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Philosophy

  • Bachelor of Arts
  • Minor
  • Erie, Pennsylvania
View Curriculum
  • Think Creatively, Critically and Analytically with a Philosophy Degree from Gannon University 

    Philosophy has been referred to as the “most practical major” by The Atlantic magazine and the “ultimate transferable work skill” by The Times of London. Leaders in law, business, media and the tech world — from LinkedIn co-founder Reid Hoffman to Flickr founder Stewart Butterfield — say that studying philosophy was the secret to their success as digital entrepreneurs. Make your own impactful contribution to society when you learn to identify and solve problems through deep thinking and analysis.

    • Faculty have published books and scholarly articles and contribute their knowledge to students’ success.
    • Graduates have continued their education at the University of Notre Dame, Rome’s Pontifical North American College, and Duquesne University.
    • Faculty are affiliated with the American Philosophical Association, International Berkeley Society, American Maritain Association and more. 

    Learn to Lead the Way in Philosophy

    • Gain the foundational skills and knowledge needed to excel on the Graduate Record Exam or the Law School Admission Test. Philosophy majors tend to perform exceptionally well on these tests.  
    • Develop highly valued analytical thinking skills that are applicable to any endeavor or discipline, learn creative problem-solving techniques, enhance your communication skills and more. 
     

    Experience an Exceptional Learning Environment

    • Become an active member of the Department of Philosophy’s chapter of the International Honor Society in Philosophy.  
    • Pursue meaningful educational opportunities to present at conferences at Gannon and across the country.
    • Become an environmental ethics intern at the Gannon Goodwill Garden, an urban garden project on campus.   

    Inspire Your Academic Success

    Gain real-world knowledge through key courses including:

    Philosophy of Mind and Emerging Artificial Intelligence: Learn key theories related to the brain, body, self and emerging Artificial Intelligence; explore concepts including consciousness, self-awareness and the meaning of creating sentient robots. 

    Comparative World Philosophy: Survey some of the greatest contributions to major questions that concern issues such as the good life, the self, theories of knowledge and more. 

    Environmental Ethics: Gain an understanding of ethical approaches to conservation and preservation. 

    Health Care Ethics: Learn about introductory key ethical values and frameworks as the bases for application to moral concerns and decisions made in health care. 

    Achieve Your Possibilities

    The philosophy department encourages all students to complete internships, earn college credits and gain practical experience with:

    • Social and community services  
    • Government offices  
    • Law firms and corporations  
    • Nonprofit organizations like Pax Christi USA  
    • Religious organizations, local ministries

    In addition, students have the opportunity to complement their degree with a minor in philosophy or health care ethics.

    Philosophy majors earn an average annual salary that ranges from $44,700 to $84,100, according to PayScale.com.

Student Learning Outcomes

  1. Students will be able to undertake a thorough investigation of key problem areas of philosophy, appreciating diverse philosophical systems.
  2. Students will employ the tools of formal and informal logic to evaluate and respond to arguments.
  3. Students will be able to read philosophical texts with comprehension.
  4. Students will employ moral reasoning applied to research, communication and social engagement.
Allison Owens

Allison Owens Philosophy

“Through my exploration of the sciences, I felt that I wasn’t exploring all aspects of knowledge that I wanted to. Studying philosophy gives me the opportunity to dive deeper into concepts such as ethics that I will utilize in my future career as a physician (and in life in general).”

  • Receive hands-on learning through real-world courses, projects and valuable internship experiences that prepare you to become a professional in the field.
  • 13:1Enjoy a personalized experience inspired by Gannon’s faculty experts and a low student-to-faculty ratio of 13:1.
  • Apply for generous financial aid packages and scholarship awards.