Philosophy: BA

Program Overview

The philosophy major stresses a firm grounding in both the history and the various fields of philosophy. Because of the ways in which the study of philosophy complements other disciplines, it is always good for a student to double-major in another discipline.

Students interested in language, logic and communication, for example, might double-major in Philosophy and Journalism and Mass Communication or in Computer Science. Students who are interested in religion and politics might double-major in Philosophy and Comparative Religion or in Political Science. Students interested in questions about human behavior, consciousness, or perception might double-major in Philosophy and Psychology.

Students interested in development, business ethics or corporate responsibility might double-major in Philosophy and Business Administration. Whatever a student’s interest in philosophy, courses that deepen that interest from other disciplines will significantly enhance philosophical insight.

Learning Outcomes

• superior language skills
• a profound grasp of argumentative processes
• the ability to identify relevant points of view in uncharted fields and decision-making processes
• an affinity for both the natural and human sciences
• the ability to discover connections and fruitful synergies between work in different fields of research
• the capacity to plan and steer interdisciplinary research, which leads to informed leadership: leading by asking the right questions