Philosophy Now has THREE Majors!

Philosophy Now has THREE Majors!

Philosophy (traditional), Philosophy and Law (new!) and Philosophy and the Sciences (new!)

WHICH MAJOR IS FOR YOU?

The Philosophy major:

Philosophy, like all liberal arts majors, provides skills that can be used in many professions.  Learning how to think, write, analyze, debate, and discuss complex issues helps you to keep up with all the changes facing society.  Philosophy majors can quickly adapt to learn new techniques and procedures. A recent analysis of data from 1990–2019 collected by the Higher Education Research Institute and Cooperative Institutional Research Program found that “on average, philosophy majors score higher than all other majors on the GRE Verbal and LSAT, as well as a self-report measure designed to assess good habits of mind” (Prinzing and Vazquez 2025).

While some people worry that earning a degree in philosophy might not pay off financially, the fact is that people with a BA in philosophy tend to earn more over their lifetime than people with degrees in any other humanities field. Philosophy students have both the highest starting salary of any humanities major and the highest percent increase between starting and mid-career salary. (https://www.apaonline.org/page/data; analysis of PayScale data from the 2020–2021 academic year).

And while you are learning these skills you will delve into the deepest issues facing human beings across the globe and across time from timeless questions to today’s controversies.  Discover classical ideas from Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle.  Investigate the nature of gender and sex. Find out why Descartes claimed “I think, therefore I am”.  Confront the challenges of ethical dilemmas.  Work through metaphysical paradoxes.  Finetune your deductive skills in formal and informal reasoning.  Discuss indigenous knowledge practices.  Ask what kind of things conscious minds are.  Debate the purpose of government.

In philosophy classes you will grapple with these questions: 

Famous people who have majored in philosophy:

• Amanda Askell, Research Scientist at Anthropic (2021–Present) and OpenAI (2018–2021), Time 100 Most Influential people in AI (2024)
• Damon Horowitz, in-house philosopher at Google
• Dessa, hip hop artist and podcast host
• Larry Sanger, cofounder of Wikipedia
• Rashida Jones, actor
• Wes Anderson, film director
• Angela Davis, academic and activist
• Elizabeth Anne Reid (AO, FASSA), former director and policy adviser of the United Nations Development Program
• George Soros, investor
• Peter Thiel, founder of PayPal
• Mary Higgins Clark, novelist
• Carly Fiorina, former CEO of Hewlett-Packard
• Matt Yglesias, journalist
• Stephen Colbert, late-night host
• Katy Tur, journalist
• Alex Trebek, late host of Jeopardy

Majoring in Philosophy:

The Philosophy major has a flexible structure that allows students to complete it in as little as two years.  Students usually begin by taking any of several introductory or survey courses.  Courses in philosophical traditions, reasoning, and other survey courses provide the foundation for higher-level work in history of philosophy, value theory, theoretical areas such as metaphysics and philosophy of science. The final semester includes a capstone course that pulls together these strands with an intense look at a particular issue. 

To register for this major, contact Amy Kroesche, advisor

The NEW Philosophy and Law major debuts Fall 2026!

Philosophy and Law is designed to prepare students for careers related to law but will appeal to anyone who wants deep, rational debate about ethical, social, and political issues.

The methods of philosophical reasoning are the most intense way to learn to think like a lawyer.  Weigh reasons for or against positions and interpretations.  Learn to find common ground amid seemingly opposed positions.  Find solutions to vexing issues.  Learn how to discern arguments from texts.  Practice persuading others of your claims.  All this is done in every philosophy class.   Philosophy and Law majors also have to take two courses specifically devoted to logic and reasoning.  There is a reason that philosophy majors on average outscore all other majors on the LSAT (Prinzing and Vazquez 2025; analysis of 1990–2019 data).

The content of the philosophy courses you will take relates to the kinds of issues you will work on as a lawyer. At the core are two courses in Philosophy of Law where you look at law as a balance between power and justice and tackle particular philosophical topics arising from penal law, constitutional law, international law, law and religion, civil rights, and other areas.  Survey courses in ethics and political philosophy and philosophical traditions are required to provide context. The other courses you will take focus on specific kinds of social, political, and ethical issues in areas such as health care, the environment, gender issues, and international justice. 

