Our Philosophy degree allows you to study and debate important philosophical questions with expert academics and your peers. How should we live? Is there a God? Are we free to act as we wish if everything is determined by prior causes? Why should we obey the law? Can science discover all the facts that can be known?These are some of the many challenging questions you will engage with in a Philosophy degree. At Lancaster, we approach these questions through the history of Philosophy – studying figures such as Plato, Descartes, Kant and Nietzsche – and also via contemporary philosophical debate.You will have the opportunity to spend Year 3 on placement with a public, private or voluntary organisation in the UK or overseas. This experience will boost your employment prospects and will help you to decide on your career direction and the kind of organisation in which you want to work once you graduate. You will be doing a real, responsible job – with all the satisfaction that brings. Our Placements Team will support you in finding and applying for a suitable placement that will support your professional development. Applying for a placement is a competitive process and the preparatory modules you will complete in years one and two are designed to give you the best chance of success in your placement applications. You will also be provided with dedicated workshops, 1:1 appointments with careers professionals as well as opportunities to speak with employers here on campus.In your first year, you’ll gain an understanding of some of the core areas of Philosophy by taking Introduction to Philosophy plus two other modules. In your second and third years, you can choose from a wide range of optional modules such as Philosophy of Mind; Ethics; and Philosophy of Science. There is also the option to engage in one-to-one study with a member of academic staff for your third year dissertation on a specific philosophical topic of interest to you.During the placement year you will remain a Lancaster University student which means that you will still be eligible for a student loan, have access to facilities such as the library and receive discounts on transport and council tax. Your tuition fee will be reduced to 20% during the placement year. The placement will enhance your understanding of the connections between theory and practice and this will benefit your final year of study. This is an exciting opportunity to build up experience and transferable skills, as well as to make contacts with potential employers which will place you a step ahead in the graduate recruitment market.