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A-levels by Degree · 2027 entry
Which A-levels do you need for Philosophy? Requirements at 32 UK universities
Of the 81 Philosophy degree courses at 32 UK universities (2027 entry), no A-level is required by more than one in ten of them (the most-required is Mathematics, at 7); 65 accept any subjects; the most common standard offer is AAB (28 courses). The safest three subjects are Mathematics, English Literature and Modern Language, which keep 80 of 81 courses open.
- Courses
- 81
- Universities
- 32
- Most common standard offers
- AAB (28), AAA (19) and ABB (18)
- Admissions tests
- None of these courses asks for one
- Data
- 2027 entry · official course pages, verified October 2026
Subject demandacross 81 courses
RequiredOptionalSelect a subject to see what it opens in the Course Finder.
- Mathematicsrequired 7 · optional 2 · recommended 1
- English Literaturerequired 2 · optional 6 · recommended 2
- Modern Languageoptional 5 · recommended 3
- Geographyoptional 6 · recommended 1
- English Languageoptional 5 · recommended 2
- Historyoptional 5 · recommended 2
- Philosophyoptional 5 · recommended 2
- Religious Studiesoptional 5 · recommended 2
- Economicsoptional 5 · recommended 1
- Politicsoptional 5 · recommended 1
The safest three subjects
Ranked by how many courses' subject requirements the three meet. This covers subjects only, not grades.
Mathematics + English Literature + Modern Language
Keeps 80 of 81 courses open
Check Mathematics, English Literature, Modern Language in the Course Finder
Course by course81 courses
| University | Course | Required / options | Standard offer | Admissions test |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oxford | Philosophy and Modern Languages | Any subjects | AAA | — |
| Oxford | Philosophy and Theology | Any subjects | AAA | — |
| Cambridge | Philosophy (BA) | Any subjects | A*AA | — |
| UCL | Philosophy BA | Any subjects | AAA | — |
| UCL | Philosophy and Computer Science BA | Mathematics | A*AA | — |
| UCL | Philosophy and History of Art BA | Any subjects | AAA | — |
| UCL | Philosophy and Economics BA | Mathematics | A*AA | — |
| LSE | BSc Philosophy and Economics | Mathematics | AAA | — |
| LSE | BSc Philosophy, Logic and Scientific Method | Any subjects | AAA | — |
| Warwick | Philosophy and Global Sustainable Development BASc | Any subjects | AAA | — |
| Warwick | Philosophy and Literature BA | English Literature | AAB | — |
| Warwick | Philosophy and Politics BA | Any subjects | AAA | — |
| Warwick | Philosophy BA | Any subjects | AAA | — |
| Warwick | Philosophy with Psychology BA | Any subjects | AAB | — |
| Warwick | Philosophy, Literature and Classics BA | 1 of English Literature/Latin/Classical Greek | AAB | — |
| Edinburgh | Philosophy and Economics MA | Mathematics | AAB | — |
| Edinburgh | Philosophy and English Literature MA+1 (also covers: Philosophy and Scottish Literature MA) | English Literature | AAB | — |
| Edinburgh | Philosophy and Mathematics MA | Mathematics | A*BB | — |
| Edinburgh | Philosophy and Politics MA+1 (also covers: Philosophy and Linguistics MA) | Any subjects | AAB | — |
| Edinburgh | Philosophy and Psychology MA | 1 of Biology/Chemistry/Computer Science etc. | AAA | — |
| Edinburgh | Philosophy and Theology MA | Any subjects | ABB | — |
| Edinburgh | Philosophy MA | Any subjects | AAB | — |
| Manchester | Philosophy and Religion BA | 1 of English Literature/English Language/History etc. | AAB | — |
| Manchester | Philosophy BA+2 (also covers: Philosophy and Politics BASS, Philosophy and Criminology BASS) | 1 of Accounting/Economics/Business etc. | ABB | — |
