Philosophy BA

Major: Philosophy
Degree Awarded: Bachelor of Arts (BA)
Calendar Type: Quarter
Minimum Required Credits:  180.0
Co-op Options: Three Co-op (Five years); One Co-op (Four years); No Co-op (Four years)
Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP) code: 38.0101
Standard Occupational Classification (SOC) code: 25-1126

About the Program

Concentrations

• Ethical Theory and Practice
• Philosophy and Law
• Philosophy, Technology, and Science

For more information about Drexel Philosophy classes and programs, please visit the Department of English & Philosophy website or stop by to see our director anytime. The Department of English & Philosophy is located in MacAlister Hall, Room 5016. The director can be contacted at:

Dr. Peter Amato
Director of Programs in Philosophy
Department of English & Philosophy
MacAlister 5029
peterama@drexel.edu

Degree Requirements 

*

Students not participating in co-op will take one additional credit of free elective instead of COOP 101.

Co-op cycles may vary. Students are assigned a co-op cycle (fall/winter, spring/summer, summer-only) based on their co-op program (4-year, 5-year) and major. 

COOP 101 registration is determined by the co-op cycle assigned and may be scheduled in a different term. Select students may be eligible to take COOP 001 in place of COOP 101.

**

See Core Curriculum List for complete list of course options.

***

Students are required to take a minimum of two consecutive courses in a foreign language and must complete at least through the 103 level. Reaching at least the 201 level is recommended for students considering graduate school in Philosophy.

Writing-Intensive Course Requirements

In order to graduate, all students must pass three writing-intensive courses after their freshman year. Two writing-intensive courses must be in a student's major. The third can be in any discipline. Students are advised to take one writing-intensive class each year, beginning with the sophomore year, and to avoid “clustering” these courses near the end of their matriculation. Transfer students need to meet with an academic advisor to review the number of writing-intensive courses required to graduate.

A "WI" next to a course in this catalog may indicate that this course can fulfill a writing-intensive requirement. For the most up-to-date list of writing-intensive courses being offered, students should check the Writing Intensive Course List at the University Writing Program. Students scheduling their courses can also conduct a search for courses with the attribute "WI" to bring up a list of all writing-intensive courses available that term.

Sample Plan of Study

NOTE: The plan of study below is one way to complete the General Concentration in Philosophy. Students should consult with their academic advisor in choosing the concentration that best suits their interests, goals, and career plans.

4 year, no co-op

*

Students must complete two consecutive courses in a foreign language and must reach the 103 level.

**

Philosophy students may choose from three concentrations or the default, which contains the most options. It is recommended but not required that students take the concentration courses in numerical order except when they are prerequisites.

4 year, 1 co-op

*

Students must complete two consecutive courses in a foreign language and must reach the 103 level.

**

COOP 101 registration is determined by the co-op cycle assigned and may be scheduled in a different term. Select students may be eligible to take COOP 001 in place of COOP 101.Co-op cycles may vary. Students are assigned a co-op cycle (fall/winter, spring/summer, summer-only) based on their co-op program (4-year, 5-year) and major.

***

Philosophy students may choose from three concentrations or the default, which contains the most options. It is recommended but not required that students take the concentration courses in numerical order except when they are prerequisites.

5 year, 3 co-op

*

Students must complete two consecutive courses in a foreign language and must reach the 103 level.

**

Co-op cycles may vary. Students are assigned a co-op cycle (fall/winter, spring/summer, summer-only) based on their co-op program (4-year, 5-year) and major. Registration is determined by the co-op cycle assigned and may be scheduled in a different term. Select students may be eligible to take COOP 001 in place of COOP 101.

***

Philosophy students may choose from three concentrations or the default, which contains the most options. It is recommended but not required that students take the concentration courses in numerical order except when they are prerequisites.

Co-op/Career Opportunities

Opportunities

No major prepares students for success in as wide a variety of careers as philosophy. Because philosophical work helps students develop superior reasoning, communication, and analytical skills, a philosophy major can be an ideal choice for pre-med or pre-law students. It is also particularly valuable as a preparation for graduate study in philosophy and fields related to it, such as critical media studies, public policy, education, and science, technology, and society (STS). The Drexel Philosophy major is an excellent preparation for success in any field of endeavor that values thoughtful reflection, logical thinking, and clear communication. Philosophy majors graduate into a wide range of successful careers in business, industry, law, government, education, and service organizations and agencies, as well as many fields of graduate study and research.

In just its first five years, the Drexel Philosophy BA program graduated students into careers including teaching, the law, public policy, and academic research.

Co-op Experiences

Philosophy students at Drexel are encouraged to seek out interesting co-op opportunities related to the skills and interests they are developing through their philosophical studies and potential career options they would like to explore. These can be as broad as the difference between an ethics-related co-op that has the student shadowing an ethicist working for a hospital’s board of institutional review, to a student who is interested in aesthetics and politics working with the Philadelphia Mural Arts Program in liaison with community groups. Students in philosophy who are pre-law frequently pursue law-related co-ops and co-ops at public and private agencies and organizations that employ lawyers and law students. Students in philosophy who are thinking about careers in academia have the full gamut of writing, editing, and publishing co-ops available to them, as well as research-related co-ops they can develop by working with professors. While academically oriented co-ops and co-ops in the humanities generally pay less than those in the sciences, business, law, and engineering—if they pay at all—they are still enormously valuable as a way for students to develop a sense of what various careers might actually be like and how they work.

Additional Information

For detailed information on co-op and career opportunities, visit the Drexel Steinbright Career Development Center webpage. For further information about co-op and career prospects related to Philosophy, contact the Drexel Philosophy program director:

Dr. Peter Amato
Director of Programs in Philosophy
Department of English & Philosophy
MacAlister 5030
215-895-1353
peterama@drexel.edu

Program Level Outcomes

Upon completion of the program, graduates will be prepared to:

Philosophy Faculty

Emeritus Faculty