been funded by the Templeton Foundation, AHRC, ESRC and the Leverhulme Trust. My work is comparative, and draws on a variety of pre-modern Indian traditions. I have written on epistemology, metaphysics, phenomenology and other philosophical topics, as well as on gender, political thought, and religious life. I am currently working on emotions. I have enjoyed teaching and supervising across all levels, and especially on gender and religion, Indian philosophy, and reconceptualising International Relations.
Christopher Partridge
I am Professor of Religious Studies. Much of my work is informed by research done in cultural studies and cultural sociology. I am particularly interested in popular belief in the occult and the paranormal. Related to this, much of my research concerns the significance of popular culture for the construction of everyday worldviews. Currently, my principal foci are psychoactive drugs and popular music.
Hiroko Kawanami
I joined ‘Religions’ in Lancaster intrigued by the international reputation set by its founder Ninian Smart. Coming from Japan I was raised in the tradition of Mahayana Buddhism (Pure Land Buddhism and Shingon Buddhism). The practices I experienced in a Buddhist community made me realise even more the importance of teaching about lived practices. We at Lancaster have edited an important textbook titled Religions in the Modern World (Routledge) used in many departments all over the world to teach our unique brand of lived religions in the global world today.
Your Placement Year
Sometimes known as a year in industry, your placement year will take place between your second and final year of study and this will extend your degree to four years.
Placements and Internships
Hear from students and employers on how Lancaster University could support you to gain real-world experience and bolster your CV with a placement or internship as part of your degree.
A placement year is an excellent way to...
try out a role that you may be interested in as a career path
start to build your professional network (some placement students are offered permanent roles to return to after they graduate)
develop skills, knowledge and experience to put you ahead of the field when you graduate
You'll spend your third year...
in a paid, graduate-level position, where you’ll work for between nine and twelve months in the type of role that you might be considering for after you graduate. A very wide range of companies and organisations offer placements across all sectors.
As a full-time employee, you’ll have a detailed job description with specific responsibilities and opportunities to access training and development, the same as other employees.
Our Careers and Placements Team...
will help you to secure a suitable placement with expert advice and resources, such as creating an effective CV, and tips for applications and interviews.
You will still be a Lancaster University student during your placement and we’ll keep in touch to check how you are getting on.
The university will...
use all reasonable effort to support you to find a suitable placement for your studies. While a placement role may not be available in a field or organisation that is directly related to your academic studies or career aspirations, all offer valuable experience of working at a graduate level and gaining a range of professional skills.
If you are unsuccessful in securing a suitable placement for your third year, you will be able to transfer to the equivalent non-placement degree scheme and continue with your studies at Lancaster, finishing your degree after your third year.
The Richardson Institute
Formed in 1959, and based in the Department of Politics, Philosophy and Religion, the Richardson Institute is the oldest peace and conflict research centre in the UK. Since 2012 it has provided an internship programme that gives students the opportunity to work with different organisations on issues of peace and conflict.
You’ll graduate with excellent critical thinking skills, and the ability to judge evidence in a logical manner and communicate a strong case for an argument. These attributes are highly sought-after by employers in today’s graduate job market, and will open up a rich and varied range of career paths to you.
The international awareness and knowledge of world cultures you will build through undertaking a globally-oriented programme will equip you to enter exciting, internationally-focussed roles.
Some of the careers you might choose to pursue include:
Civil and Diplomatic Services
International charities and NGOs
Consultancy
Teaching and education
Media, journalism and PR
Politics and government
Many graduates from our department also choose to go onto further study, taking a Master’s degree or PhD.
Find out more about the support the Department of Politics, Philosophy and Religion offers to improve your employability, and learn about the careers of some of our alumni.
Lancaster University is dedicated to ensuring that you gain a highly reputable degree. We are also dedicated to ensuring that you graduate with relevant life and work-based skills. We are unique in that every student is eligible to participate in The Lancaster Award, which offers you the opportunity to complete activities such as work experience, employability/career development, campus community and social development.
