Undergraduate Overview
Think clearly. Ask better questions. Build skills for any path.
Studying philosophy at the University at Buffalo helps you develop skills that carry into every major and every career. You will learn how to reason through complex problems, write with clarity and speak with confidence. Many students major in philosophy, add a minor or pair it with another field through a double major or joint program.
Philosophy is a great fit if you like big questions and want practical tools for thinking through them. At UB, you explore classic texts and contemporary debates while building skills employers and graduate programs value.
You will learn to:
- Sharpen critical thinking and decision making
- Write and speak with clarity
- Evaluate arguments and build your own
- Work productively with people who see problems differently
- Bring ethical reasoning to real choices in public life, science and technology
Well prepared for what comes next
Philosophy majors are strong candidates for graduate and professional programs because of their training in reasoning, analysis and communication.
Philosophy at UB is flexible by design. You can double major, add a minor, pursue a joint major, complete a double degree or choose a combined program such as the BA in Philosophy and JD in Law. Whether you want to pair philosophy with science, business, communication or law, you can shape a degree that matches your interests and keeps you on track to graduate on time.
Pro tip: Many philosophy courses also fulfill UB Pathways requirements, which can make adding a second major or a minor more manageable than students expect.
Build a degree that fits your goals
Interested in Philosophy, Politics and Economics?
The PPE program connects philosophy with political theory and economics to explore real-world issues like policy, justice and decision making. It is a great option for students interested in law, public policy, business or leadership.
>Learn about the Philosophy, Politics and Economics Programs
In philosophy, you do not memorize answers. You learn how to think through hard questions with care and precision.
You will practice how to:
- Construct sound arguments
- Evaluate different viewpoints
- Clarify disagreements and identify assumptions
- Use tools like premises, counterexamples and thought experiments
- Apply philosophical methods across ethics, metaphysics, epistemology and political philosophy
You might explore questions like:
- What is the nature of time?
- What tools help us make decisions and resolve conflicts?
- What is justice?
These habits of mind strengthen your academic performance and prepare you for life after graduation.
Clear expectations from day one
Philosophy courses use shared grading rubrics so you know how your writing and reasoning will be evaluated and how to improve over time.
You can get involved in philosophy outside of class in ways that fit your schedule and interests.
Ways students gain experience include:
- Undergraduate research with faculty
- Serving as an undergraduate course assistant
- Student clubs and community events
Philosophy faculty at UB teach across the discipline, from ancient philosophy to AI ethics. They are active scholars and accessible mentors who support students through advising, research and independent study.
The department is especially known for its strengths in:
- Applied ontology
- Philosophy, politics and economics
- Logic and decision theory
- Social and political philosophy
- Experimental philosophy
Philosophy helps you build skills that travel well across industries. Some students go straight into the workforce. Others continue into graduate or professional school.
Graduates often pursue paths in:
- law and public policy
- health care and bioethics
- technology and data, including ontology-related roles
- business and communications
- education and research
- nonprofit and public service
Pro tip: The skills you gain in reasoning, writing and ethical judgment remain valuable across changing industries and career paths.
If you want a major or minor that strengthens how you think, write and lead, philosophy is a smart choice. Explore your options and see how philosophy can fit your path.
Donna Smith
Undergraduate Administrator; Graduate Administrator
Department of Philosophy
135A Park Hall, Buffalo, NY 14260-4150
Phone: (716) 645-2780; Fax: (716) 645-6139
Email: donnaobe@buffalo.edu