Philosophy

What makes philosophy a great major? Lots of things. Our program is academically rigorous, ensuring that you'll feel challenged in your courses. Graduates with philosophy degrees possess the skills needed to get a first job...and quickly rise to the top. Best of all, philosophy is actually pretty fun.

Don't just take our word for it: learn more about why philosophy is a great major.

See what the American Philosophical Association (APA) says about why you should study philosophy.

Do philosophy majors really earn more than accounting majors???

According to a study published in the Wall Street Journal, graduates with an undergraduate degree in philosophy had the highest percentage increases in salary in their first 10 years after graduation. Average mid-career salaries ranged from $52,800 (25th percentile) to $127,000 (75th percentile). 

Philosophy is also the top-earning bachelor degree in the humanities, as reported recently.  Philosophy is the #1 major that pays!

Philosophy majors score higher than any other major on the GRE, with the highest overall scores and the highest scores on both the verbal and analytical writing sections.  Philosophy majors are currently tied for #2 (with economics) for highest LSAT scores, coming in just behind Physics.

Philosophy majors also do well on the GMAT, and enjoy high rates of acceptance to medical school, compared to other majors.

With a major in philosophy, the possibilities are endless! Today's employers value college graduates who possess critical thinking and analytical reasoning skills and the ability to solve complex problems; in philosophy, you'll develop these skills by working on the hardest problems we can come up with.

Take a look at what he APA has to say about the employability of philosophy majors and some impressive people who are philosophy majors. 

Our majors have gone on to do awesome things - check out some of their stories.

Even if you're not planning to major or minor in philosophy, a philosophy class can enrich and deepen your understanding of your major area of study. 

We offer courses that fulfill General Education requirements. Many of our courses are also electives in a wide variety of majors and minors - including Psychology, Environmental Studies, Women's Studies, Nutrition, and Linguistics (just to name a few!)

Many of our students double major.  See our Majors/Minors page for more details!

EA Competency:  Adaptability

Fear, Fear, Fear of Failing…. That incessant drumbeat accompanies so much of students’ experiences of exams. What if, instead of being afraid of making a mistake, students could learn from their mistakes?  Well, PHL 100 Introduction to Philosophy with Dr. Ross allows students to correct their mistakes, meet with her in person to explain their revised understanding, and earn credit toward their exam. This allows resilience to replace fear.

EA Competency:  Communication

“Sometimes taking things as they come, make you forget to put anything in” The English Beat. This remains as true today as when it appeared in the lyrics of 1980s pop culture. The advent of PowerPoints posted to CANVAS has created a student experience where taking notes in class is seen as optional—however, it is not. Taking notes are not only memory-aids but also help to literally make meaning out of dense material. In PowerPoint-Free lectures, learning from the spoken word and making meaning in conversation are key to philosophical progress.

EA Competency:  Communication

Do we still make music playlist for those we love? Can we be in love with ideas? Students in Dr. Ross’ class are provided the opportunity to create playlists that touch upon key philosophical concepts. Since “philosophy” literally means the love of wisdom, a philosophy playlist allows the student to put the love into philosophy and make memorable content that will transcend the semester.

EA Competency:  Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

Screen Time? How about Screen-Meaning or how to use one’s critical thinking and knowledge about how moving images are made in order to view all of this content more critically? Courses in Philosophy and Film and International Multicultural Philosophy use film and other moving images as their primary texts. Students learn how the elements of film construction are integral to making meaning.

EA Competency:  Career and Self-Development

What if I live in Korea and need to take an ethics class to get my degree at another UW System school? No worries! PHL 201 is frequently offered online so that anyone in the world can take it for credit.

EA Competency:  Critical Thinking and Problem Solving

Logic as a means to compassion. One way to start any philosophy class is by introducing logic. Typically there has been a start dichotomy between reason and emotion, but there are ways of teaching logic to show how reasonably people might hold very different positions based on equally valid forms of logic. Therefore, logic can engender compassion.

