Bachelor of Arts in Philosophy and Sociology

at University of Southampton - Avenue Campus United Kingdom

Is there a god? What is morality? What does it mean to be human? On this joint BA Philosophy and English degree you’ll examine concepts like these from philosophical and literary perspectives. You’ll broaden your knowledge and understanding with a placement year at a university abroad.

You’ll have the freedom to pursue your own interests in subjects as varied as scriptwriting and Islamic philosophy.

In your degree you can:

• Learn about philosophical questions such as ethics, reason and responsibility
• Explore philosophy and literature through diverse times and places, from Viking to Victorian eras, from Eastern to African settings
• Study themes like the Islamic Golden Age, classical Indian philosophy, and holocaust literature
• Study abroad at one of our partner institutions
• Explore contested narratives, for example, race and culture in American literature

At Southampton you’ll learn in small groups in a relaxed and friendly environment. You'll benefit from the expertise of academic staff whose research feeds directly into the course content.

You can take modules from other disciplines such as anthropology or psychology, studying a language, or choosing from a range of cross-disciplinary modules.

Explore 19th century English literature in-depth with a master’s degree at the University of Southampton.

Our course gives you the opportunity to specialise in the culture and history of the 19th century, covering topics such as:

• Key debates in 19th century studies
• The literary marketplace and its cultures
• Changes to aesthetics and taste during the 19th century
• Issues of gender, race, class, science and capitalism
• Material culture and print culture

On completion of the course, you’ll be ready for a career in teaching, publishing, librarianship or cultural heritage.

You’ll get the chance to carry out advanced-level research and independent critical thinking, and to make effective use of archives, manuscripts, and research libraries.

This pathway is linked to the Southampton Centre for Nineteenth-Century Research, where an interdisciplinary group of over 70 staff, student and external researchers debate key issues in 19th century studies. The centre also hosts events including guest speakers, seminars and conferences.

We offer a flexible module structure which is designed to give you an advanced understanding of cultural analysis, textual interpretation and theoretical method.

You’ll explore the interrelations of text, theory and culture across the field of English literary and cultural studies. We’ll work with you to:

• develop your knowledge of critical and research methods
• raise your awareness of the historical and critical reception of literature in various periods
• explore the role of literature in a contested cultural framework

Explore people's changing relationships with the world’s oceans and seas on this science-focused maritime archaeology master's degree at the University of Southampton. You’ll study the technologies of seafaring, histories of environmental change, and underwater landscapes. This subject incorporates elements of traditional archaeology, ethnography, maritime history and marine science.

This MSc version offers the same course content as our MA Maritime Archaeology degree but you’ll take a more science-based approach through your module choices and dissertation topic.

The course draws on the world-leading expertise of the Centre for Maritime Archaeology to offer an unparalleled breadth and depth of content.

The course is designed to allow rapid development of the diverse academic knowledge and practical skills required to work in this field, including:

• The latest methods for data acquisition and integration
• Academic research and dissemination
• Archaeological fieldwork

This means you’ll cover all aspects of maritime archaeology, from those who wish to focus on field-based activities, both above and under water, through to laboratory or library-based research.

Learn about the ancient world and find ways to understand the foundations of how we live today. You'll develop specialist knowledge in your chosen areas of study and learn in an engaging and supportive research environment. You can also choose to spend time at a university abroad.

On this UK ancient history degree you'll study the ancient world in depth and we will help you to develop your career interests and discover ancient history degree jobs.

Ancient history is an interdisciplinary field, so you can study topics that you’re already passionate about, or choose to try something new.

Our wide range of topics cover ancient Egypt to the rise of Islam in the Middle East. You can also explore what happened during the conquests of Alexander the Great, and at the end of the Roman Empire.

Why study ancient history with us:

• Learn ancient history from experts on the ancient world (including history, archaeology, ancient and modern languages and literatures, philosophy and film)
• Gain experience of archaeological fieldwork and take part in study tours
• Develop your research and dissertation skills
• Challenge yourself by learning Latin and Ancient Greek
• Spend time at a university abroad in Europe, the United States, Hong Kong, Japan, South Korea or Australia

Enhance your knowledge of history and literature in English by studying them together on this English and History degree. You could study the novels of Jane Austen alongside the history of the naval wars at the time she wrote. Or, you could study African literature to gain a different perspective on the history of the modern city.

History at Southampton covers the ancient world to the present day. Our English modules explore writing from around the world and its connection to politics, the arts, identity and more.

With our advice you can shape your degree to suit your own development. For example, you can:

• Learn to write screenplays
• Study Victorian sensation fiction
• Take several modules on the history and literature of oceans

Your studies will include critical analysis, presentations and group work. These will help you develop your conceptual thinking, communication and research skills.

As part of this course you can:

• Join one of 40 student-led performing arts groups
• Take part in writing workshops at Nuffield Southampton Theatres
• Access a unique collection of rare books at the Chawton House Library
• Learn a modern language at any level
• Explore experimental writing with our Entropics events
• Get one-to-one tutorials on writing from our Royal Literary Fund Fellows

You can deepen your links to our History community by:

• Joining the dynamic, student-run History Society
• Use one of the largest Jewish document centres in Europe, the Parkes Archive

For movie lovers and history buffs, we offer this exciting and challenging film and history degree with year abroad. You'll examine film from a variety of perspectives: as popular art, big business and as a cultural record. You'll study history and the links between both subjects. A year abroad will enhance your understanding of visual arts and let you experience a new culture.