In Philosophy and Law you will grapple with these questions: 

How does law relate to morality?

Should the law regulate private behavior?

Where is the line between order and oppression?

Why have free speech? 

When do human rights override political calculations?

Famous people with legal or similar careers who have majored in philosophy:

Stephen Breyer, US Supreme Court Justice

John Lewis, US House of Representatives and Civil Rights leader

Robert MacNamara, US Secretary of Defense

Paul Martin, Canadian Prime Minister

Beverly McLachlin, first female Chief Justice of the Canadian Supreme Court

Elizabeth Anne Reid (AO, FASSA), former director and policy adviser of the United Nations Development Program

David Souter, US Supreme Court Justice

J.D. Vance, US Vice-President

Careers for Philosophy and Law majors:

Law

Public policy

Government and NGOs

Administration

Cultural institutions

Non profit

Business

Law School Admissions Council on choosing a major as a pre-law student:

“While no single curricular path is the ideal preparation for law school, you should choose courses that sharpen analytical reasoning and writing skills. Law schools prefer students who can think, read, and write well, and who have some understanding of what shapes human experience”

Chief Justice of the Canadian Supreme Court on the value of philosophy:

“My studies in philosophy … instilled in me the importance of clear, logical thinking and expression. And that is exactly what you need in law. The techniques are very similar. If you’re hired by someone to argue a case, you work out your propositions, you convince the judge why you should win. That’s exactly what you do in the philosophy debate or class. And you have to learn how to think and write clearly, concisely and to express yourself in a clear and logical way. That helped me enormously. Before I started studying philosophy, my mind was a bit of a mess. It was very muddy, and I felt that that discipline and all that constructive criticism that I got from people in the philosophy department really helped me to learn how to better marshal arguments, and to think through problems in a substantive sense as well. These things are never just formalistic; there are always two sides. The second thing is that for any lawyer and particularly a judge, it’s really, really valuable to have had acquaintance with some of the great thinkers of our particular western civilization, and other civilizations to the extent that you master them. You realize the wisdom and the values that have been preserved over thousands of years, and that background informs how you understand the problems before you.” – Beverly McLachlin, first female Chief Justice of the Canadian Supreme Court

Majoring in Philosophy and Law:

The Philosophy major has a flexible structure that allows students to complete it in as little as two years.  Students usually begin by taking any of several introductory or survey courses.  Courses in philosophical traditions, reasoning, and other survey courses provide the foundation for higher-level work in history of philosophy, value theory, theoretical areas such as metaphysics and philosophy of science. The final semester includes a capstone course that pulls together these strands with an intense look at a particular issue. 

Current Philosophy Majors with the Concentration in Philosophy and Law may but are not required to switch to the new Philosophy and Law major in fall 2026. The requirements are nearly identical. As a Philosophy major with the Philosophy and Law concentration, your diploma will read “Philosophy” as the major and your transcript will note that you have the concentration in Philosophy and Law.  With the new major your diploma and transcript will both read “Philosophy and Law” as the major.

PreLaw options in the College of Arts and Letters:

The Law School Admissions Council recommends “courses that sharpen analytical reasoning and writing skills” as ideal preparation for law school.  The Philosophy and Law major and Humanities Prelaw major are the two programs in the College of Arts and Letters specifically designed for law school preparation.  Students most interested in an intense focus on social, legal, ethical, and political issues approached using a rigorous methodology should consider Philosophy and Law.  Students who want a more flexible interdisciplinary learning experience, drawing in other areas of interest that might relate to their career plans in addition to core work on the nature of law, should consider Humanities Prelaw.  Both majors provide experience in writing, reading, discussing, and assessing that come with a humanities degree

To register for this major, contact Amy Kroesche, advisor

The NEW Philosophy and the Sciences major debuts Fall 2026!:

Are you fascinated by the power of science—and curious about its limits, methods, and meaning? The Philosophy and the Sciences major invites you to think critically about how science works, what counts as evidence, the ethical implications of research and innovation, and why scientific theories change over time. Discover how asking “why” can make your “how” even stronger.

