Society needs people who can think creatively, imaginatively, logically and laterally. Our Philosophy major prepares you to shape the future.
Why Study Philosophy?
Philosophy’s emphasis on creative problem-solving prepares you for a wide variety of careers, especially in business, law, medicine, engineering, the tech industry and the arts. Those who study philosophy enjoy a high level of success when pursuing graduate or professional degrees.
Philosophy majors learn to think critically, identify and evaluate arguments and engage in moral and ethical reasoning. Because the skills you learn to master in philosophy are so adaptable, a major in philosophy is an excellent complement to other academic programs.
Why Study Philosophy at CSUN?
Small Classes and Dedicated Faculty
The philosophy department has an excellent, well-trained faculty dedicated to nurturing the inner philosopher in each undergraduate. Class sizes are small, creating a superior learning environment where students can explore their own philosophical views.
A Modern Curriculum
The Philosophy Department offers a wide range of courses on topics that are relevant to contemporary life including popular culture; ethics; and sex, gender, and sexuality. The Department also strives to offer courses on non-Western traditions of philosophy including Chinese Philosophy and Indian Philosophy.
Campus Engagement
Our majors are very engaged in campus and department activities. The Student Philosophical Society meets regularly to learn from guest speakers and to debate philosophical topics.
What You'll Learn
The CSUN Philosophy major trains you to become a rigorous analytical thinker with a solid grasp of both historically significant works and current, state-of-the-art research.
Required courses ensure that you are grounded in the basic elements of logic and critical thinking, the classic texts and philosophical writing. You can tailor your degree to include such paths as social justice and pre-law, health and sciences or the history of philosophy.
With a diverse choice of electives, you can pursue other disciplines that complement your background in philosophy. Because the Philosophy major is reduced when paired with a major in another program, adding philosophy as a second major is very feasible. Excellent double majors include:
- Philosophy and Religious Studies
- Philosophy and Psychology
- Philosophy and Computer Science/Information Technology
- Philosophy and Biology
- Philosophy and Cinema and Television Art, Communication Studies and/or Journalism
- Philosophy and Art and/or Theater
- Philosophy and Music
- Philosophy and Physics
- Philosophy and Engineering
- Philosophy and English
- Philosophy and Business/Marketing
- Philosophy and Political Science
- Philosophy and Gender and Women’s Studies
The Philosophy major culminates in a senior thesis, where you'll work closely with faculty or collaborate with a team to explore an issue in depth.
Careers & Outcomes
Many of the world's most successful CEOs and entrepreneurs were philosophy majors. A study published by the National Bureau of Economic Research in 2017 found that the net return on investment for a philosophy degree is equivalent to that of an engineering degree. Philosophy majors consistently outperform all other majors on standardized tests for graduate school admissions. This includes the GRE, LSAT, GMAT and MCAT.
Students shine at annual philosophy conference
For a full day, students present their work in a professional setting, along with outside speakers, who share their own stories about the value philosophy has added to their lives.
Study Abroad
You can choose to study abroad through CSU International Programs, which offers programs in 18 countries: Australia, Canada, Chile, China, Denmark, France, Germany, Ghana, Israel, Italy, Japan, Mexico, South Africa, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, Taiwan and the United Kingdom.
Learn more about studying abroad