IELTS 6.5 overall with at least 5.5 in each component. For other English language qualifications we accept, please see our English language requirements webpages.
Other Qualifications
International Baccalaureate 32 points overall with 16 points from the best 3 Higher Level subjects.
BTEC Distinction, Distinction, Merit
We welcome applications from students with a range of alternative UK and international qualifications, including combinations of qualification. Further guidance on admission to the University, including other qualifications that we accept, frequently asked questions and information on applying, can be found on our general admissions webpages.
Lancaster University offers a range of programmes, some of which follow a structured study programme, and some which offer the chance for you to devise a more flexible programme to complement your main specialism.
Information contained on the website with respect to modules is correct at the time of publication, and the University will make every reasonable effort to offer modules as advertised. In some cases changes may be necessary and may result in some combinations being unavailable, for example as a result of student feedback, timetabling, Professional Statutory and Regulatory Bodies' (PSRB) requirements, staff changes and new research. Not all optional modules are available every year.
This module introduces students to key themes in the study of philosophy. Consciously drawing on a broad range of philosophical traditions -- Continental, Analytic, and non-Western -- it aims to present a comprehensive overview of various theoretical sub-disciplines within philosophy, but also to equip students with the ability to reason and think clearly about the most fundamental questions of human existence. The course, though designed as an introduction to the advanced degree-level study of philosophy, will also function as a self-standing introduction to philosophy suitable for those seeking to broaden their understanding of philosophy as it has been practiced throughout various traditions.
The module will involve the study of European and non-European sources, and areas of study will typically include:
1. Epistemology: the study of the nature of knowledge, belief, and the mind's ability to apprehend the world.
2. Metaphysics: the study of the nature of matter, causation, freedom, and being.
3. Phenomenology: the study of the nature and structure of consciousness.
4. Philosophy of Religion: the study of the nature and existence of God and of religious faith.
5. Philosophy of Mind: the study of the nature of mind and the mental.
This module aims to introduce students to key themes in practical philosophy, and to develop their ability to reason and think clearly about the question of how we ought to act and organise our interaction. The course aims to treat this issue both systematically and in an applied manner: to familiarise students with various accounts of moral and political theories, but also to use these theories to think critically about real-world problems. The course, though designed as an introduction to the advanced degree-level study of philosophy, will also function as a self-standing introduction to philosophy suitable for those seeking to better understand the foundations of modern moral and political thought.
Areas of study will typically include:
1. Moral Philosophy: the study of how we should act, and what we should value.
2. Political Philosophy: the study of the values which underpin our political institutions and how we ought to organise our collective lives.
3. Gender and Philosophy: the study of the nature of gender and gendered thinking, and its relation to ethics and politics.
4. Ethical Controversies: the study of practical questions of ethics, such as the nature of animals rights, choices of life and death, the value of privacy, and problems of discrimination.
5. Applied Political Philosophy: the study of practical political issues, such as immigration rights, international inequality, the permissibility of war, free speech and propaganda from a philosophical standpoint.
6. Environmental Philosophy: the study of our relationship to nature, and how to respond to the environmental crisis.
Core
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Religions as involving the control of symbolic and sometimes coercive power, thereby intersecting with politics, International relations and philosophy. Religions as involving values expressed in norms, laws, and institutions which exercise social and political power,
locally and globally. The crucial impact of religious identities, practices, values, arguments and multidimensional ways of life on politics, international relations and philosophical thought. Religions as diverse traditions in different regions of the world undergoing global changes in different ways. Globalisation of religion and its interweaving with social, political and philosophical developments
Optional
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The second half of the 18th Century was a time of fierce debate between the schools of idealism, empiricism, and criticism that extended to the nature of subjectivity and the status of nature itself. This course examines key texts from Hume and Kant, two of the greatest modern philosophers, which all confront the new realities of the modern scientific method. The course will focus on the relationship between knowledge and the natural world and evolution of subjectivity and its grounding of psychology.