This major is ideal for students in biology, physics, chemistry, psychology, and other sciences who want to deepen their understanding of the conceptual foundations of their field. Explore questions such as: What distinguishes science from pseudoscience? How do models, experiments, and data shape what we know? Can science be truly objective? What are the ethical and social implications of scientific discovery?

Philosophy and the Sciences is designed to prepare students to tackle the new worlds that the sciences and technology are building.  Students will take courses that study the methods used in science and technology, ethics in research, social issues raised by science and technology, the nature of responsibility and decision-making in science and technology, and science policy.

Michigan State is an ideal place to study the ethics, context, and nature of the sciences.  The Department of Philosophy is known for its engaged approach to the discipline and is the home of the Socially Engaged Philosophy of Science research group, a world-renowned research group dedicated to understanding science and its role in society. MSU overall boasts a community of more than sixty science studies scholars, one of the largest numbers of faculty working in the history, philosophy, sociology, and context of the sciences.  And you can combine your Philosophy and the Sciences major with a minor or major in dozens of science or engineering disciplines across the University. 

Ideal as a second major for those majoring in the sciences!  

Complement your work as a scientist with insight into the nature and context of science as a form of knowledge and practice.  Debate the ethical issues about experimental subjects, potentially harmful research, control over results, and social obligations of scientists.  Boost your career in the sciences by being able to relate it to the larger issues you will face in practice. 

Ideal as a second major for those applying to medical school!

Philosophy majors do exceptionally well on the MCAT. Adding the Philosophy and the Sciences major to your existing science major will help you to stand out in the sea of biology majors applying to medical school. As long as you fulfill the prerequisite coursework for the schools you want to apply to, the AAMC advises you to “consider majoring in whatever interests you” and emphasizes that “humanities classes can teach students how to develop their communication skills, critical thinking, and cultural competences—all skills that are essential to becoming an effective physician.”  Philosophy majors in particular have a high acceptance rate into medical school and hone the above-mentioned skills as well as complex problem-solving, ethical thinking, and perspective-taking.

You can count up to 9 credits of your science disciplinary courses toward the Philosophy and the Sciences Major.

In philosophy classes you will grapple with these questions:

How does science produce reliable knowledge?

What responsibilities do scientists have towards research subjects?

How should animals be treated?

Will advanced AI be persons with rights?

What obligations do we have to future generations?

How does science shape how we value the natural environment?

If science has been proven incorrect in the past, why trust it now?

What does responsible agricultural biotechnology look like?

Does how we classify things and processes in biology really matter?

Who is responsible for monitoring technology?

Some famous people in science and technology who majored in philosophy:

• Amanda Askell, Research Scientist at Anthropic (2021–Present) and OpenAI (2018–2021), Time 100 Most Influential people in AI (2024)
• Anthony J. Leggett, Nobel Prize winner for Physics
• Jean-Marie Lehn, Nobel Prize winner for Chemistry
• Iva Simon-Bubalo, GenAI Project Manager, Meta AI Research
• Joy Hayes, senior manager of ethics at Boeing
• Norbert Wiener, mathematician, originator of the field of cybernetics, National Medal of Science winner
• Kimberly Bloomston, Chief Product Officer at LiveRamp
• Max Palevsky, computer scientist and co-founder of Intel
• Paul Graham, computer scientist and venture capitalist
• Stewart Butterfield, co-founder of Flickr and Slack

People with STEM careers on the value of a philosophy degree:

 “Critical, philosophical and ethics-based skills …  will be instrumental in the development and management of AI solutions.” Brad Smith, President and Chief Legal Officer, and Harry Shum, Executive Vice President of Microsoft AI and Research Group

“If you want to pursue a career in engineering, you should focus on learning philosophy in addition to traditional engineering coursework … Having a crisp mental model around a problem, being able to break it down into steps that are tractable, perfect first-principle thinking, sometimes being prepared (and able to) debate a stubborn AI — these are the skills that will make a great engineer in the future, and likely the same consideration applies to many job categories.” Goldman Sachs Chief Information Officer Marco Argenti, in the Harvard Business Review

