Philosophy encourages you to critically examine what passes as "common knowledge," formulate well-reasoned positions on important issues, and express your ideas clearly and carefully. The Philosophy program at SRU fosters excellence in reading, writing, critical thinking, and ethical deliberation. SRU philosophy students have won more top awards at the annual statewide Association for Philosophy and Religious Studies (IAPRS) than any other university within the PA State System of Higher Education.
WHY CHOOSE PHILOSOPHY?
Why study philosophy? Majoring in Philosophy will benefit you in a number of ways:
Philosophy majors have the highest score on the Law School Admissions Test (LSAT), and have the highest acceptance rate to law school of any major.
On the Graduate Record Examination (GRE), philosophy students have the highest average score of all university majors. (Source: Educational Testing Service, 2013)
Want to get an MBA? Philosophy majors outscore all business majors (including management, accounting, and economics) on the Graduate Management Admissions Test (GMAT) (Source: Graduate Management Admissions Council, 2005-2010)
Interested in medical school? Philosophy majors have a higher acceptance rate into medical school than biology, chemistry, and biochemistry majors. (Source: American Medical Student Association, 2000)
The study of philosophy pays off in life and work. Students with a BA in philosophy earn more at midcareer than two-thirds of all other university majors. (Source: , 2014)
Through philosophy, you have the opportunity to explore important questions and to consider alternative points of view and ways of thinking.
By encouraging respect for reason and the critical examination of the grounds of your beliefs, philosophy teaches you to think for yourself in a responsible way, and to live a thoughtful life.
WHAT WILL YOU LEARN?
Through SRU's Philosophy program, you'll learn to read carefully, write clearly, examine assumptions, think logically, and engage in ethical deliberation, all skills that are of great value to employers. You'll also learn to:
Inquire in a systematic way into fundamental questions about our lives and our relationships to others, society, and the world
Develop the critical thinking skills and dispositions essential to any academic pursuit and intelligent living
Critically examine assumptions about our society and the world, formulate logical positions on important issues, and express ideas intelligently
Pull your studies together into a unified project, and think about broader perspectives and implications, which are often lost sight of in specialized study
CAREERS IN PHILOSOPHY
You might be surprised to learn many of the most important and well-known world leaders, business executives, scientists, novelists, artists, economists, activists, entertainers, Supreme Court justices, and Noble Laureates studied philosophy in college.
Philosophy students go on to excel in a variety of fields, including:
Actuarial science
Art
Business
Education
Health care
Information science and technology
Law
Nonprofit leadership
Scientific research
Expected December 2024
College of Liberal Arts
1 Morrow Way,
SLIPPERY ROCK,
Pennsylvania,
16057, United States
International applicants who have not enrolled in any post secondary institution since graduating high school should apply as freshmen. Advanced standing may be considered for those students who have completed IB programs, GCE A-levels (advanced or advanced subsidiary) examinations.
English language requirements: Applicants must score a minimum of 61 on the internet based test (iBT), a minimum of 500 on the written test or a minimum of a 173 on the computer based test. Applicants must receive an overall IELTS score at band 6.0 or above.
*There may be different IELTS requirements depending on your chosen course.