Applied Philosophy Major

The B.A. in Applied Philosophy enables you to directly connect the study of philosophy with the study of another discipline that interests you. This innovative program reflects a shift in the way philosophy is being taught in the 21st century. Traditionally, philosophy programs have emphasized learning historical content as well as analyzing epistemological and metaphysical problems. In our applied philosophy major, you’ll still engage with important content, but you’ll also practically apply philosophy to real life. You’ll learn to think critically about truth and values and develop strong communication, ethical reasoning, and problem-solving skills. These skills are needed in a dynamic workplace and a changing world.

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Why should I study applied philosophy?

A great aspect of the applied philosophy program is that you don’t have to limit your major to only one discipline. Thanks to a reduced number of required courses, you’ll be able to pair your philosophical learning with another academic discipline of your choice. This actually makes it easier to double major or minor in another field. Some good examples to consider include, but are not limited to:

What can I do with this degree?

Graduates from our department go on to work in diverse fields like:

Business
Law and government
K-12 education
Higher education
Nonprofits
Healthcare

What skills will I develop?

Excellent writing and research
Oral communication
Critical reasoning skills: the ability to recognize and assess arguments or claims
Creativity: the ability to approach problems in new and interesting ways

Applied philosophy majors consistently score highest (or nearly highest) among all other majors on graduate school entrance exams such as the GRE, LSAT, and GMAT.

What unique experiences or opportunities will I have?

You’ll have the chance to intern at sites like the Minnesota Legislature and the Minnesota Historical Society. Off-campus study abroad programs include the January trip to Morocco, Spain, and France.

full-time faculty in the department

93%+

of recent alumni say their studies enhanced their writing, critical thinking, and research abilities