major
TagDemographic Trends in the Philosophy Major Might Be Mostly Due to Pre-College Factors (guest post)
This guest post* looks at two questions related to demographic trends among philosophy majors. First, are women disproportionately less interested in the philosophy major at the beginning of their first year of study? And second, is the recent apparent increase in interest in philosophy reflected in first-year intention to major? (more…)
Philosophy at UWE Bristol Threatened (Updated)
The University of the West of England (UWE) at Bristol has announced plans to eliminate its degree programs in philosophy and effectively cease the instruction of philosophy at the school. (more…)
Elmira College Cuts Philosophy (Updated)
Elmira College, a small private liberal arts college in New York, has announced that it is cutting several programs, including philosophy. (more…)
Rockford University Eliminates Philosophy Major
Rockford University in Illinois is eliminating four major programs, including philosophy. (more…)
Minnesota State Moorhead Plans to Cut Philosophy Major
The administration at Minnesota State University Moorhead announced a plan “designed to close a projected gap of $6 million in fiscal year 2022” that involves the elimination of around 65 positions and 10 major programs, including philosophy. (more…)
University of Saint Francis Plans to Cut Philosophy Major
The Board of Trustees of the University of Saint Francis, a Catholic liberal arts college in Fort Wayne, Indiana, has approved plans that would discontinue several of its academic programs, including its philosophy major. (more…)
University to “Align” Philosophy Major with Catholic Studies
The trustees of Newman University, a Catholic university in Kansas, have approved a plan proposed by the administration that will revise its philosophy and theology programs so that they “align strategically” with its new School of Catholic Studies. (more…)
University of Tulsa Administration Sells School to Businessman
” eliminated undergraduate majors in both philosophy and religion, leaving us with only a combined minor. The possibility of a combined major was recently dangled before my department chair—the price being that I cease from publicly criticizing our administrative overlords.”
Elizabethtown College To Eliminate Philosophy Major
Elizabethtown College, a private college in Pennsylvania, is planning to eliminate its philosophy major.
The Varied Careers of Philosophy Majors
A philosophy professor has put together a book featuring brief essays by thirty people who majored in philosophy at his school and who went on to pursue a wide range of careers. (more…)
Philosophy Threatened at the University of Tulsa (updated)
A plan to reorganize the University of Tulsa will eliminate its Department of Philosophy and Religion, and with it, the possibility of students majoring in philosophy. (more…)
Fredonia Philosophy Saved, For Now
The Department of Philosophy at the State University of New York at Fredonia, which had been targeted for elimination by the school’s administration, has gotten a reprieve. (more…)
Why Did This Philosophy Program Survive?
Goucher College in Towson, Maryland, like several other institutions of higher education, has decided to cut its undergraduate programs. (more…)
Philosophy Threatened at Newcastle (Australia)
Under a proposed reorganization of its curriculum, the University of Newcastle, which advertises itself as a “world class university” would eliminate the possibility of students majoring in philosophy, along with 80% of its philosophy faculty. (more…)
Philosophy Will Remain at University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point
The University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point, the administration of which had previously announced plans to eliminate thirteen of its major programs, including philosophy, will be re-organizing in a way that preserves the philosophy major. (more…)
APA Creates “Department Advocacy Toolkit”
The American Philosophical Association (APA) has produced a “Department Advocacy Toolkit” to “provide strategies that may be useful to programs that are at risk, programs hoping to insulate themselves against future risk, and programs aiming to strengthen and/or expand.” (more…)
Proportion of Philosophy Majors Who Are Women Varies Widely Across Schools
The following is a guest post* by Eric Schwitzgebel, professor of philosophy at University of California, Riverside. It first appeared at his blog, The Splintered Mind. (more…)
Philosophy Minor Survives Program Massacre at Wisconsin-Superior
Administrators at the University of Wisconsin-Superior surprised their faculty this week with news that they were “suspending more than two dozen academic programs,” according to the Chronicle of Higher Education. Remarkably, given all the times we’ve seen philosophy programs threatened over the past few years, the philosophy program at Wisconsin-Superior survived t..
Philosophy Targeted at Hiram College
The philosophy major at Hiram College in Ohio will be eliminated if a new “academic redesign” recommended by the interim dean of the college goes forward. (more…)
Philosophy Major, Tenured Professors at Risk at Mills College
The Department of Philosophy at Mills College in Oakland, California is one of a few departments that the school’s administration has identified as operating at a “negative net revenue,” and as a result, the administration may eliminate the philosophy major and tenured philosophy faculty at the school may lose their jobs. (more…)
“Philosophy Is A Great Major” – A New Site
They told you that philosophy majors don’t get jobs.
They told you that you should practice asking “do you want fries with that?”
They told you philosophy wasn’t about real-world skills.
They were wrong.
So says Philosophy Is A Great Major, a new website about the benefits of majoring in philosophy. (more…)
Philosophy Degrees: How Many Are Awarded, And To Whom?
Humanities Indicators, a project of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, has released new degree-specific data on various humanities subjects, including philosophy. Here are some of the findings. All data and images below are from the Humanities Indicators site. (more…)
Salaries of Philosophy Majors Over Time
Philosophy is the “top humanities bachelors degree” in PayScale’s ranking of majors by salary. The Atlantic reports:
Although philosophy majors rank 75th on PayScale’s overall list of majors at mid-career earnings, it’s the top humanities bachelors degree in their ranking—from early career all the way to later career. “We hear again and again that employers value..
Western Illinois University Loses Its Philosophy Major
The Board of Trustees of Western Illinois University (WIU), following up on its previously announced plans, ignored substantial opposition and voted unanimously this past Friday to eliminate its school’s philosophy major (along with majors in African-American studies, religious studies, and women’s studies).
Western’s interim provost and academic vice president, ..
Philosophy: Top Paid Humanities Major of 2016
Philosophy majors are predicted to have higher average starting salaries than graduates in any other humanities major, reports the National Association of Colleges and Employers in its 2016 Salary Survey:
Philosophy majors are projected to earn an average starting salary of $49,000 (See Figure 1). This is up from last year, when projected salaries for philosophy ..
Practical Questions About The Philosophy Curriculum
In a comment on a previous post, What’s “Core” and What’s “Peripheral” in Philosophy—and Why?, Brian Weatherson (Michigan) notes that there are “some practical questions that need answering from time to time.” They are:
- Which subfields of philosophy should a philosophy major be required to take courses in?
- Which subfields of philosophy should a PhD student be ..
Protecting Philosophy from Budget Cuts
This week’s Chronicle of Higher Education has three pieces on protecting philosophy departments from budget cuts. All currently paywalled, they include an interview with Amy E. Ferrer, Executive Director of the American Philosophical Association (APA), an article on “how to help your department avoid the ax,” and some tips on supporting philosophy on campus. (more…)..