Capstone Integrative Seminar (PHL 496)

In PHL 496 students will engage the following Eagle Advantage Competencies:

• demonstrate accountability by taking ownership of a semester-long research/creative project involving regular peer review and dialogue with fellow students
• demonstrate adaptability by embracing the capstone project as a challenge involving risk and constructive feedback
• utilize critical thinking to analyze issues and formulate original positions
• cultivate digital literacy by developing research skills geared toward assessing sources for legitimacy and suitability
• engage in several conversations involving representatives from UWL Career Services about the link of philosophy to career prospects and consider concrete data about current professionals with philosophy degrees, including UWL alums
• reflect upon and clarify their development as a student and persons while studying philosophy at UWL.

Environmental Ethics (PHL 341)

EA Competencies:  Critical Thinking and Problem-Solving, Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

Students will exercise sound reasoning to independently analyze several competing positions regarding human obligations to the natural environment.  We discuss how different valid points of view impact environmental policy development at the local and global levels and how these differences require originality and inventiveness when identifying possible courses of action.  Likewise, the course addresses how multiple factors, including race, ethnicity, country of origin, gender, and spirituality, influence the perceptions and values a given people have of the natural environment.

Asian Philosophy (PHL 349)

EA Competency:  Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

Students will cultivate awareness of their identity and that of others by exploring the Indian, Chinese, and Japanese philosophical traditions.  Appreciating multiple perspectives enables effective communication among diverse people and prepares students to participate in society as global citizens.  Students who are interested in professional opportunities with an international scope benefit from these sorts of courses.

Introduction to Philosophy (PHL 100)

EA Competencies:  Adaptability, Critical Thinking, and Problem-Solving 

PHL 100 emphasizes the following student learning outcome: recognizing that uncertainty is a common and often productive stage in philosophical reflection.  We see that uncertainty helps us avoid personal biases, boldens us to take risks, and is necessary for formulating an opinion.

Philosophy of Mind (PHL 333)

EA Competencies:  Critical Thinking and Problem-Solving, Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

Students will employ reasoning to analyze and formulate opinions about human and nonhuman mental lives, with an eye for the array of different ways that individual’s approach what it means to have a mind.  In so doing, students will come to see how these varying ways of thinking about minds seriously impacts how we understand our own identity, and the beliefs through which we experience the world.  The course also involves a semester long mindfulness meditation project that facilitates profound personal understanding and actively challenges oppressive systems and structures.

Ancient Philosophy (PHL 205) and Modern Philosophy (206)

PHL 205 Ancient Philosophy and PHL 206 Modern Philosophy are both “History of Philosophy” courses. However, it is better to say that they are courses that explore how people in radically different times and cultures tried to make sense of the world, and themselves, and from these inquires, came up with an account of how best to live. These classes then develop Adaptability. Students learn to read texts written with unfamiliar prose and learn to make sense of unfamiliar concepts. Students develop their Communication skills—they learn to write cogent essays and to explain complex and abstract ideas. Being core philosophy classes students taking these courses develop Critical Thinking and Problem-Solving skills. They learn to assess arguments and to employ concepts and interpretive puzzles. More than that, they apply these skills to tackle the great questions about our world and our place within it. Hence, even in PHL 205 Ancient Philosophy, a course you might think has little to do with careers or accountability, students think deeply about the importance of Accountability in terms of personal virtues and about Career and Self Development, as consider and evaluate competing goals and desires. In both PHL 205 and PHL 206 students consider a plurality of approaches to the universal problems of the human condition and so develop an awareness of their unique position in world history, and a sense of the contingencies of their own era crucial to appreciate the importance of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion.

Modern Philosophy (PHL 206)

There are a series of assignments in PHL 206 called TIACs: Text. Interpretation. Analysis. Critique.  These assignments are designed to further Adaptability, Communication Critical Thinking and Problem Solving. Students are given a short paragraph of difficult philosophical text in these assignments. They then offer an interpretation of the text that captures what they take to be the authors main point. They then offer an analysis of this text: They formulate the argument the author is giving. Finally, they critique the argument: Is the argument sound? Is it convincing?

Course:  Ancient Greek Philosophy (PHL 205)

In PHL 205 there are a series of reaction journals: Free form low stake writing assignments where students apply concepts from ancient philosophy to their own lives. For example, students might chase down the ultimate explanation for what they want to achieve in life…and why. These reaction journals are in a sense, “free for all’s”—if a student is interested in writing about something else, they can—the goal here is mainly to work on Communication skills.

