philosophy major

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Newman University to Cut Philosophy Major

Newman University, a Catholic university in Wichita, Kansas, has announced that it is discontinuing its philosophy major, along with majors in several other disciplines. (more…)

SUNY Potsdam Cuts: Further Details / Update: What You Can Do to Help (updated)

Last month we saw that the Philosophy program at SUNY Potsdam is once again under threat.

In the meanwhile, an unofficial philosophy site has been updated with some further information about the cuts.

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Philosophy Cut at Warren Wilson College

Warren Wilson College in North Carolina tells visitors to its website, “We believe the world needs curiosity” and says that its mission is for students to “think deeply.” Yet its administration has decided to make it impossible for students to major in philosophy, arguably the discipline most associated with curiosity and deep thought. (more…)

Two of Wesleyan’s Graduating Philosophy Majors Earned Their Degrees While Incarcerated

Two philosophy majors graduating this year from Wesleyan University earned their degrees while incarcerated. (more…)

Philosophy Major at Utica Targeted for Elimination

The president of Utica University, Laura Casamento, at the prompting of Utica’s Board of Trustees, has recommended that the university no longer offer students the opportunity to major in philosophy. A petition has been launched to protest the proposed elimination of the philosophy major. (more…)

Urgent Appeal to Save Philosophy at Fresno Pacific

Fresno Pacific University (FPU) has just laid off Nathan Carson, director of the university’s philosophy program and its only full-time (and tenured) philosophy professor, and plans to eliminate the school’s philosophy major and minor programs. An appeal of the decision has been made and is currently being considered by the administration. (more…)

The Reinstatement of an Undergraduate Philosophy Program

In 2019, Janet Levit, the then-provost of the University of Tulsa, arranged for the elimination of the school’s philosophy major. Now, new leadership at the university has committed to rebuilding its philosophy program. (more…)

The Philosophy Major Continues to Recover and Diversify in the U.S. (guest post)

The number of college students graduating with degrees in philosophy continues to increase, as does the gender and racial diversity of this group. (more…)

Philosophy Under Threat at SUNY Potsdam

“Our department is being threatened with elimination even though by all measures, except number of majors, we excel.” (more…)

Nebraska Board of Regents Cuts Philosophy at Nebraska-Kearney

The ax came down on the philosophy major at University of Nebraska at Kearney (UNK) this past Friday. (more…)

How Does Your University Count Double Majors?

The philosophy major program at the University of Nebraska, Kearney (UNK) is facing elimination, mainly over issues of low enrollments and numbers of majors, and one issue of contention between UNK’s Department of Philosophy and administration is how students double-majoring in philosophy and another field should be counted. (more…)

Save Philosophy at Bloomsburg

“In its desperate need to scapegoat something other than its own misadventures overbuilding, over-spending on everything but education… BU finds itself unable to fulfill its central mission: educational opportunity across that wide swath of disciplines that define a university.” (more…)

Nebraska at Kearney Philosophy Major May Be Eliminated (Updated)

The philosophy major at the University of Nebraska at Kearney (UNK) “is being considered for discontinuation.”
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Advising Software Says Philosophy Majors Have Two Career Options

Some universities and colleges are spending money to have their students use a career advising software, TypeFocus, that appears to be based on pseudoscience, biased against the humanities, and severely misinformed. (more…)

Western Oregon Plans to Cut Philosophy Major & Minor

Western Oregon University (WOU) is planning to eliminate several degree programs, including its philosophy major and minor, and laying off half of its philosophy faculty. (more…)

Guilford College Plans to Cut Philosophy Major — and 19 Others (updated)

Carol Moore, the interim president of Guilford College in North Carolina, has announced plans to “phase out 19 of its 42 academic majors,” including philosophy, and “cut 27 faculty positions, or 30% of its full-time faculty,” according to the News & Record. (more…)

Philosophy Majors Nominated for an Oscar

Kenny and Keith Lucas, aka The Lucas Brothers, both philosophy majors at The College of New Jersey (prior to both attending law school, both dropping out just before graduation, and then pursuing a joint career in comedy), have been nominated for the 2021 Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay, along with Will Berson and Shaka King, for Judas and the Black Messi..

Cabrini University to Cut Philosophy Major

Cabrini University, a Catholic College in Pennsylvania, has announced that it is eliminating several programs, including its philosophy major. (more…)

Philosophy Threatened at Baker University

The administration of Baker University in Kansas has decided that in order to address the financial difficulties it is facing owing to the pandemic, its students should no longer be able to major in philosophy. (more…)

Philosophy Threatened at University of Evansville (updated)

Christopher M. Pietruszkiewicz, the president of the University of Evansville, thinks it is a good idea to make sure future students at the school cannot study philosophy there, or computer science, or history, or music, or political science, or physics, or… well, the list goes on. (more…)

Florida to Allow Philosophy Majors to Teach Social Sciences in Public Schools

The Florida Department of Education has proposed amending a rule governing what kinds of degrees people who teach social science classes in the state’s public schools must have. (more…)

Skepticism About Philosophy’s Capacity To Improve Thinking

Philosophy departments often include in their pitch to undergraduates the claim that studying philosophy can improve one’s thinking skills. But does it? (more…)

How To Structure A Philosophy Major

What should the curriculum of a philosophy major look like?

Specific answers will vary across different types of schools, but perhaps at some level they will have enough in common such that it would be useful to discuss the question in general. (more…)

How We Created A Philosophy Major (guest post by Matthew Brown)

The following is a guest post * by Matthew J. Brown, associate professor of philosophy and history of ideas at the University of Texas, Dallas, about how, in an era in which it seems that a different philosophy department is under threat of closure each week, he and his colleagues were actually able to create a philosophy major at their university. Excellent news! (m..