They are questions about the nature of reality, thought and consciousness, the scope and limits of human knowledge, the value and essence of art, and the foundations of ethics and justice.

Standardized exams for graduate, business, and law schools test for such skills, and the data demonstrate that philosophy majors do extraordinarily well on them.

Philosophy distinguishes itself by its methods: unpacking concepts, questioning beliefs, evaluating arguments, and examining the methods and assumptions of other disciplines, including natural science, social science, law, and fine arts. Students will learn to re-evaluate preconceived ideas, challenge their own biases as well as the biases of others, and be less likely to accept assumptions as valid logic.

Upon completion of this degree, a student will be prepared for a number of careers, such as that of a social worker, a public agency employee, and a consulting firm executive. Surveys show that critical reasoning and analytical writing skills are those most sought by potential employers. Students will also be prepared for graduate school in various fields after attaining a philosophy degree. An honors program in philosophy is available to students in this major.

The philosophy major has a generous number of free electives, providing students with the scheduling freedom to incorporate a double major.