Major in Philosophy

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Deeper questions. Sharper skills.

Searching for truth behind the noise, the reality behind the fog? Then philosophy at Clark is right for you. The philosophy major at Clark explores the fundamental questions of life, knowledge, and right and wrong. Think beyond the easy assumptions and hidden biases. Reveal truth. Investigate and logically evaluate arguments, and understand the basis for morality.

As our experienced faculty guide your learning, you’ll develop superior writing and speaking skills while you engage in deep, conceptual analysis — whether by investigating the morality of art, debating environmental ethics, or examining the relationship between science and theology. We invite you to join our thinking community in our pursuit of knowledge and truth.

Catalog Requirements for:

Major

Minor

Why Study Philosophy at Clark?

At Clark, you’ll be taught, advised, and mentored by philosophers with international reputations in fields ranging from Ancient Greek philosophy to biomedical ethics.
You’ll join a community of philosophy majors headed for careers in law, medicine, environmental policy, innovation, public health, finance, and research — many of whom are double-majoring in fields as diverse as physics, theatre arts, biology, psychology, mathematics, and political science.
Share a dedicated intellectual home — Beck House — with fellow philosophy students and faculty members.

Our Stories

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DeCew receives lifetime achievement honor

Professor Emerita recognized for achievement, leadership in philosophy

Passionate about research, Sharma SURJ-es ahead

Editor puts his stamp on journal’s look, breadth, and readership

Clark honors outstanding faculty

Professors lauded for commitment to teaching. research

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Your Will. Your Way.

The Major Path

At Clark, your first course in philosophy is likely to be a First-Year Intensive (FYI) seminar or a course in ethics, such as Personal Values, Social and Political Ethics, or Environmental Ethics. Your last course will be a dedicated capstone seminar, reserved for graduating senior philosophy majors, devoted to collaborative, individual research projects around a central theme.

In between, you’ll take two courses in the history of philosophy, one in formal logic, one in epistemology, one in metaphysics, one in ethics and social philosophy, and advanced electives on single philosophers, movements, or topics. Few of your classes will have more than 24 students, and many will be limited to 12.

You’ll also be required to complete either a second major, a minor, or a concentration.

Qualified students can join the Clark chapter of Phi Sigma Tau, the national philosophy honor society.

Excellence in Philosophical Studies
This award is presented to two philosophy majors who have achieved excellence in philosophical studies.

David N. Saltman ’83 Undergraduate Prize for Excellence in Philosophy

Logic Prize in Philosophy
This prize is awarded annually by the Philosophy Department faculty to a Clark undergraduate student who has demonstrated exemplary work in the area of symbolic logic.

Skills you will learn include:

Close reading of texts — the scholarly interpretation of classic texts of civilization
Careful analysis of arguments — the formal study of symbolic logic and informal study of the principles of good evidence and persuasive arguments
Clear and focusing writing — ensuring that we communicate difficult ideas in accessible ways
Clarity and precision in thought — the cornerstone of philosophical methodology
Integrating ideas — in addition to traditional philosophical subjects, philosophy engages in a wide spectrum of special topics, such as the philosophy of history, science, and art

During your junior year, you might be accepted into the philosophy honors program. Joining the program means you’ll work closely with a professor to create a thesis on a topic of your choice. Examples of recent honors theses topics are:

Kant and Bell: Form in Modern Art
North-South Biomedical Research: Moral Problems of Justice & Consent
Soren Kierkegaard on Being Human
Adherence to Highly Active Antiretroviral Therapy for HIV Positive Individuals: Biological and Ethical Considerations

Building your foundation

The Clark Experience

We structure our curriculum around Liberal Education and Effective Practice (LEEP), which connects classroom learning with action through world and workplace experiences.

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At Clark, your education extends beyond the classroom. Visit the Career Connections Center to learn more about internship opportunities that complement your coursework and put your philosophy knowledge into practice.

The philosophy major is designed to help you learn outside the classroom. Many students take advantage of internship opportunities during the academic year or over the summer to connect what they’re learning with their professional development.

Other opportunities include:

In alignment with Clark’s Liberal Education and Effective Practice (LEEP) curriculum, participation in a Study Abroad and Away program is an opportunity to gain world and workplace experience to complement your on-campus work. Clark approves semester, year-long, and summer opportunities to earn credit through academic coursework, internships, community-based learning, or research. Explore our Study Abroad and Away page, where you can search programs by academic interest, location, and language; after you’ve identified some appropriate programs, ensure they fit into your four-year plan by talking with your faculty adviser as early as possible.

