University at Buffalo (UB)
Philosophy trains your mind. As a philosophy major, you'll get to ask the big questions about the nature of reality, beauty and justice—and study a rigorous methodology and analytical skills that are broadly applicable throughout your professional and personal life. Whether you’re thinking about graduate school (including law school or business school), or you want to get a job right after graduation, philosophy is a thoughtful choice that gives you flexibility.
At UB, you’ll learn how to construct a sound argument, evaluate the arguments of others, clarify disagreements and come to new conclusions. You’ll also explore how to promote productive dialogue by using tools such as clear premises, counter-examples and thought experiments—and discover how to apply these methods to a variety of topics within metaphysics, epistemology, ethics, political philosophy and aesthetics. Some of the questions you might engage in include: “What is the nature of time?” “What tools can I use to make decisions or to resolve conflicts?” and “What is justice?”
If you’re interested in a broader approach, consider majoring in philosophy, politics and economics.
At UB, you’ll find many opportunities to expand your horizons, even when you’re not in class.
We offer research opportunities for students who enroll in independent studies courses or work as undergraduate course assistants. (Students can simply contact a faculty member if you’d like to work with them.)
If you want to make new friends and attend community-building social events, we encourage you to join UB’s clubs, such as our Philosophy Club, PPE (Philosophy, Politics and Economics) Club and MAP (Minorities and Philosophy) Club.
It might be easier to ask what can’t you do with a philosophy degree? That’s because a philosophy degree—with its emphasis on critical thinking, clear writing, succinct argumentation, broadly persuasive reasoning and productive dialogue—is highly marketable. In a competitive and dynamic job market, it’s wise to choose a degree that gives you a fairly broad range of options. Our faculty and staff are here to help you develop foundational skills for career success after graduation.
While some students start working right away, many philosophy majors choose to continue their education at law school, medical school or another professional or graduate school. (In fact, philosophy majors historically score better on these entrance exams including the GRE, LSAT and GMAT because of their experience and background.)
Some typical job titles for philosophy grads include:
Our professors have an exceptionally wide range of interests and specialties, from business ethics and negotiation to artificial intelligence, from philosophy of science to philosophy of art, and from the history of philosophy to computational models … and much more.
Our faculty are recognized leaders in their specialties. They are invited to speak around the world. They have developed ISO standards. They have worked with UNICEF and The World Bank. They have been recognized by the National Endowment of the Humanities. Not only do they publish in major journals in a variety of disciplines, they also have led those journals as editors and have served as editors for book series. Our faculty not only contribute to the academic cutting edge, but they collaborate widely to apply this knowledge to solve real-world problems.
If you’re looking for engaging teachers and accessible mentors, you’ll find them right here at UB.