You'll study familiar classics alongside contemporary cinema, and genres including:

• film noir
• horror
• science fiction
• documentary
• animation

Your history modules will cover the development of historical debates, imagining the past, and topics ranging from ancient societies to the war on terror.

Our Framing the Past module looks at cinema's relationship with history. You'll study films about the distant past of Greece, Rome or Egypt, up to more recent times, such as heritage films about the British Empire or the Titanic.

You'll spend your third year abroad at an exchange partner university. You can study in English but will have opportunities to develop your language skills.

 As part of this course you can:

• take modules in film noir, animation, horror and sci-fi
• explore British, European and world cinema
• discover early film through archive visits
• access document collections, including the Wellington, Palmerston and Mountbatten papers
• use one of the largest Jewish document centres in Europe, the Parkes Archive
• submit your own film to our annual student film festival

Discover how English has developed through history and how it varies in different societies. You'll explore the language, its structure and the linguistic science behind it. You can also choose from a wide range of modules that follow your interests and career goals in the subject. We have one of the UK’s leading Modern Languages and Linguistics departments.

This English language and linguistics degree will give you an advanced knowledge of contemporary English, its development, systems and use around the world. You'll learn analytical, research and personal skills relevant to a range of careers.

You’ll take modules in:

• Applied linguistics
• Psycholinguistics
• Sociolinguistics
• Language teaching
• English around the world

You can also study a foreign language and take modules in related disciplines, such as philosophy and film.

In your final year, you’ll write a dissertation specialising in an area that interests you. This will use the skills you developed over the rest of the course.

As part of this course you can:

• Take part in writing workshops at Nuffield Southampton Theatres
• Access a unique collection of rare books at the Chawton House Library
• Explore experimental writing with our Entropics events

This course will give you training and expertise that are of special interest to many employers. It provides the knowledge and skills to follow a wide range of careers.

Become fluent in Spanish and gain valuable experience spending a year living and working in a foreign country on this BA Spanish degree. You’ll get personalise your degree to areas that interest you. You could take another language, choose modules from other subject areas, improve your employability skills, or explore Hispanic culture and history.

Following our unique system of language development, you’ll start at a level that matches your ability in Spanish. This means we can personalise your learning so you make the best progress.

As part of the year abroad you can choose to:

• Work as an English assistant in a school
• Study at a university
• Take a work placement

You could choose to go to Spain or Latin America - we have links in Chile, Colombia and Mexico.

This course has a strong focus on employability. You’ll have the option to take practical modules looking at teaching, you could take advantage of our vacation work placement schemes, and you’ll develop a wide range of transferable skills.

Explore postcolonialism and world literature with a master’s degree at the University of Southampton.

Our course gives you the chance to specialise in postcolonial and world literary culture, covering topics such as:

• Legacies of colonialism and imperialism
• Aftermath of decolonisation
• Relationship between gender and nationalism
• Fault lines in postcolonial national narratives

On completion of the course, you’ll be ready for a career in teaching, librarianship, museums and galleries, publishing or heritage.

You’ll get the chance to carry out advanced research and independent critical thinking, and to make effective use of archives, manuscripts, and research libraries.

This pathway is linked to the Southampton Centre for Imperial and Postcolonial Studies. This group brings together academics, writers and research students to explore the practices, experiences and legacies of imperial power in a global setting, from the early-modern period to the present. The centre also hosts events including seminars, workshops and conferences.

We offer a flexible module structure which is designed to give you an advanced understanding of cultural analysis, textual interpretation and theoretical method.

You’ll explore the interrelations of text, theory and culture across the field of English literary and cultural studies. We’ll work with you to:

• develop your knowledge of critical and research methods
• raise your awareness of the historical and critical reception of literature in various periods
• explore the role of literature in a contested cultural framework

Develop a deeper understanding of the theory and practice of English Language Teaching (ELT) with this master’s degree.

You can apply for this course if you have experience in teaching English as a Foreign Language (EFL) and want to gain skills for leadership roles in ELT.

If you don’t have experience as an EFL teacher and want to begin your career as one, you can apply for our MA English Language Teaching TESOL Studies course.

Teachers of English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL) give people all over the world the ability to communicate fluently in English. This MA degree will give you the tools you need to teach English effectively. Throughout the programme you'll study topics such as:

• How to analyse language for ELT
• Current issues in language teaching methodology
• Critical appraisal of language teaching

This master’s degree in English Language Teaching is offered by our Centre for Applied Language Research.

Staff contributing to the programme are involved in:

• direct teaching of EFL and other languages
• research and development work in applied linguistics and language learning
• sociolinguistics and cultural studies

This blend of theoretical expertise and ongoing practical experience is one of the distinguishing features of our programme.

On completion of the course, you’ll be ready for a rewarding career as a language teacher, language teaching educator, or applied linguistics researcher.