Take a look at our entire History & Philosophy Program and all of its offerings.
BA in Philosophy Program Overview
By immersing yourself in the study of philosophy, you can cultivate a deep interdisciplinary understanding that draws on and contributes to the study of history, literature, and the arts. Philosophy students also explore the philosophical underpinnings of science, technology and medicine, reflecting the STEM excellence of UT Dallas. Our program embraces a pluralistic and intellectually diverse approach, with focuses on continental, analytic, feminist, American, and non-Western philosophical traditions.
Every BA in Philosophy student completes a senior capstone project, which is typically a thesis, service learning project or creative project.
Career Paths with a Degree in Philosophy
A degree in philosophy equips graduates with a range of highly sought-after skills, including critical thinking, problem-solving, communication, and collaboration. These attributes not only enhance capabilities but also provide exceptional preparation for advanced studies. Philosophy majors often excel in graduate and professional school admissions, performing well on exams such as the GRE for graduate programs, the LSAT for law school, and the MCAT for medical school.
Philosophy Careers
Analyst, attorney, business consultant, consultant, counselor, curator, editor, educator, ethics and compliance officer, human resources professional, lawyer, manager, marketing specialist, mediator, minister, policy analyst, psychologist, public relations specialist, rabbi, real estate broker, risk analyst, stockbroker, venture capitalist, writer
Learn more about what you can do with a degree in philosophy →
Undergraduate Philosophy Program Options
BA in Philosophy
View Philosophy in the University Catalog
View Degree Requirements (120 semester credit hours)
View an Example of Degree Requirements by Semester
Students must successfully complete a capstone project, which typically consists of a senior thesis, service learning project or creative project. Each student is responsible for securing a supervisor for the project. The project supervisor should be a full-time member of the faculty who regularly teaches PHIL courses. It is recommended that students begin planning for the project as early as possible and, ideally, meet with a prospective faculty supervisor one or two semesters prior to undertaking the project. Read more about the capstone project requirements.
Teacher Certification
Fast Track
The Fast Track program is designed to permit exceptional undergraduate students in Arts, Humanities, and Technology majors to begin work on the master’s degree before graduation.
Qualified seniors may take up to 12 semester credit hours of approved graduate courses in the Bass School during their senior year and apply these semester credit hours to their undergraduate degree plans as either major and related courses or electives. The Fast Track courses also will be used to satisfy up to 12 graduate semester credit hours towards the master’s degree.
Fact Sheets
Minors
Related Minors
Minor in African American and African Diaspora Studies (AAADS)
Minor in Holocaust, Genocide and Human Rights
Minor in Medicine, Arts, Science, and Humanities (MASH)
To minor in the Arts, Humanities, and Technology, students must take a minimum of 18 semester credit hours for the minor, 9 of which must be upper-division semester credit hours. Students who take a minor will be expected to meet the normal prerequisites in courses making up the minor, and should maintain a minimum GPA of 2.000 on a 4.00 scale (C average). Core courses offered by the school may count as lower-division semester credit hours toward the minor. Students may choose to minor in any of the following fields of study:
- African American and African Diaspora Studies
- Art History
- Arts Management and Leadership
- Asian Studies
- Audio Production
- Communication Studies
- Creative Writing
- Dance
- Ethnic Studies
- Film Studies
- History
- Holocaust, Genocide and Human Rights
- Latin American Studies
- Literature
- Medicine, Arts, Science, and Humanities (MASH)
- Music
- Performing Arts
- Philosophy
- Religious Studies
- Spanish
- Theatre
- Visual Arts
Undergraduate Philosophy Courses
Philosophy is one of the most broad-based, rigorous, interdisciplinary, and socially engaged of the liberal arts. It engages life’s deepest and most persistent questions:
- What is the nature of the Good Life?
- Why do we believe what we believe?
- How do we know what we know?
- What is the nature of the self, its connection with the world and society?
- What are the foundations of Justice?
Philosophy takes up such questions through critical analysis of textual evidence, clear and diligent argumentation, and questioning of unexamined personal and cultural assumptions. The study of the history of philosophy from all cultures proves central to this process.
Student Organizations
Of the many student organizations relevant to the Bass School, the Philosophy Club is undoubtedly one that would pique the interest of all philosophy students.
Students can also take advantage of the school’s related research centers including the Center for Values in Medicine, Science, and Technology.
Explore Arts, Humanities, and Technology Student Organizations →
Philosophy News
UT Dallas Alumna Takes Her Historical Insight to Healthcare and Medical School
UT Dallas, recent graduate Arlin Khan BA’24, BS’24 developed a robust skill set based on her diverse academic experiences in…
Distinguished Art, Culture Historian Joins Bass School
Dr. Erika Doss, a historian of American art and culture, has joined The University of Texas at Dallas as a…
Samuel McDonald: Economics Major Explores the Intersection of Art and History
Economic junior at the School of Economic, Political, and Policy Sciences, and history minor “Economics is a fascinating cross section,…