Philosophy ,BA
Discourse, Metaphysics, Mysticism, Symbol, argumentation, beliefs, bioethics, conduct, environmental ethics, ethics, law, meaning, rational, reason, truth
Accelerated MGM program options are not available to ASU Online students at this time.
Become a better thinker by strengthening your foundational skills, such as reading comprehension, and developing skills in reasoning and argument construction. Studying philosophy prepares you to answer moral and ethical questions that relate to a variety of careers.
In the Bachelor of Arts program in philosophy, you learn to think well --- a skill that lays the foundation for personal and professional success.
You learn how to structure arguments, write precisely and clearly, and communicate your ideas in an orderly, persuasive and unambiguous way. Many philosophical texts are complicated, and philosophy courses teach you how to read, comprehend and summarize conceptually difficult material. In short, studying philosophy trains you to be a better, clearer thinker.
Coursework includes the major subfields of philosophy, such as metaphysics, epistemology and ethics, and electives that connect philosophy to other areas of inquiry, emphasizing the social relevance of philosophy.
In addition to reviewing the guidelines in the Concurrent Program Options section below, if you're interested in pursuing concurrent or second baccalaureate degrees in The College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, you can visit The College's website for more information and requirements.
- College/school:
The College of Liberal Arts and Sciences
- Location: Tempe or Online , ASU Local
- Second language requirement: Yes
- STEM-OPT extension eligible: No
- First required math course: MAT 114 - College Mathematics
- Math
intensity: General
This video provides an overview of the Philosophy degree program at ASU.
What If: See how your courses can be applied to another major and find out how to change your major.
This program allows students to obtain both a bachelor's and a master's degree in as little as five years. Accelerated bachelor's plus master's degree programs are designed for high-achieving students who want the opportunity to share undergraduate coursework with graduate coursework to accelerate completion of their master's degree. These programs feature the same high quality curriculum taught by ASU's world-renowned faculty.
This program is offered as an accelerated bachelor's plus master's degree with:
Students typically receive approval to pursue the accelerated master's during the junior year of their bachelor's degree program. Interested students can learn about eligibility requirements and how to apply.
General university admission requirements:
All students are required to meet general
university admission requirements.
First-year | Transfer | International | Readmission
A current ASU student has no additional requirements for changing majors.
Students should visit the Change of Major form for information about how to change a major to this program.
ASU offers this program in an online format with multiple enrollment sessions throughout the year. Applicants may view the program’s ASU Online page for program descriptions and to request more information.
It is now possible to earn an ASU degree with ASU Local, an integrated college experience in which students take advantage of in-person success coaching and programming experiences on site while completing one of 130+ undergraduate online degree programs, all of which come with online faculty interaction and tutoring support.
ASU is committed to helping students thrive by offering tools that allow personalization of the transfer path to ASU. Students may use MyPath2ASU® to outline a list of recommended courses to take prior to transfer.
ASU has transfer partnerships in Arizona and across the country to create a simplified transfer experience for students. These pathway programs include exclusive benefits, tools and resources, and they help students save time and money in their college journey.
Program learning outcomes identify what a student will learn or be able to do upon completion of their program. This program’s learning outcomes include the following:
- Present and defend a philosophical view using concepts, technical terminology, and methods acquired in an advanced topical seminar as well as skills in logical analysis and civil and respectful argumentation.
- Present and explain central philosophical positions from key figures in the historical development of philosophical thought, especially their metaphysical and epistemological positions.
- Evaluate how well different normative ethical theories such as consequentialism, deontology, virtue theory provide moral standards that dictate which (if any) actions are right and wrong or how well different metaethical theories such as realism, expressivism, relativism, and nihilism account for the meaning and truth of moral claims.
- Evaluate arguments for formal validity and construct formal proofs. Students will be able to capture the logical form of prose arguments.
Students can explore a diverse variety of cultures and philosophies through study abroad. Study abroad programs help students gain valuable skills --- such as problem-solving, communication and adaptability --- as well as cultural competence, enhancing their resumes. With more than 300 distinct programs around the globe available to them, students can tailor their study abroad experience to their interests and skill sets.
The College of Liberal Arts and Sciences recommends these study abroad programs for students majoring in philosophy.
Philosophy alumni are well prepared for leadership roles regardless of the path they take, whether in business, law, politics, medicine or education.
The analytical, rhetorical and writing skills developed through the study of philosophy provide ideal preparation for careers in a wide variety of fields, including:
- business
- education
- journalism
- law
- medicine
- public service
Example job titles and salaries listed below are not necessarily entry level, and students should take into consideration how years of experience and geographical location may affect pay scales. Some jobs also may require advanced degrees, certifications or state-specific licensure.
| Career | *Growth | *Median salary |
|---|---|---|
|
33.5%
|
$120,230
|
|
|
-0.7%
|
$93,790
|
|
|
0.6%
|
$77,920
|
|
|
-0.7%
|
$93,790
|
|
|
2.5%
|
$153,990
|
|
|
4.1%
|
$159,670
|
|
|
4.3%
|
$75,530
|
|
|
3.4%
|
Not available
|
|
|
15.8%
|
$135,980
|
Historical, Philosophical & Religious Studies, Sch
|
COOR 4591
SHPRSadvising@asu.edu
480-965-8364
Program term definitions
Accelerated programs allow students the opportunity to expedite the completion of their degree.
Accelerated master's
These programs allow students to accelerate their studies to earn a bachelor's plus a master's degree in as few as five years (for some programs).
Each program has requirements students must meet to be eligible for consideration. Students typically receive approval to pursue the accelerated master's during the junior year of their bachelor's degree program. Interested students can learn about eligibility requirements and how to apply.
Concurrent degrees allow students to pursue their own personal or professional interests, earn two distinct degrees and receive two diplomas. To add a concurrent degree to your existing degree, work with your academic advisor.
Joint programs, or jointly conferred degrees, are offered by more than one college and provide opportunities for students to take advantage of the academic strengths of two academic units. Upon graduation, students are awarded one degree and one diploma conferred by two colleges.
ASU adds new programs to Degree Search frequently. Come back often and look for the "New Programs" option.
ASU Online offers programs in an entirely online format with multiple enrollment sessions throughout the year. See https://asuonline.asu.edu/ for more information.