This module is a study of fundamental ideas and texts of the classical philosophical and religious traditions of India. Topics typically covered include the origins and nature of inquiry and the evolution of a tradition of epistemology, debates about the nature and existence of the self, questions about the nature of ethics and ethical dilemmas, competing theories of the nature of reality, and the existence and nature of the divine. The aim is to introduce you to some of the varied intellectual debates from Indian traditions, and widen your understanding of the nature of religious and philosophical thought. Discussions will proceed through reading passages from key texts in translation.
This module offers a critical introduction to Chinese philosophy by focusing on its diversity and contemporary relevance. The module introduces the main schools of thought that emerged during the classical era (one of the most vibrant periods of Chinese philosophy), including Daoism, Confucianism, Legalism, Mohism, and the school of names.
Students will be introduced to the main concepts used in classical Chinese philosophy as well as the central issues debated by classical Chinese philosophers, such as whether human nature is good or bad, whether one should engage in society or retrieve from it in order to live a fulfilled life, whether humans are at the centre of the world or simply a part of it, and whether language is enhancing human potential or limiting it, to name but a few examples.
Can we know what it is like to be a fish? Why do we spontaneously try to save a child who is in danger? Is a white horse a horse? Should we rejoice in non-action, engage in politics, or do both at the same time? Is there such a thing as feminist philosophy in ancient China? These are some of the issues that will be discussed during the term.
This module will offer an introduction to feminist philosophy by addressing the question of what feminist philosophy is and providing an overview of some important debates in feminist philosophy including the debate on the concept “woman” and the distinction between sex and gender, the literature on intersectionality and the relationship between gender-based and other forms of oppression, and feminist thinking on care, marriage and the family. These issues are among the most important ones in contemporary feminist philosophy as well as being issues that occupy a prominent place in public debate. Further, discussing them will allow us to explore different traditions and approaches to feminist philosophy, analysing contributions of analytic and continental feminist philosophers, of liberal feminist philosophers and those critical of the liberal tradition, and centring feminist perspectives that are often marginalised.
This module considers a range of issues currently being debated by political philosophers and political theorists. Specific topics may change slightly, but the current plan is cover the following, with attention to questions of freedom and justice throughout:
Business corporations and employment
Racism and sexism
Democracy
Climate politics
Structural injustice and sweatshop labour
Public health and state interventions
Studying this module should improve students’ knowledge and understanding of some key issues in metaphysics as determined by the syllabus. This focuses primarily on some issues concerning space and time, the nature of physical objects and persons, and some key philosophical distinctions. Studying this module should also enable them to see connections between various philosophical issues that should be of value to them with regard to other philosophy modules that they are studying.
This course explores ideas central to any understanding of politics. It focuses on two related themes: Equality, and Community. In the course we will explore the thought of thinkers who are associated with these ideas of equality and community (Rousseau, Marx, the Fabians, and Rawls). By the end of the course, you will have an understanding of the key ideas of the thinkers under review and be able to assess the contribution that these thinkers have made to our wider understanding of politics. You will also be able to recognise the relevance of these thinkers to our current political debates, and be able to employ their ideas within those debates. Additionally, you will be able to evaluate the key features of an argument, be confident to express your own views, and evaluate the responses of others.
Moral philosophy is the systematic theoretical study of morality or ethical life: what we ought to do, what we ought to be, what has value or is good. This module engages in this practice by critical investigation of some of the following topics, debates, and figures: value and valuing; personhood/selfhood; practical reason; moral psychology; freedom, agency, and responsibility; utilitarianism and its critics; virtue ethics and its critics; deontology and its critics; contractarianism and its critics; the nature of the good life; the source and nature of rights; the nature of justice; major recent and contemporary figures such as Bernard Williams, Martha Nussbaum, Peter Railton, Christine Korsgaard, Philippa Foot, Allan Gibbard, Simon Blackburn; major historical figures such as Aristotle, David Hume, Immanuel Kant, John Stuart Mill, G. E. Moore.