| KCL | Philosophy BA | Any subjects | AAA | — |
| KCL | Philosophy & Modern Languages (French, German, Portuguese or Spanish) BA | Any subjects | AAB | — |
| Bristol | Philosophy and Economics BSc | Mathematics | AAA | — |
| Bristol | Philosophy and Theology BA | Any subjects | AAA | — |
| Bristol | Philosophy BA | Any subjects | AAA | — |
| Bristol | Philosophy and Politics BSc | 1 of Art and Design/Business/Chinese etc. | AAA | — |
| Bristol | Philosophy and Modern Languages BA | Any subjects | AAB | — |
| Durham | Philosophy and Physics BSc | Mathematics, Physics | A*AA | — |
| Durham | Philosophy and Psychology BA | Any subjects | AAA | — |
| Durham | Philosophy and Theology BA | Any subjects | AAA | — |
| Durham | Philosophy BA | Any subjects | AAA | — |
| Durham | Philosophy and Politics BA | 1 of English Literature/English Language/History etc. | AAA | — |
| St Andrews | Philosophy MA | Any subjects | AAB | — |
| Glasgow | Philosophy MA+11 (also covers: Business & Management/Philosophy MA, Celtic Civilisation/Philosophy MA, Economic & Social History/Philosophy MA, Philosophy/Politics MA, Philosophy/Portuguese MA, Philosophy/Russian MA, Philosophy/Scottish History MA, Philosophy/Sociology MA, Philosophy/Spanish MA, Philosophy/Theatre Studies MA, Philosophy/Theology & Religious Studies MA) | 1 of English Literature/English Language/History etc. | ABB | — |
| Southampton | Philosophy BA+4 (also covers: Philosophy, Ethics and Religion BA, Philosophy and English BA, Philosophy and History BA, Philosophy and Politics BA) | Any subjects | ABB | — |
| Southampton | Philosophy and Economics BA | Any subjects | AAB | — |
| Leeds | Philosophy and Politics BA | Any subjects | AAB | — |
| Leeds | Philosophy BA | Any subjects | AAB | — |
| Leeds | Philosophy, Ethics and Religion BA | Any subjects | AAB | — |
| Leeds | Philosophy, Psychology and Scientific Thought BA | Any subjects | AAB | — |
| Birmingham | Philosophy and Sociology BA | Any subjects | ABB | — |
| Birmingham | Philosophy BA+1 (also covers: Philosophy, Politics and Law BA) | Any subjects | AAB | — |
| Nottingham | Philosophy and Psychology BA | Any subjects | AAB | — |
| Nottingham | Philosophy and Theology BA | Any subjects | ABB | — |
| Nottingham | Philosophy BA | Any subjects | AAB | — |
| Sheffield | Philosophy BA | Any subjects | AAB | — |
| Sheffield | Philosophy, Religion and Ethics BA | Any subjects | ABB | — |
| Exeter | Philosophy and History BA | Any subjects | AAB | — |
| Exeter | Philosophy BA | Any subjects | AAB | — |
| Exeter | Philosophy, Religion and Ethics BA | Any subjects | ABB | — |
| Exeter | Philosophy and Politics BA | Any subjects | AAB | — |
| Exeter | Philosophy and Sociology BA | Any subjects | ABB | — |
| Exeter | Philosophy and Modern Languages BA | Any subjects | ABB | — |
| York | Philosophy and Linguistics BA | Any subjects | AAB | — |
| York | Philosophy BA+1 (also covers: Philosophy with Sociology BA) | Any subjects | AAB | — |
| York | Philosophy with French BA+3 (also covers: Philosophy with German BA, Philosophy with Italian BA, Philosophy with Spanish BA) | Any subjects | AAB | — |
| York | Philosophy and Politics BA | Any subjects | AAB | — |
| Lancaster | Philosophy and Politics BA | Any subjects | ABB | — |
| Lancaster | Philosophy BA | Any subjects | ABB | — |
| Cardiff | Philosophy BA+3 (also covers: Philosophy and Linguistics BA, Philosophy, Politics and International Relations BA, Religion, Philosophy and Ethics BA) | Any subjects | ABB | — |
| Newcastle | Philosophy BA | Any subjects | ABB | — |
| Liverpool | Philosophy BA | Any subjects | AAB | — |
| Liverpool | Philosophy and Politics BA | Any subjects | ABB | — |