You can participate in Clark’s many clubs, organizations, and athletic teams to complement your academic work. Here are some student organizations that might be of interest to you as a philosophy student:

Internships

Worcester Department of Public Health
Auschwitz-Birkenau Memorial and Museum
Federal Trade Commission
AIDS Law Project of Pennsylvania
Christie’s Fine Art Auctions
Council of Women World Leaders
U.S. Attorney’s Office
University of Massachusetts Medical School, Behavioral Medicine Department

Clark is committed to action-based learning, which means that as an undergraduate you can join faculty and graduate students in their research. Our faculty members have research interests in these subfields of philosophy: social and political philosophy, the philosophy of culture, philosophy of science, environmental ethics, biomedical ethics, metaphysics, philosophy of religion and more.

The philosophy major is designed to give you the frameworks you need to conduct research. Research topics have included privacy issues in the law, the concept of futility in medical ethics, and equity issues related to the management of nuclear waste.

You also can apply for funding to support your own research on a project of your choice during the academic year or during the summer.

Present Your Research

Some students present their work and interact with philosophy majors and faculty from other colleges at conferences. Examples include:

Celebrating Philosophy Conference at the College of the Holy Cross: “The Contribution of Theater to Public Moral Consciousness”
8th Annual Southern Illinois University Edwardsville Undergraduate Philosophy Conference: “Kantian, Too Kantian: Nietzsche’s Critique of Kantian Philosophy and Beyond”
Ohio State Undergraduate Philosophy Conference: “Nihilism, Happiness, and Ancient Greek Philosophy”
Northern New England Philosophical Association at Dartmouth College: “Ethical Game Design”

Clark’s annual Fall Fest and Academic Spree Day are opportunities to share your research or creative work with the Clark community while you hone your presentation skills. Some projects philosophy students and recent alumni have presented are:

Stress Reduction Through Forgiveness with Tibetan Monks
Right to Die: The Case of Dolores Heston
Village of Skokie v. National Socialist Party of America
On the Incompatibility of Kant and Capitalism
The Divine and Infinite: Exploring the Sublime in Religious Philosophy

You also can submit your research results for publication in our student-run Scholarly Undergraduate Research Journal.

At Clark you’ll get more than a great education; you’ll also be prepared for a long, productive career and life of consequence. And once you’ve completed your degree, you can join other Clark alumni who have gone on to work for great organizations and attend some of the best graduate schools in the world.

A major in philosophy will prepare you for almost any professional pursuit you may choose, including careers in business, law, science, health care, education, the media, and nonprofit organizations.

Graduate School Placement
Graduate schools attended by philosophy graduates from Clark include:

Boston University, Graduate School of Management
University of California at Berkeley, physics and law
University of Pittsburgh, philosophy
New York University, law
Harvard Medical School
Cornell University, mathematical logic
Columbia University School of Journalism
University of Minnesota, J.D./MPH program
University of Pittsburgh, neuroscience
Minnesota School of Professional Psychology

Career Outcomes

Law
patent attorney; corporate law; director of state environmental regulation; private practice
Business and technology
IBM, software engineer; Frontier Technology, human resources manager; bond trader; investment fund partner; entrepreneur
Human services
New York State Bureau of Narcotic Enforcement, outreach coordinator; Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, program officer
Health
physician; municipal public health officer; Seven Hills Foundation, vice-president; pharmaceutical research, data analyst
Marketing and communications
Big Earth, director of sales and marketing; Patch.com, associate regional editor; novelist
College teaching and research
Stanford University, professor; Rotman Institute for Philosophy, professor; Lawrence University, president

We’ve Got It Covered

Featured Courses

PHIL 112

Art and Morality

Artistic expression has long been linked with controversy. In this course, you’ll draw on examples from the arts, the media, and the political realm to examine the role of morality in the creative process.

PHIL 250

Plato

Immerse yourself in the mind of one of the most brilliant philosophers of all time. Student of Socrates and teacher of Aristotle, Plato helped shape Athens’ Golden Age, and his works remain highly relevant today.

PHIL 133

POP

Reason and Political Disagreement

Can reason change someone’s mind in an emotionally charged political debate? Examine a real-world debate and engage with its participants and stakeholders to see if rational arguments can heal these divides.

PHIL 070

PLS

The Educated Robot: Artificial Intelligence and Epistemic Values

Attempts to create a mechanistic version of the human mind raise a multitude of questions. Reflect on the nature of mind, scientific models of thinking, and knowledge-based values like wisdom and understanding.

PHIL 106

PLS

Science, Religion and Reality

Science and religion offer two different ways of understanding reality. While assessing these approaches, you’ll develop your ability to read complex texts, write logically, think analytically, and argue cogently.

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Explore what the Department of Philosophy has to offer.

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Major in Philosophy

Why Study Philosophy at Clark?

Our Stories

The Major Path

Academic Achievement Awards

Skills You Learn

Honors Program

Related Programs