This course covers nineteenth-century philosophy, a crucial period in several ways: there was a new attention to history and the relation between philosophy and history; there was the rise of socialism and its impact on philosophy; and there were philosophical criticisms of Christianity, which were met by explicit defences of Christianity by some philosophers. We explore these issues through the work of six figures in nineteenth-century German and British philosophy: Hegel, Feuerbach, and Marx; Nietzsche, Cobbe, and Besant.
This module examines some theoretical issues involved in gaining knowledge about human societies. We will look at the role of theories and models in economics and political science, the special nature of "social institutions," and whether economic and political knowledge can be separated from value-judgments:
Rational choice theory and models based on it
Social norms and cooperation
John Searle’s theory of “institutional facts”
The nature of money and different accounts of power
Whether values can or should be kept out of economics and political science
Some ways in which states and markets are related
This course considers philosophical issues that arise in connection with the sciences. It will consider what scientific method is, how science relates to the rest of knowledge, whether it provides an ideal model for rational inquiry in general, and whether we should think of science as describing reality.
In the first few weeks we will consider traditional accounts of scientific method and theory-testing, and then examine philosophical challenges to the status of science as a rational form of enquiry. We give particular consideration to three of the most important twentieth-century philosophers of science: Popper, Kuhn, and Feyerabend. Next we will consider whether and in what sense we should be confident that our best current scientific theories are accurate descriptions of reality.
It is not assumed that students have an extensive knowledge of science: the relevant scientific concepts will be presented in a simple and accessible way, and there will be no maths.
Knowledge is an essential aspect of our social lives. This module focuses on a range of real world social, ethical and political problems involving knowledge. Topics include: problems of epistemic injustice (where people are not believed because of identity prejudice); whether virtues of open-mindedness might provide a solution to epistemic injustice. A proper understanding of the ethics and politics of knowledge requires us to examine both doubt and ignorance. We consider whether systemic racism is sustained by an active kind of “wilful” ignorance. We explore how powerful corporations seek to deliberately engineer doubt to further their interests. We examine political deception and the idea of “Post-truth” politics. In the final section we turn to the limits of seeking knowledge and how to balance the interests that states and corporations have in knowing personal information, against our interests in keeping such information private.
This module aims (a) to provide students an introduction to issues within the philosophy and politics of higher education, and (b) to help students to reflect about their own position in, and aims while at the university. During the modules, students will consider key questions regarding the aims of university education and its political context and history, as well as dedicate time to thinking about how their own studies fit into those aims and context, and what they wish to achieve during their undergraduate degrees. Twice weekly lectures will be supplemented by seminars, but also by regular ‘keynotes’ in which those working within and alongside higher education will present their own views and approach to higher education. Invited figures may include senior figures from within Lancaster University, representatives of UCU, the Student Union, and local stakeholders.
This course covers core theoretical questions surrounding the nature and status of normative claims: those involving moral, political, or other values. We explore the whether normative claims admit of truth or falsity, or whether they are merely expressions of preference: whether such claims can be objectively warranted, or are ultimately ‘subjective’. Themes to be treated include: the meaning of words such as ‘ought’ and ‘good’; the relationship between values and facts; the Frege-Geach problem; the place of motivation in value judgments. Key ‘metaethical’ theories, such as naturalistic and non-naturalistic realism, emotivism, and prescriptivism, will be outlined and explored.
This module will introduce students to some of the most well-known women philosophers from ancient India, China, and Greece. The content of the module will be philosophical sources that were either: authored by women, include views, voices, and/or characters that claim to represent a woman’s perspective, or that are explicitly about women. In addition to reading this source material, the module will also develop the awareness of and skills to address some of the unique challenges of studying women philosophers, particularly in contexts where it is not clear if women composed the sources attributed to them.
