The philosophy major and minor aim to help students understand some of the foundational and applied lines of inquiry associated with philosophy, and to develop the thinking skills needed for this. Throughout the curriculum, there is a focus on clear evaluation of arguments and assessment of evidence, and on critical reading, writing, and analysis. In addition, the major and minor place a special emphasis on the incorporation of scientific data and methods (e.g. computer modeling and experimental methods) into philosophical arguments, and on application of philosophical methods across disciplinary boundaries. The reasoning and information assessment skills students gain can be fruitfully applied to many areas of inquiry outside of philosophy. The study of philosophy is both personally and professionally enriching. Philosophy training is associated with high test-scores on major standardized tests (GRE, LSAT, GMAT; see the data), and with competitive salary outcomes ("philosophy majors earn significantly more than most majors, especially over the long term" Forbes, 2017). A philosophy major is also a standard precursor to law school and other professional degree programs.
Program Learning Outcomes
The program learning outcomes for the major and minor can be found here.
Programs Offered
Information on the Philosophy BA requirements can be found here.
Information on the Philosophy minor requirements can be found here.
Course Descriptions
Current course descriptions can be found here.
Current Course Offerings
See the official course schedule here.