Philosophy

Critically Analyzing Prevailing Values

The Bachelor of Arts in Philosophy program nurtures habits of thinking, writing, and communicating that prepare students to respond well to the complex realities of professional, social, and personal life. Our pluralistic, socially engaged faculty guides students in critically analyzing prevailing values, norms, and institutions. We empower students to imagine and create flourishing lives and communities.

Our Academic Programs

All philosophy majors are offered courses which focus on careful reading, thinking, and clear expression. You may select from a wide array of content—from applied ethics to non-Western philosophy—to meet the requirements of the major, which includes courses in value theory (ethics, aesthetics), social justice, knowledge and reality, the history of Western philosophy, logic and critical reasoning, and global and feminist perspectives.

Students master the skills of reading, critical thinking, and analysis essential to success in the professional world and develop the abilities to think and write clearly, as well as the capacity to grasp the intricacies of difficult problems facing the world today.

We offer a wide range of courses from the continental, analytic and Asian traditions in philosophy. Our curriculum includes courses in:

• ethics
• gender and feminism
• philosophy of law
• aesthetics
• Chinese philosophy
• phenomenology
• food justice
• disability
• existentialism
• Indian philosophy

Special topics courses on subjects not part of the regular curriculum are also offered from time to time. Students who wish to investigate a philosophical figure or topic of particular interest may do so by registering for an independent study with a faculty member who specializes in the relevant area.

Five Concentrations Available To the Philosophy Major

Philosophy majors now have the option to select one of five concentrations, each of which is tailored to prepare students for different career fields: Environmental Justice; Law and Justice; Professional and Applied Ethics; Mind and Cognition; and Global Philosophy. Concentrations appear on your transcript so that you can demonstrate your credentials to employers. Learn more in the Catalog. A philosophy minor is also available.

Honors

Undergraduate students may seek to graduate with Departmental Honors, University Honors, or Highest Honors. To graduate with Departmental Honors in Philosophy, a student must take nine hours of honors coursework in philosophy and then complete the senior thesis (three credit hours), for a total of 12 hours of departmental honors work in philosophy. A student pursuing University Honors or Highest Honors may take honors philosophy classes to help meet the general honors coursework requirement. For more information, please contact Philosophy Honors Advisor Dr. Jill Dieterle or the Honors College.

Opportunities To Take Your Education Further

Philosophy majors develop widely transferable skills, including critical reasoning and critical writing, the ability to solve problems, the facility to communicate clearly and effectively, and the capability to analyze and assess a situation from diverse points of view. These skills are valuable in every profession. 

The Wall Street Journal reports that Philosophy majors have a higher average starting salary than any other major in the Humanities. Further, Philosophy and Mathematics majors have higher mid-career salary growth than any other major. 

Philosophy majors do exceptionally well on exams for graduate or professional schools. They score higher than any other major on the verbal and analytic writing portions of the Graduate Record Exam (GRE) and well above the mean on the quantitative reasoning section. Philosophy majors rank second overall on the Law School Admissions Test (LSAT) and third overall on the Graduate Management Admission Test (GMAT).

Careers & Job Market Outlook

Graduates of philosophy programs are employed in many different areas, including:

• Law and public policy
• Computer programming
• Technical writing
• Editing, journalism, and public relations
• Criminal justice
• Business
• Higher education

Student Involvement

We offer many opportunities for you to take your study of philosophy beyond the classroom, including our Undergraduate Conference in Philosophy, our Acta Cogitata undergraduate journal, student-led research, the Philosophy Club, and Speaker Series presentations.