Core
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You will spend this year working in a graduate-level placement role. This is an opportunity to gain experience in an industry or sector that you might be considering working in once you graduate.
Our Careers and Placements Team will support you during your placement with online contact and learning resources.
You will undertake a work-based learning module during your placement year which will enable you to reflect on the value of the placement experience and to consider what impact it has on your future career plans.
Optional
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This module focuses on selected topics in Applied Philosophy. Applied Philosophy involves the application of philosophical methods and knowledge to a range of problems that face institutions, professions, policymakers and regulatory bodies. Further questions arise about the nature and limits of applied philosophy.
This module will trace the development of Buddhist thought, from its emergence in India in the fifth century BCE, through its development across Asia, particularly China, but also Tibet and Japan. It will also look at how Buddhist philosophy has been received by Western philosophers from the 19th century. In addition to tracking and analysing key concepts, such as not-self, dependent origination, emptiness, and Buddha nature, this module will examine themes that pervade Buddhist philosophy in its various contexts, such as the relationships between teaching and practice, philosophy and literature, and religion and politics. Although the regional emphasis will change depending on the lecturer, this module will offer students an in-depth exploration of one of the most enduring, voluminous, and influential philosophical traditions of the world.
The module will look at philosophical issues that arise out of Darwin’s theory of evolution. These include questions about how best to understand the theory of evolution, and questions about what evolution implies for our view of the world, and in particular of ourselves. The course breaks down into three broad areas:
Different ways to understand the theory of evolution, e.g., Is evolution, as some would have us believe, all about genes? Is natural selection the only important factor in evolution?
Conceptual issues relating to biology, e.g., How do we define ‘function’? Is there one right way to classify living things
Implications of Darwinism for understanding human nature, e.g., Does the fact that we have evolved affect ow we should see human nature? Why are evolutionary theories of human nature so controversial? Does Darwinism have any implications for moral questions?
PPR.399 provides an opportunity for students to choose a topic related to some aspect of Politics and International Relations, Philosophy and Religious Studies which particularly interests them, and to pursue it in depth. The topic may be related to work that is being done on a formally taught course, or it may be less directly linked to course work. The intention is that students will develop their research skills, and their ability to work at length under their own direction.
Students write a dissertation of 9,000-10,000 words. They are expected to start thinking seriously about the dissertation towards the end of the Lent term of their second year, and to submit a provisional topic by the end of that term. Work should be well advanced by Christmas in the third year. The completed dissertation must be submitted at the start of Summer Term in the third year. To help students prepare for work on the dissertation, there will be an introductory talk on topics relating to doing one's own research and planning and writing a dissertation. A course handout will be available setting out in more detail the requirements for the dissertation and giving full details of lectures, supervision arrangements and assessment.
The aim of this module is to allow students to pursue independent in-depth studies of a topic of their choice, within the scope of their scheme of study. The topic will be formulated in dialogue with one or more external collaborator(s) and may be related to work that is being done on a formally taught course, or it may be less directly linked to course work. Students will develop their employability and research skills, and their ability to work independently at length under their own direction with input from external collaborators and an academic supervisor. The external collaboration will enhance students’ ability to reflect on the impact of academic work. One option is to incorporate work done through the Richardson Institute Internship Programme, but students may also discuss other forms of collaboration with their supervisor.
Students are expected to start thinking seriously about the dissertation towards the end of the Lent term of the second year, and to submit a provisional topic by the end of that term. Work should begin during the Summer term of the second year and a draft plan must be approved by the end of the Summer term. Work should be well advanced by Christmas in the third year. The completed dissertation must be submitted at the start of Summer Term in the third year. To help students prepare for work on the dissertation, there will be an introductory talk on topics relating to doing one’s own research and planning and writing a dissertation. A course handout will be available setting out in more detail the requirements for the dissertation and giving full details of lectures, supervision arrangements and assessment.
