Philosophy encourages critical and systematic inquiry into fundamental questions of right and wrong, truth and falsehood, the meaning of life, and the nature of reality, knowledge, and society. Philosophy explores the core issues of the Western intellectual tradition. With its emphasis on reason and argumentation, the major is excellent preparation for a career in law or business. Because Philosophy develops certain analytical skills (and maybe also because a certain type of student is attracted to the field), Philosophy majors score among the very highest on standardized tests for law school (the LSAT), graduate school (the GRE), and business school (the GMAT). Indeed, comparing the data could lead to the conclusion that "Philosophers are the smartest humanists, physicists the smartest scientists, economists the smartest social scientists."
Philosophy majors are active in many kinds of career: for example, Business, Law, Counselling, Public Policy and Administration, Social Work, Foreign Service, Ministry, Academics, Librarianship, Journalism, Writing, Editing and Criticism, Computer Science and Applications, Communications, Hospital Administration, Entertainment, Medical Ethics Consulting.
Career opportunities in Philosophy
Philosophy encourages critical and systematic inquiry into fundamental questions of right and wrong, truth and falsehood, the meaning of life, and the nature of reality, knowledge, and society. More than any other discipline, philosophy explores the core issues of the Western intellectual tradition. With its emphasis on reason and argumentation, a philosophy major is an excellent preparation for a career in law or business.
Any student earning a Bachelor of Arts (BA) degree must complete a minimum of 39 hours at the 300+ level. These hours are generally completed by the major requirements. However, keep this hour requirement in mind as you choose your course work for the requirements in the major. See the complete description of College requirements for a Bachelor of Arts degree in the Arts and Sciences section of the 2015-2016 Undergraduate Bulletin.
Total Credit Hours - 30
Total Hours - 6
Major Core Requirements
Other Course Work Required for the Major
Course Work Outside of the Department
Total Hours - 45
Understanding that over 70 percent of university students will change their declared major at least once during their college careers, the College of Arts and Sciences has developed an Exploratory Studies program for students who have yet to decide the specific field of study that most closely aligns both their personal interests and their professional career goals and objectives. The Exploratory Studies Program provides students with an extraordinarily diverse educational environment that includes coursework spanning Math and Natural Sciences, Humanities, and Social Sciences and provides students with the unique opportunity to explore multiple areas of interest during their first several semesters on campus. For more information please contact a recruiting representative at asrecruting@uky.edu.
While there are endless ways to create an unforgettable journey as a Wildcat, we can only think of one that gives you the chance to step outside the classroom and into exploring new parts of the world around you: participating in an Education Abroad opportunity! Whether it’s in a study, research, service, or internship program, taking your UK experience international with EA is the most hands-on way for you to expand your global perspective while making yourself a more well-rounded, marketable candidate to future employers no matter your field. As you take these first steps towards investing in your future, EA encourages you to take advantage of all the opportunities UK has to offer. Take a look at some of the many suggested opportunities UK Education Abroad & Exchanges has to complement your major! #ukyabroad
View Major Advising Page
College of Arts & Sciences
202 Patterson Office Tower
