WHAT CAN YOU DO WITH A DEGREE IN PHILOSOPHY?

It is through the exchange of ideas and the give and take of discussion that knowledge grows. Because philosophers build on the successes and the failures of their predecessors, you will learn to do the same and be able to apply these skills in any field.

As law, medical, business, and other professional school faculty and admissions personnel have often said, philosophy is excellent preparation for careers in these professions.

In a department characterized by close student-faculty relationships and an emphasis on independent study and research, philosophy majors at the College of Charleston discover that philosophy is among the most flexible and adaptable academic disciplines. They achieve success and fulfillment in a wide variety of careers and earn acceptance by prestigious graduate programs and professional schools.

Our majors have gone on to do many interesting things. Some paths they have taken are more directly related to philosophy than others, but our graduates seem ready to do just about anything. Examples:

• Business, especially in management and sales
• Investment banking
• Service positions in the private and public sectors
• Teaching

Others go on to medical school or to graduate school, with graduates seeking degrees in:

• Philosophy
• Religious studies
• Psychology
• Anthropology
• History
• Education

The single most common career path for our students is law school and the practice of law.

Active Learning Opportunities

Philosophy Tutorial. You can engage in independent reading and research on a specific topic or project under the supervision of a faculty advisor. You can use a tutorial to fill gaps in your knowledge by investigating new areas or extend your knowledge in an area you’ve already encountered. Some recent tutorial topics include:

• Habermas on law and democracy
• Marx: Philosophy and economic theory
• Stephen Jay Gould: Philosophy of evolutionary biology
• Buddhist responses to the problem of change
• Nietzsche
• Philosophy of language

Bachelor’s Essay. A year-long research and writing project normally completed during the senior year. The essay involves thorough investigation and research as well as an extended period of writing and revision. Your tutor will provide critical reviews of your essay in the draft stages to help you achieve a high level of scholarship. Some recent examples of essay topics include:

• Mackie’s Moral Anti-Realism
• Sources of the New Pragmatism: Dewey, Heidegger, and Wittgenstein
• What Beauty Isn’t: Error Theory and Aesthetic Judgment
• Personal Identity
• Ethics of the Fiduciary Relationship Between Physician and Patient
• he Highest Good in Kant’s Philosophy

Student Research Associate Program. This program provides the opportunity for very strong students to conduct their own research projects under the guidance of a faculty mentor, or to participate in a substantive way in a faculty member’s research project.

Philosophy Colloquia. Each year, the department sponsors lectures by visiting speakers, including many prominent philosophers. Thought provoking topics cover a wide range of issues such as the future of work, philosophy of mind, feminist philosophy and human rights during national emergencies. Speakers often visit classes during their stay at the college and meet informally with students and faculty.

The Philosophy Club sponsors discussions and films of philosophical interest and hosts at least one visiting speaker each year. Members usually attend the annual meetings of the South Carolina Society for Philosophy. The club also sponsors a meeting with faculty to discuss graduate school opportunities, and an oyster roast in the winter.

Study abroad. We encourage our majors to study abroad and to take advantage of the many different options that the College of Charleston offers.

College of Charleston Advantages

• Our professors represent a diverse group of scholarly interests, including such fields as ancient, modern, and 19th-century philosophy, Asian philosophy, ethics, philosophy of biology, environmental philosophy, and philosophy of mind.
• We consider independent work to be a vital part of the undergraduate experience and make every effort to help you to develop a workable, sound and satisfying program of study.
• The program enhances key abilities and skills required in other academic disciplines and in your post-graduate endeavors.
• The philosophy major is flexible and can be customized to meet your specific needs and individual interests by combining it with another major or a minor.

“I have enjoyed the philosophy major. All the professors I’ve had have been very friendly, helpful and excited about the subject matter. The major helps you to understand current world views by tracing them back to their source in the history of philosophy. It also develops your critical thinking skills through in-class discussion and assigned papers. While philosophy cannot provide all the answers to the problems of the universe and life, it does provide you with a tool to meet those problems. I especially enjoyed my senior seminar class on Wittgenstein.”

Johannes Van der Bijl ’07