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Philosophy

FAQs

What’s with the picture of Bono on the banner?

Josh Counce, one of our philosophy graduates, was in Morocco, in a cafe in Fes, talking to an Islamic Studies student about solipsism when he ran into Bono and The Edge. A day in the life of a philosopher…

How do I Declare a Major?

  1. Go to BOSS
  2. Select the ‘Enter Secure Area’ option
  3. Enter your student identification number (T number) and your Personal Identification Number (PIN)
  4. At the main menu, select ‘Student Services and Financial Aid’
  5. Select ‘Student Request Menu’
  6. Select the ‘Change your Major and/or Minor’ option
  7. Select your new ‘First Major’ from the drop down menu
  8. Select your new ‘First Minor’ from the drop down menu
  9. Select the ‘Submit’ button to process the new information
  10. Select the ‘Reset’ button to reset the form
  11. Review and verify the changes then select ‘Confirm’ to finish

What Do Philosophers Do?

What Philosophers Do by John Cleese

Harrison FordFamous Philosophy majors

What Can I Do with My Philosophy Degree?

A major in Philosophy trains you for all jobs, not a specific job. Philosophy is the only major that is focused primarily on thinking skills, and hence is valuable in a quickly changing job market. Employers repeatedly assert that it is far easier to teach an employ the specific content of their field than to teach them the skills of thinking critically, presenting clear arguments, assessing essential points, identifying presumptions, and problem solving. A philosophy major is the best way to develop these skills.

A major in philosophy is one of the best preparations for graduate work. Philosophy majors consistently score higher on LSAT, GRE and GMAT scores than all other majors. Anyone considering entering law school, seminary, medicine, journalism, or pursuing other graduate degrees, should call those institutions and ask them about the value of a philosophy degree.

What Can I Do with My Liberal Studies Degree?

It is often the case that although the professors in one discipline are well acquainted with the methods and subject of their particular field, they are far less familiar with the modus operandi of other disciplines. In an interdisciplinary program such as the Liberal Studies degree, the professors are encouraged to find the intellectual connections that exist with other disciplines and use these connections to transcend their specializations. The goal in these courses is to use the questions asked within each discipline—which are remarkably similar in nature and scope—to develop a methodology that is unique to interdisciplinary studies rather than simply combining multiple disciplines into one course. The enriching and stimulating exchange of ideas that scholars typically experience when they cross their discipline-specific boundaries indicates that there is something more to interdisciplinary studies than a simple combination of fields of study. It is this ‘something more’ that we hope to capture in our interdisciplinary programs.

Updated 10.20.2011