The aim of this module is to allow you to pursue independent in-depth studies of a topic of your choice, within the scope of your scheme of study. The topic may be related to work that is being done on a formally taught course, or it may be less directly linked to course work. You will have the opportunity to develop your employability and research skills, and your ability to work independently at length under your own direction with input from an academic supervisor. The fieldwork element will give you the chance to enhance your ability to reflect on the impact of academic work. One option is to incorporate a study trip typically organised by the University, via the Global Experience office, but you may also discuss other forms of field studies with your supervisor. The completed dissertation is usually submitted at the start of Summer Term in the third year. To help you prepare for work on the dissertation, typically there is an introductory talk in second year on topics relating to doing one’s own research and planning and writing a dissertation.
What moral obligations do we have towards future generations – to people who are yet to be born, and to merely possible people whose existence (or non-existence) depends on how we decide to act now?
In this module, we explore this question in detail by examining both a series of case studies and some of the main concepts and theories that philosophers use when thinking about these issues.Questions considered normally include:
Is there a moral obligation to refrain from having children (e.g. for environmental reasons) and what measures may governments take to encourage or enforce population control?
Should we use selection techniques to minimise the incidence of genetic disorders and disabilities in future populations?
Should parents be allowed to use these techniques to determine the characteristics of their future children? How should we weigh quality against quantity of life?
Would a world with a relatively small number of ‘happier’ people be preferable to one with many more ‘less happy’ ones?
This special subject focuses on feminist philosophy and in particular the study of women and feminists in the history of philosophy, using nineteenth-century British philosophy as a case study. The course provides an in-depth understanding of debates around women in the history of philosophy, the relation between feminism and women, and how to research and study historical women philosophers who until recently have been omitted from the canon. This will provide important transferable skills in doing research in the digital world, including working with digital archives and historical journals. The course will allow students to undertake a sustained piece of independent research on a historical essay of their choice by a woman philosopher from nineteenth-century Britain. Students taking this course will not merely be learning about philosophy as done by others; they will be doing cutting-edge philosophical research themselves.
This module will examine key sources in the history of Indian political philosophy from ancient times to the present. We will begin by looking at the most influential political sources from ancient India, including the inscriptions of King Ashoka and the Arthashastra. Some of the questions we will be asking are how the ideas in these texts speak to modern debates about secularism, pluralism, and civil religion. We will then turn our attention to the modern period, reading the political thought of figures such as Gandhi, Ambedkar, and Ashis Nandy. We will look at how these and other modern political thinkers draw from premodern Indian traditions, as well as how they engage with and critique Western political ideas from Indian perspectives.
The module provides an introduction to formal logic together with an examination of various philosophical issues that arise out of it. The syllabus includes a study of the languages of propositional and quantificational logic, how to formalize key logical concepts within them, and how to prove elementary results using formal techniques. Additional topics include identity, definite descriptions, modal logic and its philosophical significance, and some criticisms of classical logic.
This module will address central issues in contemporary ethical (including meta-ethical), legal and political philosophy, and will allow a systematic critical exploration of the connections between ideas and arguments in each of the three areas of the subject.
Topics covered will include some of the following: modern theory of moral motivation, value theory, contractualism, the 'moral problem'; responsibility and criminal liability, the justification of punishment, the proper scope of the law; democratic theory, egalitarianism, justice, nationalism, multiculturalism, liberty and human rights.
This course will examine some of the core philosophical questions raised by warfare and conflict. We will look at the ethics of war and killing, but also at more neglected philosophical issues in this area, and non-Western approaches as well as classic texts in the Western tradition.
We will do so by examining some of the central dilemmas faced by soldiers, policy makers and non-combatants, in the form of a weekly question for discussion. These questions include: Can war be beautiful? When, if ever, should we go to war? What counts as legitimate action in war? What, if anything, do we owe to our enemies? Is soldiering a good life? What does technological development mean for warfare? What should a responsible citizen do when their country is, or looks about to be, at war? Who has the epistemic authority to speak about war? Is war always tragic?
