Philosophy
What courses should I take in my first year to see if this is the right major for me?
Students should explore philosophy by taking any 100-level courses that interests them (and perhaps that takes care of one of their Core requirements at the same time). Popular choices include: taking an available Philosophy First-Year-Intensive course, PHIL 105, PHIL 121, PHIL 135, PHIL 141, and PHIL 169. But really, any course that a student is interested in would be a good fit!
Are there any courses I am required or strongly encouraged to take in my first semester if I know I want to declare this major? Do any AP credits count for these requirements?
Any 100-level course would work. We usually discourage students from taking 200-level courses right away, though if they have a strong interest in the subject matter they should definitely talk with the professor about whether they might take the course. There is no AP exam for Philosophy, so none of the tests will count towards the major.
What is the latest semester that I can start this major and still graduate in four years?
A student could easily complete the major starting first semester of their third (Junior) year, since the Philosophy major requires 9 courses to graduate (plus two courses of interdisciplinary work). However, we recommend that you declare earlier than your junior year to be sure you are on track for graduation.
I am interested in many different subjects. What other majors, minors, or concentrations go well with this major?
It is *extremely* common for students to combine philosophy with another field of study. Combinations of every sort work! Some common ones are Psychology, History, Political Science, English, and Biology (pre-med). We have also had students double major in physics, computer science, and music.
What else do you want incoming first year students to know about this major?
Besides being fun, philosophy cultivates skills of critical reasoning and clear argument. It is a common major for students wanting to go to law school, and a frequent major or second major for students interested in medical fields, technology, and finance. Philosophy majors do exceedingly well on the GRE exam, outperforming all other majors on the Verbal and Writing sections of the exam and outperforming all other humanities majors on the Quantitative section of the exam. They also excel at the LSAT, MCAT, and other exams. Ten years from college graduation, philosophy majors have some of the highest median salaries of all college majors. Philosophy outperforms every other humanities discipline, not to mention every one of the social sciences and the arts.
If I want to declare this as a major, who should I talk to and where do I go?
Talk to any of the Philosophy professors within the department, or feel free to come by the department office in the Beck (Philosophy) House. You can also learn more by visiting our website here.
Summer Point of Contact:
Professor Ravi Sharma (Department Chair) – rsharma@clarku.edu.
