Philosophy, BA
Do you want to investigate some of the most important questions about knowledge, reality, ethics, justice, science, medicine, and public life? A bachelor’s degree in philosophy teaches you to analyze difficult problems, evaluate competing ideas, write clearly, and develop well-supported positions of your own. At UT, you can pursue these questions through a flexible curriculum that includes specialized study in legal and political philosophy and in the philosophy of science and medicine.
Program Overview
The Philosophy BA teaches students to examine fundamental questions, evaluate competing answers, and learn to think and communicate with precision, clarity, and purpose.
Philosophy may be a great fit for you if you enjoy examining difficult questions, considering different perspectives, and developing reasoned answers of your own. The program prepares students for a wide range of careers and provides strong preparation for graduate and professional study, including law school, medical school, and other health-professions programs.
The Department of Philosophy offers three concentrations and two minors, along with opportunities to pursue advanced coursework through departmental Honors and the accelerated combined BA/MA program.
Concentrations
The Bachelor of Arts in philosophy offers three concentrations. Students may explore philosophy broadly or focus their studies on law and justice or on fundamental and ethical questions concerning science and medicine. These options allow you to shape the major around your intellectual interests and educational or professional goals.
Our current selection of concentrations include:
- Philosophy, BA (general, no concentration)
- Legal and Philosophy concentration
- Philosophy of Science and Medicine concentration
Honors
Students in the departmental Honors program complete designated Honors coursework within their chosen concentration while maintaining a 3.25 overall GPA and a 3.5 GPA in philosophy courses.
The Honors pathway is available for all three concentrations.
Minors
The department offers two minors that allow students to complement another major with sustained study in philosophical reasoning, ethics, science, and medicine.
Our current selection of minors include:
- Philosophy minor
- Philosophy of Science and Medicine minor
Accelerated Combined BA/MA Program
The accelerated combined BA/MA program allows qualified students to earn a bachelor’s and master’s degree in philosophy in as little as five years. Undergraduate students may take up to nine credit hours of graduate coursework that counts toward both the BA and the MA.
Why Study Philosophy?
A bachelor’s degree in philosophy teaches you to think critically, reflect carefully, consider multiple perspectives, and engage thoughtfully with difficult questions.
You will learn to interpret complex texts, identify assumptions, evaluate arguments, communicate clearly, and defend your conclusions with evidence and careful reasoning. These abilities are increasingly important as individuals and institutions confront questions about artificial intelligence, emerging technologies, public policy, medicine, and social change.
At UT, you can pursue philosophy beyond the classroom through student organizations, departmental scholarships and prizes, faculty mentorship, undergraduate conferences, an internship, and the submission of outstanding work to undergraduate journals. You can also represent the Vols in regional competition by joining the Intercollegiate Ethics Bowl team.
Whether you hope to continue your education or apply philosophical skills in another profession, you will work with faculty who are active researchers and committed teachers. They will help you develop your philosophical interests and pursue your academic and professional goals.
What Can You Do with a BA in Philosophy After Graduation?
Philosophy develops career readiness skills in critical reading, careful reasoning, analytical writing, clear communication, and the evaluation of complex arguments. These abilities are valuable across a wide range of fields, including law, government, public policy, business, technology, communications, education, and nonprofit work. These skills make Philosophy graduates particularly adaptable and resilient in an unpredictable job market.
Philosophy is also excellent preparation for graduate and professional study. Its emphasis on careful reading, logical reasoning, ethical analysis, and clear communication is particularly valuable for students considering law school, medical school, other health-professions programs, or graduate study in philosophy and related fields. The concentrations in Political & Legal Philosophy, and in Philosophy of Science & Medicine, offer particularly good preparation for professional school and careers in legal and health professions, respectively.
Depending on their interests and additional training, philosophy graduates may pursue work in policy analysis, legal services, compliance, advising, administration, communications, journalism, technology ethics, AI policy, education, and many other fields.
Featured Courses
PHIL 244 Professional Responsibility
Examine ethical responsibilities across professions such as law, business, engineering, education, and the helping professions. Students use philosophical analysis and detailed case studies to consider the nature of professionalism, moral responsibility, and ethical decision-making. As a VolCore OC course and a VolEdge certified course, PHIL 244 also helps students hone skills of public speaking, professionalism, and thinking on their feet.
PHIL 340 Ethical Theory
Explore fundamental questions about morality, including the nature of moral truth, whether any moral principles are absolute, what obligations we have, why we should act morally, what is worth pursuing, and the role of virtues and ideals in a good life. An Honors version is available as PHIL 347.
PHIL 390 Philosophical Foundations of Democracy
Study philosophical questions concerning the values, principles, concepts, and institutions of democratic societies. Topics may include political authority, equality, liberty, representation, citizenship, and the justification of democratic government.
PHIL 366 Philosophy of Cognitive Science
Investigate major questions about the mind and cognitive science, including mental representation, computation, consciousness, neural processes, cognitive biases, and the relationship between philosophy, psychology, and neuroscience. The course may also explore the ethical and social implications of cognitive science research.
Complementary Majors, Minors, and Certificates
Students may pursue philosophy as a second major or add a philosophy minor to strengthen their preparation in areas such as law, politics, psychology, science, medicine, business, engineering, and technology.
- Political Science minor
- Psychology minor
- Global Studies Minor
Looking For More Options?
The College of Arts and Sciences offers students the broadest range of academic programs and opportunities for research and creative activities at the University of Tennessee, powered by faculty expertise across every discipline.
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