Undergraduate Programs

Western Michigan University's Department of Philosophy enjoys a national reputation, and we pride ourselves on offering major and minor programs of correspondingly high quality.

We offer two programs that lead to a Bachelor of Arts degree.

Majors

  • The Bachelor of Arts in philosophy is very flexible, with multiple options and elective opportunities. It is suitable for those interested in pursuing graduate work in philosophy, and many of our graduates have gone on to Ph.D. programs and subsequent successful careers in philosophy. Course listing from catalog.


    The major is also perfectly suited to those pursuing other disciplines but who want the opportunity to explore the basic questions concerning our relation to reality and to each other that have always perplexed and fascinated people, questions that may well be fundamental to other disciplines but that are not always asked within those disciplines themselves. The major also provides students with the opportunity to improve those critical thinking, writing, and communication skills that are essential to any endeavor.

  • The Bachelor of Arts in philosophy with a professional and applied ethics concentration is suitable for students planning to pursue a profession with a dimension that involves ethical reasoning and decision-making (medical fields, for example). This program is also suitable for students who are interested in both practical and theoretical issues concerning morality, ethics, and value in general. Course listing from catalog.

MINORS