Course:  Introduction to Logic (PHL 100)

PHL 101 Introduction to Logic could be called Critical Thinking and Problem Solving. This course teaches the art of thinking. Students learn skills in this class pertinent to the GRE, MCAT, LSAT—and to any aspect of life where determining the truth or the facts of the matter might be relevant. Collaboration and Leadership is also developed. This course features a good amount of group work. Students are encouraged to collaborate on homework, and groups even work together on an exam.

Course:  Introduction to Philosophy (PHL 100)

Eagle Advantage Competencies:  Communication; Critical Thinking and Problem-Solving; Adaptability

Intro to Philosophy courses allow students the opportunity to challenge themselves by examining a wide range of classic and contemporary philosophical issues. Curricular design and high-impact pedagogical methods enable students to enhance their communication, critical thinking, and problem solving-skills. In-class lectures allow instructors to model effective communication, analytical reasoning, and critical thinking while in-class discussion activities provide ample opportunity for students to hone and refine their ability to think through and communicate complex ideas carefully, clearly, and effectively. Reflective and analytical writing assignments further compliment student growth in the above listed areas by ensuring students engage in multi-modal learning practices.

Medical Ethics (PHL 339)

EA Competencies:  Communication; Collaboration and Leadership; Critical Thinking and Problem Solving; Accountability; Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

Our medical ethics course is structured to ensure that students work collaboratively while engaging with the most current and pressing ethical issues facing the medical field. Students are asked to work collaboratively with their classmates to critically examine real-world medical cases and present their findings and recommendations to the class. The course structure and case-study assignment help students demonstrate leadership qualities, build a collaborative community, communicate effectively, and cultivate critical thinking and problem-solving skills. Students are also exposed to and engage with a number of medical ethical issues stemming from gender, race, age, class, and ethnic considerations and concerns.

Social and Political Philosophy (337) and Metaethics (PHL 303)

EA Competencies:  Communication, Critical Thinking and Problem Solving; Accountability; Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion 

Short, written critical assessment assignments are used in both political philosophy and ethics & metaethics to allow students to develop their critical writing, thinking, and problem-solving skills, and refine their ability to engage in oral and written communication with their classmates. These assignments ask students to carefully reconstruct a key argument from a classic or contemporary philosophical text and develop, in a preliminary way, creative and critical responses to those argument. These assignments ensure that students are exposed to diverse thinkers, writers, and points of view and ensures that these courses are driven by student engagement and interest all while encourage students to reflect on their own moral and political biases and values.

Course:  Theory of Knowledge (Phl/Psy 301)

EA Competencies:  Collaboration and Leadership; Communication; Critical Thinking and Problem Solving; Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion; Digital Literacy

Theory of Knowledge introduces students to the relationship between mere opinion, knowledge, and rational justification through a careful study of classic and contemporary philosophical texts and figures and relevant sources culled from psychology, evolutionary biology, and behavioral economics. Students complete high-impact collaborative, discussion and presentation-based assignments wherein they must apply insights and methods from philosophy and psychology to issues concerning propaganda, misinformation, and conspiracy theories. Through collaborative oral presentation and written assignments, students hone their communication and critical thinking skills, engage with thinkers from a variety of racial, ethnic, and gender backgrounds, and learn how to critically engage with voluminous information generated by digital and social media platforms.

Introduction to Logic (PHL 101)

EA Competencies:   Communication; Critical Thinking and Problem-Solving; Digital Literacy

Introduction to Logic invites students to hone their communication, critical thinking and problem-solving skills by mastering the concepts, methods, skills, and techniques of formal logic. Students examine natural language through a formal lens to expose the underlying vagueness, ambiguity, and complexity of everyday discourse and reasoning. Students learn the underlying logical structures of natural language argumentation, learn how rhetorical techniques can conceal bad and fallacious reasoning, and apply these skills to a variety media source including philosophical and literary texts, classical journalism, op-ed pieces, television and streaming platforms, film, as well as digital and social media.