• PHILOSOPHY

    Degrees Offered:  Bachelor of Arts

    Program Overview

    Philosophy at ODU prepares students to think critically about important questions in a way that is informed by the great minds
    of the Western philosophical tradition—including Plato, Aristotle, Augustine, St. Thomas Aquinas, and René Descartes as well as
    more recent thinkers such as John Paul II. Questions we discuss include: What is happiness? What makes actions morally good or bad? What makes beliefs true or false? Are there objective standards of beauty? Are there good reasons to believe in God or life after death? We also offer a Bachelor of Arts in Philosophy with a Pre-Law Concentration, which is specifically designed to prepare students for law school.

    Key Points About the Major

    • Students gain a strong background in the Western philosophical tradition and contemporary issues in Philosophy. 
    • Students learn to solve problems, think clearly, and speak and write articulately—skills that are important for graduate studies and various careers. The New York Times Career Planner notes that Philosophy “has found a new role in the high-tech world.” 
    • Current graduates have found success both in careers and in graduate programs.
    • Requirements of the program provide the flexibility to add a second major or minor.
    • To prepare students for law school, a specifically designed Bachelor of Arts in Philosophy with a Pre-Law Concentration is available.

    Why ODU?

    The Catholic and Dominican tradition values the intellectual life and sees Philosophy as a way to discover important truths. This view of Philosophy distinguishes ODU from schools that treat Philosophy merely as a tool for analyzing language or promoting a political agenda. At ODU, we see faith and reason as complementary and believe that rigorous thinking in Philosophy helps students to understand their faith. Every member of our Philosophy faculty has a strong background in the liberal arts and the history of Philosophy, especially the Catholic and Dominican intellectual tradition. The Philosophy faculty maintains a strong commitment to excellent teaching and scholarly research.

    Career Possibilities

    Philosophy students find both academic and non-academic jobs. According to The New York Times Career Planner, “It is important to stress a broad array of fundamental skills for the vast majority of students, rather than narrow vocational preparation...Philosophy is one fundamental area of study that has found a new role in the high-tech world.” Most employers do not require a specific major or minor. They look for people who can solve problems, think clearly, and speak and write articulately. Philosophy students fit that description well, as shown by their outstanding performance on standardized tests.

    Philosophy majors have outscored all other recorded majors on both the verbal and analytical writing sections of the GRE, and have earned a higher-than-average score on the math section. They have outscored all other recorded majors except Math and Economics on the LSAT, and all other recorded majors except Math on the GMAT. Philosophy majors who apply to medical schools have a very high acceptance rate; in one year, they were accepted to medical schools at a higher rate than all other recorded majors.

    On Campus Opportunities

    ODU has an active Philosophy Club for majors, minors and those interested in joining us.  Recent club events include barbecues, debates and movie nights.

    For More Information About the Philosophy Major...

    Contact Dr. Lawrence Masek, Department Head and Associate Professor of Philosophy, at masekl@ohiodominican.edu to learn more about the Philosophy Program. For questions about the other programs, please contact your Academic Advisor or Admission Counselor at admissions@ohiodominican.edu.