This module will introduce students to the thought of Sigmund Freud, the founder of psychoanalysis. As well as providing a firm grounding in Freud's own thought, it will also raise questions about the implications of Freud's thought for philosophy. To this end, it will examine Paul Ricoeur's pioneering work on Freud and philosophy and will also look at the work of subsequent thinkers who have explored the ramifications of Freud's work for philosophy, especially Jacques Lacan, Michel de Certeau and Slavoj Žižek. The module will raise questions about the extent to which philosophy should respond to some of the insights of psychoanalysis.
This module introduces central issues, problems and theories in philosophical aesthetics by critically examining a number of central topics including: the nature of aesthetic experience; the objectivity of aesthetic judgement; emotional responses to fiction; the moral and cognitive value of art; the aesthetic value of nature. In addition to central philosophical discussions, various findings from empirical psychology and neuroscience will also be used. Although examples from all of the arts will be employed throughout the course, the emphasis will be on the wider issues just listed, and not exclusively focussed on art. That is, aesthetics will be explored as an important area of the philosophy of value in general.
This module considers key philosophical issues in the sciences of human mind, behaviour and social structures, such as psychology, psychiatry, sociology, economics and history. Topics to be considered may include the status of reason-based explanations of human behaviour, the legitimacy of psychoanalytic explanations, the understanding of other societies, individualism versus collectivism in social explanation, and the scientific status of social models based on postulates of rational choice.
This course examines central themes in the liberal branch of contemporary Anglo-American analytic political philosophy. The liberal positions on justice, liberty, equality, the state, power, rights and utility are all explored. The approach is philosophical rather than applied; its focus is on the ideas of liberal politics: how individual liberty can be maximised while not harming others; how an individual philosophical position can guide political determinants of a society and places the developments of liberal ideas in their appropriate historical contexts. The course also examines the connection between the ideas of liberalism and the idea of democracy to explore the philosophical tensions between the two and how these might be resolved. The course is a survey of major topics and concepts in Anglo-American liberal political ideas. The syllabus will include the following topics: questions about justice; visions of the state; negative and positive liberty; equality, utility and rights; toleration and multiculturalism; neutrality and the market.
This module critically explores a range of key topics in the ethics and politics of communication. In the first half of the course, we begin by an introduction to some basic concepts in linguistics and philosophy of language – especially to do with the practical side of communication. We then focus on (a) how certain kinds of communication can bring about ethical change (e.g. making something permissible); (b) upon whether lying and other kinds of deception are permissible, and if so, when. In the second half we turn to some broadly political issues: whether political lying is justified in a way that everyday lying is not. We consider three domains where freedom of communication is both important and contentious: freedom of speech, freedom of the press, and freedom on social media, including the challenges posed by “content moderation”.
In the Twentieth Century, Western philosophy underwent a number of fundamental “turns” — the linguistic turn, the phenomenological turn, the postmodern turn. Some of these changes were viewed as “revolutions” in philosophy. At the extreme end, there were even arguments that Western philosophy, as conceived since Plato, was finished. In this module we explore some of these key transformations. We consider the “linguistic” turn, and the formation of “analytic philosophy” at the turn of the C20. One central figure of this linguistic turn is Ludwig Wittgenstein. But Wittgenstein shifts from being at the centre of analytic philosophy to arguing that philosophy is finished. At the same time, philosophy also undergoes a phenomenological turn. We focus on how this leads, via Sartre, to a revival of existentialism. The contrasts between French philosophy and English-speaking philosophy become even more pronounced in the final third of the C20, with post-structuralism and post-modernist philosophy viewed by the “analytic” philosophy community as not even being a kind of philosophy. We assess the roots of, and justification of, this “analytic/continental” divide.
Fees and funding
Our annual tuition fee is set for a 12-month session, starting in the October of your year of study.
