Philosophy

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What is Philosophy?

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Philosophy is:

  • The opportunity to explore the most basic and interesting questions about ourselves and our world, such as ones that concern God, freedom, and mind as well as ones that concern truth, goodness, and beauty.
  • A way of thinking that emphasizes clarity, careful reflection, critical thinking, analytical rigor, questioning assumptions, thinking for oneself, respectful dialogue, and straightforward and clear oral and written expression.


Big questions we ask include:

  • What is reality?
  • What is knowledge?
  • What makes actions right or wrong?
  • What is justice?
  • What are minds?
  • What is science?
  • How should we live?

Why Study Philosophy?

Philosophy is a way of thinking that emphasizes clarity, careful reflection, analytical rigor, and respectful dialogue—skills that matter in every field and career.

Students often tell us they leave philosophy courses with:

  • Stronger critical reading and analytical writing
  • Sharper reasoning and argument skills
  • Better ability to see the big picture and question assumptions
Ayers Hall

Outcomes that Surprise People

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Alongside the value of thinking through life’s big questions, philosophy has practical advantages. For example:

  • Philosophy majors score exceptionally well on admissions exams, especially the LSAT, and they also perform strongly on the GRE and GMAT. (Humanities majors, including philosophy, also do well on the MCAT.)
  • The unemployment rate for recent Philosophy Majors is 3.2 percent, which is lower than the national average.
  • Because philosophy strengthens reasoning, writing, and analytical skills, it tends to have strong long-term return on investment across many careers.

Sources include LSAC (LSAT), ETS/APA (GRE), PayScale, and the New York Fed’s labor market data (see links at the bottom of the page)

Bar chart of average LSAT score by major; philosophy is highest
Average LSAT score by major. Source shown on chart (LSAC data, chart attribution included).
Bar chart of mid-career salaries for non-STEM majors; philosophy ranks at the top
Mid-career salaries (non-STEM majors). Source shown on chart (PayScale data, chart attribution included).

Careers and Next Steps After Philosophy

A philosophy major or minor pairs well with almost any other field:

  • Law and public policy
  • Medicine and health professions
  • Business and analytics
  • Government and nonprofit leadership
  • Education
  • Tech and AI ethics

Student spotlights:

  • Delia McDevitt (’23), Harvard Law School: philosophy helped her become a stronger critical thinker and writer. 
  • Natalie Campbell Newell (’20), Special Olympics International: philosophy prepared her to develop new ideas and advance in her career. 
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Philosophy at UT

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FAQ

What do philosophy majors actually do after graduation?


A Philosophy major or minor pairs well with almost any field and opens a wide range of pathways. Our students have gone on to become lawyers, nurses, and doctors; to work in business and the nonprofit sector; to serve in government roles; to work in intelligence and law enforcement; and to teach at all levels of education.

Is philosophy good preparation for law school / med school / grad school?


Yes. Philosophy majors achieve nearly the highest scores on professional and graduate admissions exams, including the highest scores on the LSAT, the highest scores on the GRE, and high scores on the GMAT. Humanities majors tend to score better than many science majors on the MCAT. If you’re pre-law, philosophy is especially strong preparation: we regularly offer courses in Philosophy of Law, Political Philosophy, Democracy, and Human Rights, and we offer a Legal & Political Philosophy concentration.

Will philosophy help me get a job?


Philosophy is an excellent “skills major,” and those skills translate across many industries and roles. The unemployment rate for recent philosophy majors is 3.2%, which is lower than the national average (and lower than several other majors).

What skills will I build?


Philosophy trains you to read carefully, write clearly, and reason well. You can expect substantial gains in verbal and logical reasoning, analytical writing, and critical thinking, along with intellectual virtues like curiosity and open-mindedness. In practice, students often highlight learning how to read critically, write well, think for yourself, and see the big picture.

Do I need prior philosophy experience?


Not at all. Many students take their first philosophy course at UT with no previous experience. Intro-level courses are designed to bring you into the conversation, teach you how to work with arguments, and help you build confidence in discussion and writing.

What kinds of classes can I take?


Our courses take up big questions about free will, reality, knowledge, science, beauty, critical thinking, and feminism, along with many areas in ethics and justice (including environmental ethics, bioethics, and philosophy of law). We also offer courses in the history of philosophy, where students read major figures like Plato, Aristotle, Descartes, and Kant. And there are courses in social justice, global justice/human rights/democracy, philosophy of disability, metaphysics, epistemology, and philosophy of science. 

Can I double major?


Yes. Philosophy is a common (and powerful) companion to majors across the humanities, social sciences, and STEM fields. Our major/minor curricula are designed to be rigorous and flexible, so students can pursue what interests them while fitting philosophy into a broader academic plan.  

How many courses are required for the major/minor?


Philosophy major (10 courses) and Philosophy minor (6 courses). We offer major concentrations in Legal and Political Philosophy, Philosophy of Science and Medicine, and Honors Philosophy. We also offer a Philosophy of Science and Medicine Minor.

Are there clubs and community?

We have a vibrant undergraduate community of well over 200 undergraduates, and students can get involved through our two student organizations: the Philosophy Club and Voltaire.

Are there scholarships?


Yes. The department gives out about $15,000 in scholarships each year, and we also award an annual Essay Prize and an annual Logic Prize. 

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Data Sources

For more information about the various merits of a formal education in Philosophy, see the following sources: