The Bachelor of Arts in Philosophy at St. Edward’s University immerses students in an intensive program that challenges them to analyze the world around them.
You'll exercise your intellectual muscles as you read both classic and contemporary philosophy texts to understand their applicability to contemporary problems and choices. You'll challenge assumptions and learn to use sound reasoning in the construction of your arguments. Students develop critical thinking and writing skills and an ability thoughtfully to analyze issues on a global scale. Graduates have a wide spectrum of marketable skills, including rational analysis, analytical thinking, critical inquiry and logical problem solving.
With a Bachelor of Arts in Philosophy, you'll develop the critical thinking and analytical skills in demand in multiple fields. Many students select this degree to prepare for graduate studies in such areas as law, medicine, theology or business. Students who study philosophy acquire sophisticated analytical tools in vigorous but civil classroom debates, and extensively developed written papers and exams. Philosophy majors typically score in the highest percentiles of students taking the MCAT, GMAT, GRE and LSAT. Many of our students have gone on to pursue graduate degrees in philosophy, law and medicine. Others have accepted Fulbright Scholarships. Recent majors have attended graduate school at many different prestigious universities, including: Stanford University, Boston College, Brandeis University, Purdue University, University of St. Louis, University of London, Loyola University of Chicago, Loyola Marymount University, Williams College, University of Missouri, University of Texas Medical School, University of Connecticut and DePaul University. An ongoing lecture series featuring internationally well known speakers from around the country, addressing topics designed to stimulate intellectual conversations about current topics. For more info, contact: Professor Mark J. Cherry Faculty, staff and students discuss their diverse and distinct perspectives on important and relevant issues. A brief reading is selected for discussion during lunch. For more info, contact: Dr. Jack Musselman Philosophy faculty members have collectively authored or edited more than 20 books and well over a hundred articles for professional publications and major research journals. These include work in The Journal of Medicine and Philosophy (Oxford University Press), Christian Bioethics (Oxford University Press), the Annals of Bioethics (Routledge), Philosophical Studies in Contemporary Culture (Springer), The Journal of the International Society for the History of Philosophy of Science and many more. “I teach because I believe it is important for students to have an intellectual “tool kit” that will help them succeed in their lives beyond college.” “My approach to teaching, like many philosophers, is about asking individuals what an author means and how and why they agree or disagree with the author’s arguments.” “I hope that through my courses I’m able to show my students what is possible in the world of knowledge and learning.” Students who wish to earn a Philosophy Minor must take the following coursework, totaling 18 hours. Students may choose any upperdivision Philosophy elective to complete their minor. For more information about applicable coursework, please consult the undergraduate bulletin.
Outcomes
Examples of careers philosophy students have chosen include:
Outside the Classroom
Food and Philosophy Ethics Series
Past presentations have included:
Fusion Discussion Group
Past discussion topics have included:
Meet the Faculty
Research
Faculty have conducted research on a variety of topics, some of which include:
Published Work
Why They Teach
— Stephen C. Dilley, PhD
— Jack Musselman, PhD
— William J. Zanardi, PhD
About the Minor
Required Courses:
