D'Youville Launches New Major in Health Humanities
D'Youville has added a new major in Health Humanities to create a new pathway for students who wish to prepare for healthcare careers throug...
Read moreOur 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.
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
- Applications are free of charge and can be found on our Apply: First Time in College webpage.
- 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
Courses
Explore Courses in Philosophy
Logic and Reasoning — PHI 204
Gain access to the first and most important tools in the philosopher’s toolbox. Discover how to think clearly and draw valid conclusions from given premises. Learn to evaluate reasons and evidence, spot bad arguments, and write persuasively using the power of logic. Precision, clarity, rigor — these are the virtues of the successful student of logic!
Wisdom, Justice, and Happiness — PHI 280
Alfred North Whitehead once said that the whole tradition of philosophy is merely "footnotes to Plato." He was exaggerating, but the influence of the ideas of the ancient philosophers on contemporary cultures around the globe remains immense. Learn about the historical origins of philosophy and natural science in the theories of the ancient Greek and Roman thinkers.Begin to see that philosophy was once practiced as a way of life dedicated to understanding the cosmos and acting according to reason.
Philosophy of Art — PHI 423
In 1917, Marcel Duchamp provocatively submitted a sculpture entitled Fountain to be shown at the exhibition of the Society of Independent Artists in New York. Famously, the piece consisted of a urinal, which Duchamp had not himself crafted. Was this really an artwork? Was it beautiful? These questions and others like them form the basis of the philosophical study of art, also known as aesthetics. Learn theories of art, taste, and beauty, and start to think critically about what we call art and why.
Internships
Internships
The required philosophy internship offers on-site experience in several related areas:
- legal office work with the Western District of New York - Department of Justice
- local corporations
- non-profit agencies
For students interested in designing their own internships, the faculty will help make the arrangements.
Learn more
Related Programs
Liberal Arts Department In The News
View All
D'Youville Ranks as Top Private University in the Region
For the second consecutive year, D'Youville is ranked as the top private university in Western New York in recognition of its academic excel...
Read more
D'Youville Announces Plan to Address Racial Justice
D'Youville announced three initiatives today to elevate the issue of racial inequality and add support to racial justice as a strategic inst...
Read more