The Department of Philosophy and Humanities offers a B.A. major in philosophy and B.A. minors in classical studies and philosophy, as well as language instruction in Greek and Latin. The department consists of six philosophers, two classicists, and one specialist in intellectual history. Senior members of the department include scholars of national and international reputation. Areas of specialization range across philosophy and classics, and represent a variety of methodological approaches.

The department is large enough to offer a full range of courses and small enough that every major can receive individual attention. The approach of the department is interdisciplinary in important ways. It emphasizes history as well as contemporary issues, and the faculty participate in a number of interdisciplinary programs including the Honors College and the Graduate Humanities Program.

Students in the department are diverse in their ages and interests. There are a number of older students who have returned to school, as well as recent high school graduates. Philosophy students tend to congregate in the department and to develop camaraderie over the years. Informal arguments and discussions are vigorous without being rancorous.