“I’ve made my career by being a divergent thinker, by questioning why things are happening the way that they are at any given moment and how to improve them. For me, it’s all about having a unique perspective, having a critical eye for things so that I can form that perspective, and drawing on information, whether it’s the text that’s in front of me, knowing how to use that text to do research, or to think about what’s surrounding that text, or what exactly has informed that text.” Kimberly Bloomston, Chief Product Officer at LiveRamp (and BA in Philosophy)

“In philosophy, what you’re trying to do is convey these very hard concepts. One of the things you are taught is… an anti-bullshit device in philosophy… And so it’s this desire for extreme clarity … All of the terms are defined, every objection’s kind of gone through methodically. And it makes sense to me because …  when you’re in such an a priori domain, clarity is sort of this way that you can prevent people from just making stuff up. And I think that’s …. what you have to do with language models. Very often I actually find myself doing sort of mini versions of philosophy.” Amanda Askell, PhD in Philosophy, Research Scientist at Anthropic (2021–Present) and OpenAI (2018–2021), Time 100 Most Influential People in AI 2024

“I certainly do feel the philosophy component of the degree, at least, has helped to shape the way at which I look at the world and in particular at the problems of physics. . . . one can never again look at the world in quite the same light. . . . it is as if one has learned to use a muscle that one did not know one had. At any rate I have never for a moment regretted the years I spent on this degree.”  Anthony J. Leggett, Nobel Prize winner in Physics for work on superfluidity

Philosophical thinking “brings disruption … Philosophy is a unique primer for analytics, project and stakeholder management…. Being able to ask the right questions, form the right hypotheses, consider the problem from multiple angles, identify the root cause, lead or follow the argument and instill a sense of purpose in the group are all soft skills valuable in any business setting”. Iva Simon-Bubalo, GenAI Project Manager, Meta AI Research (and MA in Philosophy)

On the connection between work in AI and philosophy: “How to formalise a thought, structural relationships between concepts, assumptions and implicatures in human language, and creating a general world view for machines seemed to be a common and very fertile ground for collaboration between the two disciplines.” Iva Simon-Bubalo, GenAI Project Manager, Meta AI Research (and MA in Philosophy)

“I fully agree with you about the significance and educational value of as well as history and philosophy of science. So many people today – and even professionals – seem to me like someone who has seen thousands of trees but has never seen a forest. A knowledge of the historic and philosophical background gives that kind of independence from prejudices of his generation from which most scientists are suffering. This independence created by philosophical insight is – in my opinion – the mark of distinction between a mere artisan or specialist and a real seeker after truth.”  Albert Einstein

Careers for Philosophy and the Sciences majors:

Complementary to any career in the sciences and technology

Bioethicist

Healthcare policymaker

Science writer

Tech journalist

Technology firm

Ethics officer

Research institutions

Government and NGOs

Science administrator

Institutional review board member

Science teacher

Grant writer/administrator

The National Science Board and the AAMC on choosing a major:

“Arts and humanities disciplines complement STEM education by teaching students interpretive and philosophical modes of inquiry; by honing communication and writing skills; by fostering multicultural and global understanding; and by cultivating an appreciation for history, aesthetics, and the human experience… These ways of thinking contribute to inventiveness and, in turn, to competitiveness.” National Science Board

According to the AAMC, “There’s a misconception that students should major in biology or another science if they want to get into medical school. In fact, there’s no required or even preferred major that medical schools are looking for… For most physicians, the undergraduate years are the last available opportunity to pursue in depth a non-science subject of interest, and all who hope to practice medicine should bear this in mind when selecting an undergraduate major.”

Majoring in Philosophy and the Sciences:

The Philosophy and the Sciences major has a flexible structure that allows students to complete it in as little as two years.  Students usually begin by taking survey course in on the nature of science and move to more specialized courses.  Students must gain knowledge of at least one particular science by taking courses in a science discipline, up to 9 credits of which will count toward this major. Some students might add this major after already declaring a primary science major and taking one of our specialized courses related to that discipline. The final semester includes a capstone course that pulls together the philosophical methods learned.    

To register for this major, contact Amy Kroesche, advisor