Subject Benchmark Statement: Philosophy
Publication date: 07 Apr 2025
Philosophy
Subject Benchmark Statement
Subject Benchmark Statements describe the nature of study and the academic standards expected of graduates in specific subject areas. They show what graduates might reasonably be expected to know, do and understand at the end of their studies.
Below you will find the full Subject Benchmark Statement for Philosophy. Alongside it, we have also published a summary designed to provide a short and accessible overview of the main Statement for students, employers and academics.
Subject Benchmark Statement: Philosophy - the basics
Publication date: 07 Apr 2025
About this subject
Philosophy is concerned with how we can best make sense of the world, ourselves, and our relations to the world and each other. Because of this sense-making role, Philosophy can be seen as underpinning every other discipline. Since philosophical enquiry operates at a fundamental level, it often focuses on questions and topics that other fields take for granted without detailed examination. Philosophy is not only a discrete discipline but also part of all other forms of human knowledge, from biology to business studies, psychology to computer science, mathematics to politics, history to physics, and social justice to the law. Philosophy lies at the intersection of the humanities, the social sciences, and the natural sciences.
Professor Stephen Mumford - Chair of the Advisory Group
Head of Department and Professor of Metaphysics in the Department of Philosophy, University of Durham
We took this Benchmark Statement as an opportunity to reflect on the distinctive skills that are acquired through studying Philosophy: skills that can be expected of Philosophy graduates. The study of Philosophy has shifted in significant ways in recent years and we wanted a Statement that reflected those changes. No longer is Philosophy seen only as the detailed scrutiny of a ‘canon’ of mainly White, Western men. It has instead come to embrace diverse traditions and approaches. The Statement seeks an escape from insular thinking in Philosophy. The world faces huge challenges and Philosophy graduates should play major roles in addressing them. Our Benchmark Statement explains the expertise and abilities that can be acquired through Philosophy, and advocates for their value in problem solving and clear mindedness. We hope the Statement makes it clear why Philosophy graduates will have a vital role in securing a sustainable future.
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