Transfer Pathway to Associate of ArtsPhilosophy

Why study philosophy? First, the topics explored by philosophers are inherently interesting. From the very beginning, they have asked the hard questions: What is knowledge? How should we live? Is there a God? Are we free? Philosophy is a discipline that encourages participants to think, to question, and to wonder. Philosophy is life-enhancing.

Studying philosophy offers practical payoffs. Philosophy possesses a distinctive methodology with an emphasis on analysis, argumentation, evaluation, and proof in every class. The habits of mind that philosophy encourages—logical precision, awareness of assumptions, an attitude of open-mindedness and responsible criticism—carry over to many other endeavors. Undergraduate philosophy students score better on standardized tests than many of their classmates, and employers in many fields now actively seek out and welcome philosophy graduates.

Students looking to prepare themselves for law school should consider pursuing Philosophy. Philosophy provides students with training in analytic thinking and logical argumentation, both of which are essential to success in law school and in the practice of law. Second, philosophy also allows students to examine many of the current moral, political, and legal issues that are of interest to lawyers, judges, and legal scholars, while understanding the philosophical background to these issues.