Philosophy Undergraduate Programs

The Department of Philosophy offers two main undergraduate degree programs: in Philosophy and in Justice, Political Philosophy and Law (JPPL). In addition to Philosophy honours and JPPL honours, we offer honours programs in Philosophy and Biology and in Philosophy and Mathematics; a three-year BA; a minor in philosophy; and a Concurrent Certificate in Applied Ethics and Policy. Many of our students complete combined honours with Philosophy and another subject – this is easy to do.

What Do You Learn in a Philosophy Program?

Philosophy is devoted to the study of fundamental questions such as: What is truth? How can we create a just society? What makes an action right or wrong, or an artwork aesthetically valuable? Is there a God? What makes us who we are?

When you study philosophy, you’ll learn how to address such questions carefully, reflectively, and rigorously. You’ll also learn how thinkers from very different historical, social, and cultural contexts approach them today or have approached them in the past. And you’ll learn how to engage a plurality of perspectives in a respectful dialogue.

Studying these questions and theories will help students to think creatively and critically, to organize their thoughts methodically, to improve their communication skills, and to use argument and self-reflection to arrive at and defend their own well-reasoned conclusions.