Art and Philosophy

Supported by staff from Reading School of Art and the Department of Philosophy, you’ll engage in sustained experimentation and creative enquiry in practical studio and art history modules alongside complementary philosophy studies. 

During this four-year joint degree, you'll have the opportunity to: 

build on your practical skills 

explore the practice, theory and history of art 

benefit from our approach to the subject, and particular focus on contemporary art 

acquire the skills needed for philosophical enquiry 

engage with a diverse range of philosophical traditions 

acquire, develop and advance skills such as critical thinking, communication, presentation, and problem-solving.

University of Reading ranks 7th in the UK for graduate salary for Creative Arts (based on The Telegraph's analysis of DfE data on the earnings of first degree graduates after five years from English Higher Education Institutions, June 2025). At Reading School of Art, you'll have access to a dedicated studio space, 24 hours a day and 7 days a week, where you’ll work with a range of specialist tutors and technicians to develop your individual and professional practice, which you will share in regular exhibitions and events.   Our new School of Art building opened in September 2023 with bespoke workshops and studios near the centre of the university’s Whiteknights campus.   Our teaching staff are all artists, and curators highly connected with the creative world beyond the University, and strongly encourage regular exhibitions and open debate. In philosophy, you will be taught by leading experts with a wide variety of research expertise, especially including moral philosophy and philosophy of mind and language. You will be exposed to a range of philosophical traditions, from the ancient through to the contemporary, and from Western analytic philosophy through to non-Western schools of thought (such as Buddhist, Confucian, and Native American philosophy). You will be taught using a combination of lectures and seminars, and will engage in a range of learning activities including debates, group discussion, and class presentations.