Engage your curiosity, think critically, and explore complex problems of fundamental human importance.
Why Study Philosophy?
Philosophy is the only discipline that investigates everything. It is also the only discipline that challenges everything, including itself. This is what distinguishes philosophy from the sciences, history, literature, and the arts. Although philosophy and these other disciplines share some of the same goals—like scientists, philosophers want to uncover the nature of reality; like historians, philosophers want to understand where we come from; and like artists, philosophers want to stimulate novel questions about human experience—philosophy alone aims to see how these disciplines are connected and to understand what makes them possible. This makes the study of philosophy uniquely valuable: while the major is an especially good fit for students interested in careers in law, consulting, education, or community organizing, it also helps you develop and apply skills in critical thinking, persuasive writing, ethical reasoning, and complex problem-solving that prepare you to excel in any field.
Why Study Philosophy at jmcomicÂţ»N?
Explore the Diversity of Philosophy
The jmcomicÂţ»N Philosophy Department offers a unique, innovative curriculum that emphasizes the diversity of the field. With our dedicated faculty, you’ll learn about the global history of philosophy, including its ancient roots in China, India, Egypt, and Greece; explore written and oral philosophical traditions; and discover philosophy’s contemporary applications, from the study of consciousness to the philosophy of sport and games. Small class sizes allow you to nurture your inner philosopher.
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Apply What You Learn
Whatever questions they pose, philosophers must think critically, read carefully, reason logically, and write clearly. Learning and applying these skills in their courses, philosophy majors routinely outperform other graduates on graduate school admissions tests like the LSAT (Law School), GMAT (Business School), and the GRE.
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What You’ll Learn
The Philosophy Department offers a standard major, a double major, and an honors option. Whichever you choose, you will learn how to engage in the activity of questioning in a skilled and productive way.
You will study:
- The global history of philosophy
- The applications of philosophy to the study of mind, reality, language, knowledge, society, the body, and more
You will also explore specific subject-areas or philosophical traditions by choosing from courses such as:
- Philosophy of sport and games
- Philosophy of religion
- Business ethics & public policy
- Introduction to Buddhist philosophy
- Sexual ethics
- Philosophy of film and literature
- Philosophy of science
- Feminist philosophy
- Ethics and technology
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Careers & Outcomes
Philosophy happens everywhere and investigates everything. Our graduates have gone on to pursue advanced degrees in:
- Law
- Philosophy
- Library science
- Sustainability
- Business administration
- Marriage and family therapy
- Creative writing
- … and more
ĚýOur graduates have also found success in a range of careers. These include careers in:
- Law (criminal law, immigration law, business law, real estate law)
- Education (teaching, educational administration)
- Healthcare (policy-analysis, nursing)
- The arts (artist, actor, novelist)
- Technology (computer engineering, software development)
- Business (business development, business administration)
- Museum and library sciences (archivist, museum director)
Special Feature
A beloved tradition, each year, the jmcomicÂţ»N Student Philosophy Conference showcases students’ original philosophical research in a professional academic environment. Students give talks, answer questions, and engage with faculty respondents.
The department also has an active that meets weekly to discuss topics from the ethics of artificial intelligence to the philosophy of love. No prior experience in Philosophy is necessary!
Additional Information
The Philosophy Major is part of jmcomicÂţ»N and Southwestern Law School’s joint, accelerated multiple-degree program, known as the 3+3 B.A./J.D. Program. In the program, freshmen who enter jmcomicÂţ»N as philosophy majors can complete their final year of undergraduate study by completing the first year of law school at Southwestern, earning both their Bachelor of Arts and Juris Doctor degrees in six years (rather than the usual seven). For more on the program and its qualifications, including how to apply, contact the Department Chair in Philosophy or visit the .
Study Abroad
You can choose to study abroad through , which offers programs in 18 countries: Australia, Canada, Chile, China, Denmark, France, Germany, Ghana, Israel, Italy, Japan, Mexico, South Africa, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, Taiwan and the United Kingdom.