Philosophy - BACHELOR'S (BA)

DEGREE OVERVIEW

Philosophy is the practice of asking the questions other fields take for granted. What counts as knowledge, and how do we tell when we have it? What makes an action right or wrong? Is the mind anything more than the brain? What gives a government its authority over the people it governs? Philosophy majors read the major figures who have taken up these questions, from Plato to the present, and learn to build, defend, and apply arguments to live problems in science, medicine, law, public policy, and other fields.

ABOUT THE PROGRAM

By exploring the history of ideas and mastering the art of reasoning, philosophy majors tend to develop the highest reading, writing, and critical thinking skills of any major. Philosophy majors are required to take Introduction to Philosophy and either Logic or Fundamentals of Reasoning. They must also take at least one course in Metaphysics & Epistemology, one course in Value Theory, and two courses in the History of Philosophy. Besides those courses, students can choose from a wide variety of course options and focus on the areas of philosophy that they find most fascinating.

LEARN MORE

• Admissions requirements
• Degree curriculum
• Degree information in the University Catalog
• Philosophy faculty
• Program accreditation

CAREER OPPORTUNITIES

• Accountant
• Banker
• Business Professional
• Consulting
• Counselor
• Foreign Service Officer
• Journalist
• Labor Relations
• Lawyer
• Librarian
• Marketing
• Minister
• Nonprofit Work
• Professor
• Public Policy
• Public Relations Director
• Publisher
• Research
• Retail Management
• Self-Employed
• Social Worker
• Teacher

DEGREE REQUIREMENTS

Beyond UTA's 42-hour General Core and 8 hours of language study (1441 and 1442 in any modern or classical language), Philosophy majors take 27 hours in the specialization: Introduction to Philosophy (PHIL 2300), either Logic (PHIL 2311) or Fundamentals of Reasoning (PHIL 1301), and 21 additional PHIL hours — at least 15 at the 3000/4000-level — including at least one course from Metaphysics & Epistemology, one from Value Theory, and two from History of Philosophy.

ADMISSIONS

Students should have completed 30 hours of core with 30 hours at UT Arlington, or 40 hours of core with 12 hours at UT Arlington, with an overall GPA greater than 2.0. Before being accepted into the major, students must also have passed a course in symbolic logic or critical thinking (PHIL 2311 Logic or PHIL 1301 Fundamentals of Reasoning, or the equivalent). Students may be accepted as pre-philosophy majors if these standards are not met.

WHY CHOOSE US?

At University of Texas at Arlington, philosophy is more than a major! it’s a close-knit, supportive community where you’ll work closely with dedicated faculty and engage in thoughtful discussions inside and outside the classroom. You’ll develop skills in critical thinking, writing, and analysis while exploring fundamental questions about ethics, knowledge, and human life. While many students pursue philosophy out of passion, it also offers some of the strongest economic returns in the humanities, with graduates moving into top programs and careers in law, medicine, business, technology, and public policy.

EARNING POTENTIAL

The skills developed in a philosophy degree pay off well over the course of a career. Per 2024 Census/ACS data compiled by the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, the philosophy major's mid-career median wage is $80,000.  

SUCCESS ON THE GRE

The philosophy major’s skillset and standardized-test performance make them excellent candidates for a wide range of graduate programs. More than half of philosophy majors (57%) go on to earn a graduate degree — the highest rate of any humanities major — and philosophy is the best-performing major overall on the Graduate Record Examinations (GRE), the standardized test required by most graduate programs. Philosophy majors post the highest average scores of any major on the GRE's Verbal Reasoning and Analytical Writing sections and are the top-scoring majors from a humanities field on the Quantitative Reasoning section.

Source: APA: Philosophy Student Performance on the GRE (2019–2022 data)

LAW SCHOOL AND MEDICAL SCHOOL

Philosophy is a strong pre-professional major. On the 2022–2023 LSAT, philosophy majors averaged 159.5 — the highest of any humanities field, second only to economics — with a 75.5% law school admission rate.

The picture is much the same in medicine. AAMC data for the 2025–2026 application cycle show humanities applicants — the category that includes philosophy — matriculating at roughly 52% versus 42% for biological-science applicants. Historically, philosophy-specific numbers have looked similar or stronger: AAMC's 2000–2001 MSAR reported a 50% acceptance rate for philosophy majors, vs. about 40% for biology majors.

Sources: APA: Philosophy Student Performance on the LSAT (2022–2023 data), AAMC, Medical School Admissions Requirements (United States and Canada), 2000–2001 edition, AAMC: FACTS: Applicants and Matriculants Data

NON-MONETARY REWARDS

While philosophy equips students with the skills to succeed in a wide range of careers, its value goes far beyond financial return. Philosophers have long recognized that a meaningful life isn’t measured by salary alone. Philosophy builds powerful reasoning and communication skills while inviting students to engage deeply with fundamental questions about existence, knowledge, and values. By studying the history of ideas and reflecting on their own beliefs, our students develop a clearer sense of themselves and their place in the world.

GET STARTED

Contact an advisor in the Department of Philosophy and Humanities to learn more about our Philosophy - Bachelor’s (BA) program and why it might be the right fit for you.

ADVISING

Location: 307 Carlisle Hall 
Email: philosophyadvising@bookings.uta.edu 
Phone: 817-272-3207