Philosophy
The study of philosophy is an attempt to understand the world in as unified and general a way as possible. Philosophers want to know what there is, how it works, how we know, how we should live, what is good, what is immoral, whether or not there is a God, and many other things —and, especially, how all these things fit together. One reason the study of philosophy is useful is that the methodology of philosophy—careful reasoning, precise application of logic, and thorough analysis of concepts—is applicable to any subject matter whatsoever.
The philosophy major may be earned in one of three ways: (1) the traditional major surveys core areas of critical reasoning and logic, ethics and value theory, metaphysics and epistemology, (2) the major with a concentration in the philosophy of brains, minds, and machines focuses on questions at the intersection of philosophy, psychology, neuroscience, computer science and artificial intelligence, and (3) the major with a concentration in ethics, law, and social/political philosophy centers on questions regarding the basis and nature of morality, the foundations of the law and the goals of criminal justice, our obligations with respect to the environment, and the like. The philosophy minor offers options for electives suited to nearly any companion major. The interdisciplinary ethics minor enhances and complements most other degrees.
Other Information
All coursework taken for the philosophy major or minor must be completed with a grade of “C-“ or better.
No more than 6 hours counted as credit toward a major or another minor may be counted as credit toward the ethics minor.
Residency Requirement
A maximum of three credit hours can be transferred from another university to count towards the philosophy major, unless the chair agrees to additional credit transfer.
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Philosophy builds the core skills that employers most value: critical thinking, creative thinking, and analytic writing. This means that study in Philosophy provides a solid foundation for a career in almost anything that you can imagine.
Just a few examples…
- Law: Philosophy majors have among the highest average scores on the Law School Admission Exam (LSAT) and have among the highest acceptance rates to law school.
- Medicine: Philosophy and other humanities majors have among the highest average scores on the Medical College Admission Test (MCAT) and among the highest acceptance rates to medical school.
- Business: Philosophy majors have among the highest average scores on the Graduate Management Admission Test (GMAT).
- Graduate School: Philosophy majors have among the highest average scores on the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) and have the highest average scores on the both the verbal section and the analytic writing section.
- Technology: Philosophy majors often go to work in technology related fields such as computer programming and artificial intelligence (AI) where their background in logic and language, as well as ethics, is highly prized. In particular, philosophy courses are a central part of prestigious programs in Artificial Intelligence.
- Public administration and social services
- Criminal Justice
- Education
When the study of Philosophy is paired with other areas of study, the foundation for success is even greater. In short, double-majoring in Philosophy multiples the skills and knowledge provided by both majors. This is an especially attractive option since a double-major in Philosophy only requires 30 credit hours.