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Philosophy (BA), 4-Year

Vines growing on a pillar

Our philosophy major is designed to develop communication, critical thinking, and reasoning skills to prepare you for rewarding career paths — including law, government, and education.

Overview & Distinctions

Overview

D'Youville's Philosophy program focuses on examining ideas which have shaped our intellectual heritage. The coursework is designed to develop strong analytical, critical thinking, and writing skills. You'll learn to analyze, compare, and evaluate ideas in order to formulate policies on personal and social levels.

The Philosophy major leads to a Bachelor of Arts degree. An internship and senior research project are requirements of the program.

Why Choose D'Youville?

  • Gain research experience by working with D'Youville faculty on a research topic in either theoretical or social values in your senior year.
  • Get individualized attention in small classes taught by faculty with national reputations in the field.
  • Build your resume with professional internships at nonprofit agencies, corporations, or federal, state or local government offices, while gaining perspective on a future career.
  • Flexible requirements for the major means you can customize the curriculum to suit your future career goals, such as taking a second major.
  • D'Youville's long commitment to a liberal education means that you'll receive the kind of interdisciplinary education that will give you a rock-solid foundation. Gain skills like problem solving, critical thinking, collaboration, and written, visual, and oral communication — all skills that employers believe are critical to success, no matter what career path you decide to take.
  • Students seeking to continue their education will find the robust skills developed through their study of Philosophy have provided them a distinct advantage over their peers. Students with a degree in Philosophy:

Automatic Merit-Based Scholarship Considerations

When you apply for admission at D’Youville, we’ll automatically consider you for our merit scholarships. Undergraduate scholarships can cover as much as 50% of your tuition, and there is no need to fill out a separate application!

Transfer students can qualify for scholarships, as well. And unlike other schools, maintaining your scholarship is easier at D'Youville because we use a realistic 2.25 GPA requirement to determine your eligibility for merit-based scholarships each year. 

Find more information and additional scholarships on our scholarships page.

View All Scholarships

Admission Requirements

Admission Requirements

At D'Youville, we are committed to selecting students who are academically well-rounded and committed to meeting the challenges of a high-quality education. If you have been successful in a traditional college preparatory program in high school, you should be well-prepared for the academic challenges at D'Youville. While we don't require you to submit ACT or SAT test scores, if you have taken or intend to take a standardized test we encourage you to submit your scores if you'd like them to be evaluated as part of your application.

First Time in College Freshman Requirements:

  • Submitted application for admission
  • Official high school transcripts
    • An overall weighted GPA of 80 with successful completion of high school graduation requirements and three years of math, history, english, and science.

Not Required (utilized in a holistic review for admission if provided):

  • Standardized SAT/ACT test scores
  • Admissions essay
  • Letters of recommendation

Transfer Admission Required Review Criteria:

  • Submitted application for admission
    • Applications are free of charge and can be found on our apply webpage.
  • Official transcripts from ALL previously attended colleges/universities
  • Cumulative GPA of 2.33

 Not Required (utilized in a holistic review for admission if provided):

  • Coursework relevant to major of interest
  • Admissions essay
  • Letters of recommendation

Curriculum

Curriculum

Find detailed course information for the Bachelor of Arts Philosophy Program, tools to plan your education, and complete academic policies and procedures in the D'Youville academic catalog.

Major 45
Liberal Arts and Science Electives 75
Total Credits 120

Course Requirements for the Major

In the specific areas of concentration

PHI-201 Ethics in Theory & Action 3
PHI-204 Logic and Reasoning 3
PHI-280 Wisdom, Justice and Happiness 3
PHI-305 Reason, Science and Religion in the Modern World 3
PHI-310 Enlightenment, Liberty and Progress in The Modern World 3
PHI-450 Senior Research 3
or PHI-600 Philosophical Methods
PHI Four Electives (two at 300 level, two at 400 level) 12
PHI-444 Internship 3-12
Total Credits 33-42
1

Undergraduate credit only will be awarded when taking the course.

In other academic areas required for the major

PHI Four Electives 12
Total Credits 12

Internships

Internships

The required philosophy internship offers on-site experience in several related areas:

For students interested in designing their own internships, the faculty will help make the arrangements.

Learn more

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