Is BA Ethics and Society a philosophy degree or a policy degree?

It is a philosophy degree with a sustained applied focus. You learn the major moral and political theories properly, and every theoretical module is paired with current case studies in policy, healthcare, technology or business. It sits between pure philosophy and applied policy work.

Will BA Ethics and Society prepare me for law conversion?

Yes. The analytical and argumentative writing skills are well suited to the SQE preparation route or a law conversion course. Many ethics graduates progress into law via SQE prep providers or a one-year postgraduate law conversion.

Can I focus my BA Ethics and Society dissertation on tech ethics or AI?

Yes. Technology ethics is a year-three specialism strand, and recent dissertations have included topics on algorithmic accountability, content moderation, AI labour displacement and platform governance. Subject is your choice, agreed with your tutor.

Can I study BA Ethics and Society online?

Yes. The online route mirrors the seminar pattern with live cohort calls, asynchronous reading discussion, and supervised dissertation tutorials. Distance learners follow a paced schedule with two intensive on-campus or online residentials per year.

Is BA Ethics and Society useful for journalism?

Yes. The structured ethical reasoning, close-reading skills and applied case analysis feed directly into investigative journalism, opinion writing, current-affairs broadcasting and the ethical-standards work IPSO and editorial-standards teams now formalise.

BA Ethics and Society in London | LSJHML | Harold International College of London

Course Overview

The BA Ethics and Society at the London School of Journalism, Humanities & Modern Languages (LSJHML) is a three-year UK honours degree for students who want to apply ethical reasoning to the questions society actually faces — in technology, healthcare, the environment, business and public policy. You will read the classical and contemporary moral philosophy that frames those questions, work through current applied case studies under tutor supervision, and finish with a dissertation on a current ethical problem you choose.

This degree is not philosophy in the abstract. It is built for students who want philosophy to do work in the world — for the ethics adviser writing a policy paper at a London NHS trust, the compliance officer at a regulated bank, the researcher at a tech firm setting AI guidelines, and the journalist who needs to know whether their next investigation is fair.

Key Features

Three-year applied focus — every theoretical module is paired with a current case study from policy, business, health or technology.
Case clinics with guest contributors from NHS trusts, the FCA, the Information Commissioner's Office, tech firms and major charities.
Final-year dissertation (8,000–10,000 words) on a current applied ethics question, supervised across the year.
Policy ethics specialism in year three covering AI, climate, health, surveillance and corporate governance.
Three study modes — on-campus in central London, online with cohort calls, or distance learning with structured milestones.
Industry masterclasses from ethics advisers, regulators and policy academics working in current UK debates.

What You Will Learn

The BA Ethics and Society is structured around three years of moving from theory to applied reasoning. You finish able to read a major philosophical text in context, locate a current policy debate within a tradition of moral argument, and write an applied ethics analysis a policy team or compliance committee can actually use.

Foundational moral philosophy — consequentialism, deontology, virtue ethics, contractarian theory.
Contemporary ethical theory — care ethics, capability approach, recognition theory, environmental ethics.
Social and political philosophy — justice, liberty, equality, recognition and their critics.
Bioethics and medical ethics — consent, autonomy, end-of-life decisions, resource allocation, public health.
Business and professional ethics — corporate responsibility, whistleblowing, conflict of interest, regulatory ethics.
Technology ethics — AI accountability, surveillance, platform governance, data justice.
Environmental ethics — climate justice, intergenerational obligations, sustainability frameworks.
Research methods — close reading, case analysis, structured argument, citation conventions.
Applied writing — policy briefs, ethics committee papers, op-ed argument.

Who This Course Is For

School leavers fascinated by hard questions in current public life who want a UK honours degree that takes them seriously.
International students seeking a UK ethics and philosophy degree taught with applied case studies rather than pure theory.
Career-changers from healthcare, law, the civil service or third sector wanting structured training in ethical reasoning.
Mature students moving toward an ethics adviser, compliance or policy research role.

Career Pathways

Ethics is rarely a job title in itself in the UK, but ethical reasoning underpins a growing number of professional roles in technology, healthcare, financial services and public policy. BA Ethics and Society graduates typically progress into roles where structured ethical judgement is part of the job. Typical first or next roles include:

Ethics Adviser (NHS trust, charity, professional body)
Researcher (think tank, university research project, regulator)
Policy Analyst (Whitehall department, devolved government, advocacy group)
Compliance Officer (regulated firm, professional services)
Responsible Innovation Lead (technology firm, applied research lab)
Lecturer in Philosophy (further education, professional training)

Graduates progress to an MA in Applied Ethics, Bioethics, Public Policy or Philosophy, or directly into a graduate-track policy or compliance role.

Entry Requirements

Three A-Levels at BBC or above (or international equivalent — IB 28 points, BTEC DMM, or accepted national qualification).
GCSE English Language at grade 5 or equivalent English proficiency test.
IELTS 6.0 overall (no band below 5.5) for non-native English speakers.
A short personal statement and a writing sample (a 500-word argued response to a current ethical question).
Mature applicants (21+) without standard qualifications may apply with a portfolio and short interview.

Why Study at LSJHML

The London School of Journalism, Humanities & Modern Languages is a specialist higher-education provider based in central London. Our programmes are designed in dialogue with working professionals — journalists, translators, civil servants, academics, broadcasters, editors, publishers and policy researchers — so what you learn in seminar on Monday is what your future employer is using on Tuesday. We deliberately keep cohorts small, give every student named tutor support, and treat employability as a structural part of every programme rather than an optional add-on.

London is the work — politics, courts, capital markets, theatre, broadcasting, publishing, public service, the global press. Your studies are taught in the same square mile where the stories you read about happen. Whether you join us on-campus, online or by distance learning, the city is your classroom and our industry network is your launchpad.