B.A Philosophy

The Mission of the Philosophy Department is to provide students with knowledge and appreciation for the major philosophies and philosophical questions within their cultural and historical contexts. The Philosophy program focuses primarily on the Western tradition, both historically and in terms of thematic issues.The goals of the Philosophy Program are the following: To help students develop, through careful readings and discussion, critical thinking and reading skills, and to foster the ability to develop strong, articulate arguments, both verbally and in writing. To help students gain the skills and understanding required for leading well-examined lives and to emphasize the relevance of philosophy in real life issues.To provide those students with special and serious interest in philosophy the foundational knowledge and preparation for graduate study in philosophy. To provide students with diverse perspectives in philosophy.The major in Philosophy may serve as the focus of a broad range of liberal arts courses or as the core of a concentrated study of philosophy, perhaps as preparation for graduate study in Philosophy, interdisciplinary programs in Humanities, or Law.