Foot was educated privately and at Somerville College, Oxford, 1939–1942, where she obtained a first-class degree in philosophy, politics, and economics. Her association with Somerville, interrupted only by government service as an economist from 1942 to 1947, continued for the rest of her life. She was a lecturer in philosophy, 1947–1950, fellow and tutor, 1950–1969, senior research fellow, 1969–1988, and honorary fellow, 1988–2010. She spent many hours there in debate with G. E. M. Anscombe, who persuaded her that non-cognitivism was misguided.