There may be extra costs related to your course for items such as books, stationery, printing, photocopying, binding and general subsistence on trips and visits. Following graduation, you may need to pay a subscription to a professional body for some chosen careers.
Specific additional costs for studying at Lancaster are listed below.
College fees
Lancaster is proud to be one of only a handful of UK universities to have a collegiate system. Every student belongs to a college, and all students pay a small college membership fee which supports the running of college events and activities. Students on some distance-learning courses are not liable to pay a college fee.
For students starting in 2025, the fee is £40 for undergraduates and research students and £15 for students on one-year courses.
Computer equipment and internet access
To support your studies, you will also require access to a computer, along with reliable internet access. You will be able to access a range of software and services from a Windows, Mac, Chromebook or Linux device. For certain degree programmes, you may need a specific device, or we may provide you with a laptop and appropriate software - details of which will be available on relevant programme pages. A dedicated IT support helpdesk is available in the event of any problems.
The University provides limited financial support to assist students who do not have the required IT equipment or broadband support in place.
Study abroad courses
In addition to travel and accommodation costs, while you are studying abroad, you will need to have a passport and, depending on the country, there may be other costs such as travel documents (e.g. VISA or work permit) and any tests and vaccines that are required at the time of travel. Some countries may require proof of funds.
Placement and industry year courses
In addition to possible commuting costs during your placement, you may need to buy clothing that is suitable for your workplace and you may have accommodation costs. Depending on the employer and your job, you may have other costs such as copies of personal documents required by your employer for example.
The fee that you pay will depend on whether you are considered to be a home or international student. Read more about how we assign your fee status.
Home fees are subject to annual review, and may be liable to rise each year in line with UK government policy. International fees (including EU) are reviewed annually and are not fixed for the duration of your studies. Read more about fees in subsequent years.
We will charge tuition fees to Home undergraduate students on full-year study abroad/work placements in line with the maximum amounts permitted by the Department for Education. The current maximum levels are:
Students studying abroad for a year: 15% of the standard tuition fee
Students taking a work placement for a year: 20% of the standard tuition fee
International students on full-year study abroad/work placements will be charged the same percentages as the standard International fee.
Please note that the maximum levels chargeable in future years may be subject to changes in Government policy.
Scholarships and bursaries
You will be automatically considered for our main scholarships and bursaries when you apply, so there's nothing extra that you need to do.
You may be eligible for the following funding opportunities, depending on your fee status:
Unfortunately no scholarships and bursaries match your selection, but there are more listed on scholarships and bursaries page.
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We also have other, more specialised scholarships and bursaries - such as those for students from specific countries.
Download the course booklet to find out more about Lancaster University, how we teach Global Religions and what you'll study as a Global Religions student.
The information on this site relates primarily to 2025/2026 entry to the University and every effort has been taken to ensure the information is correct at the time of publication.
The University will use all reasonable effort to deliver the courses as described, but the University reserves the right to make changes to advertised courses. In exceptional circumstances that are beyond the University’s reasonable control (Force Majeure Events), we may need to amend the programmes and provision advertised. In this event, the University will take reasonable steps to minimise the disruption to your studies. If a course is withdrawn or if there are any fundamental changes to your course, we will give you reasonable notice and you will be entitled to request that you are considered for an alternative course or withdraw your application. You are advised to revisit our website for up-to-date course information before you submit your application.
More information on limits to the University’s liability can be found in our legal information.
Our Students’ Charter
We believe in the importance of a strong and productive partnership between our students and staff. In order to ensure your time at Lancaster is a positive experience we have worked with the Students’ Union to articulate this relationship and the standards to which the University and its students aspire. View our Charter and other policies.
Undergraduate open days 2024
Our summer and autumn open days will give you Lancaster University in a day. Visit campus and put yourself in the picture.
Our historic city is student-friendly and home to a diverse and welcoming community. Beyond the city you'll find a stunning coastline and the picturesque Lake District.