We have exceptional students, whose work at the University has inspired them to follow their passions. They share their experiences of studying at Reading and explore what they've learnt during their time with us.
Inspirational students
Undergraduate
Alice, a BA Philosophy student, speaks about why you should choose to study Philosophy at Reading.
Evie Gavriel: contemplating my career
Evie was fascinated by philosophy and chose to study BA Philosophy and English Literature at Reading. During her studies, Evie completed a work placement which led to her landing her dream job.
James Hart: excellent personal support
As a BA Philosophy, Politics and Economics student, James found the Department of Philosophy incredibly supportive - from his first visit to the University right through to graduation and beyond.
Joey Jones: a philosophy for life
Joey aspires to live his best life possible. Studying philosophy at Reading enabled him to explore his options and think rationally about how to achieve his desired lifestyle.
Holly Guy: exploring belief systems
Holly developed a fascination for Buddhism and Jainism while at school. Her curiosity inspired her to continue her studies at Reading, where she was able to specialise in cross-cultural conversations using real-world examples.
Master's
Graham Draper: developing the right skills
Graham studied analytic philosophy during his MRes. This training prepared him for a thriving career in communications and pharmaceuticals.
Silvia Lazzaris: finding meaning
Growing up, Silvia found she was desperately looking for meaning in the world around her. She discovered that the inquisitive perspective of philosophy was what she needed in her life at university.
Emily Taylor: thinking positively
Emily studied her undergraduate joint degree in Psychology and Philosophy at Reading. After completing her degree, Emily was not ready to leave and stayed back to pursue her MRes in Philosophy.
PhD
Jamie Buckland: the graduate experience
Jamie chose Reading for his PhD, and received the full graduate experience: a vibrant community, comprehensive research training, and the opportunity to spread his wings.
Professor Helen Frowe: from student to academic
Helen wanted to study something new at university and chose philosophy. She is now the Professor of Practical Philosophy at Stockholm University.
Dr Richard Playford: a solid grounding at Reading
Richard's research is focused on human nature. Broadly, this means he is interested in what makes us human, what distinguishes us from animals, and what it means to be a person.
Leaders in their fields
Our staff are passionate about groundbreaking, forward-thinking research. Read more about their areas of interest, the impact this has on the way you'll be taught, and what you'll learn.
Professor Max de Gaynesford: radical philosophy
Professor Maximilian de Gaynesford strongly advocates the idea of teaching-led research, alongside the more familiar approach of research-led teaching.
Dr Charlotte Newey: what is fairness?
Ideas about fairness ripple through our everyday thinking but do we really know what it means to be fair? Dr Charlotte Newey hopes her research on the concept of fairness will have an impact on our world.
Dr Nat Hansen: crossing disciplines
Dr Nat Hansen believes that working across disciplines and learning from students shows the way forward in his research into the philosophy of language.
Dr Shalini Sinha: Philosophy sans frontieres
Dr Shalini Sinha is a global philosopher who approaches social and political issues – such as race, gender, debt, war and terrorism – using cross-cultural philosophy to develop new perspectives.