Why study philosophy?
With a bachelor of arts in philosophy from VCU, you'll hone your reasoning skills and be able to apply them as you explore carefully reasoned answers to deep questions about the human condition.
You'll also have many opportunities to sharpen your writing skills, increase your openness to rational criticism and learn to disagree about some of life's most important questions in a civil way. Finally, philosophy can equip you for any career that requires careful thinking and the ability to clearly express ideas.
Congratulations to our 2025 Black History in the Making Award recipients!
Oniya Smith (left) and Ramsey Cooper (right) were honored for their academic excellence as part of the Department of African American Studies' 2025 Black History in the Making awards, celebrated on February 25th. Faculty had the following to say about Oniya and Ramsey:
Dr. Kevin Brosnan provided the following remarks about Oniya:
Oniya did outstanding work in my philosophy of medicine class. She has also played a vital role in founding and running the philosophy of medicine club; since I'm the faculty advisor for this club, I've worked with her very closely over the past year.
Dr. Catherine Sutton, who has taught Ramsey in multiple classes, provided the following remarks:
In Logic class, Ramsey Cooper earned the highest course average out of 40 students enrolled that semester. In the philosophy senior capstone class, Ms. Cooper had the highest average for in-class assignments, which reflects her ability to express ideas clearly and accurately within time constraints. Her academic endeavors include a semester abroad in Greece and a summer-intensive philosophy program at Brown University. Ms. Cooper volunteers at the SPCA and is a member of the service and leadership fraternity Alpha Phi Omega, all while working part time. She graduates this year and is applying to law school.
News
May 28, 2025
VCU introducing minor in AI studies that uses the humanities and sciences as a framework
Students can delve into the historical, ethical and critical implications of artificial intelligence.
May 15, 2025
cRam Session: Health Science in the Time of Uncertainty – Public Health and the Politicization of Science
3 questions, 2 minutes, 1 lesson with Kevin Brosnan, whose course showcases how the humanities can deepen our understanding of medicine, science and public trust.
Feb. 13, 2025
For the many layers of American democracy, new course taps into the many layers of VCU faculty expertise
Nearly three dozen specialists in the College of Humanities and Sciences are collectively teaching U.S Democracy United/Divided this semester – and organizers think the concept will evolve.
Philosophy Spotlight
Meet a Student: Stephen Ingram
When Stephen Ingram took his first philosophy class, he felt like he was stepping into a deeper world, one where he was equipped to uncover the things that matter most in life. Read more about Stephen's favorite classes, favorite professors and how his major is allowing him to become a more developed thinker.
Alum Success Story: Carlos Carrion ('12)
Having received his law degree in 2020, Carrion serves as legal counsel for the Joint Committee on Racial Equity, Civil Rights and Inclusion for the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. He previously served in the Navy Reserve and as an investment advisor at Merrill Lynch.
Alum Success Story: Melat Kassa ('18)
Kassa, a quantitative market research consultant, says her philosophy degree has helped her ask better questions and clearly advocate for why her point of view is the right course of action to take.
Alum Success Story: Thomas Mick ('11)
Mick credits the Department of Philosophy's approach to applied logic and argument building for helping him quickly pick up on the computing languages he had to learn in his role as lead software engineer for TechCampus learning at Capital One.
Alum Success Story: Regan Price ('20)
Price is a public administration intern at the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Division for Public Institutions and Digital Government. Read more about how she feels the study of ethics has been helpful in her career.