Philosophy

Develop analytical rigour and critical reasoning

Do we have any knowledge of the external world? Does time flow? What is a work of art? By studying philosophy, you will develop analytical rigour and the ability to criticise and reason logically, and to apply these skills to questions like these.

Short courses for adult learners

Philosophy offerings include introductory courses, political philosophy, critical reasoning, ethics and bioethics, philosophy of religion, and much more. 

• View all philosophy short courses
• Ways to study: how our short courses work

Many of our short courses, including short online courses (live and flexible), weekly classes in Oxford, and some summer schools, can be studied for credit, which means they can count towards a recognised qualification such as our Undergraduate Certificate of Higher Education.

Graduate study and professional development

The MSt in Practical Ethics is highly interdisciplinary part-time master's degree focusing on the application of rigorous philosophical analysis to real-life ethical problems. Modules from the programme can also be taken as stand-alone short courses for professional development.