| Reading | Philosophy BA+3 (also covers: Ethics, Value and Philosophy BA, Philosophy and Politics BA, Philosophy and International Relations BA) | Any subjects | BBB | — |
| Reading | Philosophy, Business and Ethics BA | Any subjects | BBB | — |
| Sussex | Philosophy BA+2 (also covers: Philosophy and English BA, Philosophy and Sociology BA) | Any subjects | BBB | — |
| UEA | Philosophy BA | Any subjects | ABB | — |
| UEA | Philosophy and Politics BA | Any subjects | ABB | — |
| Aberdeen | Philosophy MA+4 (also covers: Philosophy and Politics MA, Philosophy and Psychology MA, Philosophy and Sociology MA, Philosophy and Theology & Religion MA) | Any subjects | BBC | — |
| QUB | Philosophy BA+1 (also covers: Philosophy and Politics BA) | Any subjects | ABB | — |
| Royal Holloway | Philosophy BA+2 (also covers: Philosophy with Politics BA, Philosophy with International Relations BA) | Any subjects | BBB | — |
| Essex | Philosophy and Sociology BA | Any subjects | BBC | — |
| Essex | Philosophy BA+10 (also covers: Continental Philosophy BA, Philosophy and Art History BA, Philosophy and History BA, Philosophy and Law BA, Philosophy and Literature BA, Philosophy and Politics BA, Philosophy with Human Rights BA, Philosophy, Religion and Ethics BA, Philosophy with Business Management BA, Philosophy, Ethics and Sustainability BA) | Any subjects | BBC | — |
| Essex | Philosophy Integrated Master | Any subjects | BBB | — |
| Swansea | Philosophy BA | Any subjects | BBB | — |
| Dundee | European Philosophy MA | Any subjects | CCC | — |
| Dundee | Philosophy and Psychology MA | Any subjects | CCC | — |
Also consider: joint degrees with Philosophy as the second subject64 courses
- Computer Science and Philosophy · Oxford
- Mathematics and Philosophy · Oxford
- Physics and Philosophy · Oxford
- Psychology, Philosophy and Linguistics · Oxford
- French and Philosophy BA · UCL
- Spanish and Philosophy BA · UCL
- BSc Politics and Philosophy · LSE
- Mathematics and Philosophy BA/BSc · Warwick
- Politics, Philosophy and Law (PPL) BA · Warwick
- History and Philosophy BA · Warwick
- Economics, Psychology and Philosophy (EPP) BA/BSc · Warwick
- Politics, Philosophy and Economics MA · Edinburgh
- Politics, Philosophy and Economics BA · Manchester
- Artificial Intelligence & Philosophy BSc · KCL
- Mathematics & Philosophy BSc · KCL
- Physics & Philosophy BSc · KCL
- Religion, Philosophy & Ethics BA · KCL
- Mathematics and Philosophy BSc · Bristol
- Physics and Philosophy BSc · Bristol
- English and Philosophy BA · Bristol
- Politics, Philosophy and Economics BA · Bristol
- Sociology and Philosophy BSc · Bristol
- Mathematics and Philosophy BSc · Durham
- English Literature and Philosophy BA · Durham
- Mathematics/Philosophy BSc · Glasgow
- Mathematics and Philosophy BSc · Leeds
- Ancient History and Philosophy BA · Leeds
- English and Philosophy BA · Leeds
- History and Philosophy BA · Leeds
- Modern Languages and Philosophy BA · Leeds
34 more joint degrees not listed.
Chosen your subjects? Check them course by course
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FAQ
Are any A-levels required for Philosophy?
Rarely. Of the 81 Philosophy courses at 32 UK universities, the most-required subject, Mathematics, is required by only 7 (9%); 65 accept any subjects.
What is the typical A-level offer for Philosophy?
The most common standard offers across the 81 Philosophy courses are AAB (28), AAA (19) and ABB (18); check each course page for the exact requirement.
Which three A-levels are safest for Philosophy?
Counting the courses whose subject requirements they meet, the safest three are Mathematics, English Literature and Modern Language, keeping 80 of 81 courses open.