Prospective Students

Why Study Philosophy?

Two main reasons why one should consider majoring in philosophy are:

Philosophical education is rewarding

Many people find the study of philosophy fascinating because it provides students with the opportunity to consider the most basic questions concerning the nature of reality, human knowledge, and morality. These questions are relevant to all of us, and in attempting to answer them, we better understand who we are, our commitments, and what we wish to accomplish in life. In the process of searching for answers and formulating our own positions, we are challenged to critically examine our foundational beliefs, considering whether they are rationally justified and logically consistent, and becoming more aware of what they entail. Additionally, in the process of learning how past and contemporary philosophers have answered these questions, we are exposed to some of the finest examples of philosophical creativity and methodology, fascinating in themselves and also of interest due to their instrumental value in helping us find new frameworks for investigation.

Philosophical education provides career preparation

A major in philosophy provides students with important practical skills necessary for success in any professional career. Studying philosophy helps students develop skills in critical thinking, logic, communication, and analytic writing, as evidenced by the performance of philosophy students on standardized tests. In 2013, philosophy students scored highest as a group in both the verbal and analytic sections of the GRE, and philosophy is consistently among the top-scoring majors on the LSAT and GMAT. Law schools are interested in philosophy students due to their abilities in critical thinking and argumentation, and businesses value them for their problem-solving skills and intellectual creativity. Technical fields, too, appreciate a background in philosophy. For example, a background in ethics is an asset to those entering engineering or the health care professions. In today's fast-changing economy, the transferable skills developed by philosophy students prepare them to be successful in their chosen fields.

Academic Programs

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.

Frequently Asked Questions