Philosophy at Providence College Home
Philosophy at Providence College
Philosophy is about the big questions — questions about reality, the mind, and language; about knowledge, experience, and science; about freedom, ethics, and responsibility; about governance, law, and society; about race, gender, and sexuality — and many more. We won’t tell you what to think about these questions — but we will help you to think for yourself, and to develop and defend your own answers to these questions in conversation with the great philosophers from the ancient world to the contemporary. In doing so, you’ll develop the kind of skills that make philosophy students so popular with employers, law schools, and graduate admissions committees.
DEGREE PROGRAMS
Bachelor of Arts in Philosophy
The philosophy major provides an in-depth introduction to philosophy, with required courses in every major era in the history of philosophy, as well as in ethics, logic, and metaphysics. Students can combine their study of philosophy with a double major or a minor in many areas of the arts and humanities, the sciences, or business disciplines.
Minor
The philosophy minor offers students a great opportunity to study philosophy in tandem with their major area of study. The requirements allow students to choose the courses they want to take with the instructors they want to study with, giving them the flexibility to focus on the areas that interest them the most or to spread their study across a range of different areas of philosophy. As a result, the minor is an attractive and popular addition to many programs of study, and one that can add significantly to a student’s employability.
BEYOND THE CLASSROOM
Participate in the The Philosophy Club and Film Series
Join our award-winning Ethics Bowl Team
Become a member of PC’s chapter of Phi Sigma Tau, the International Philosophical Honors Society
FACULTY
Our faculty — the size of which compares to some major research universities — includes internationally renowned experts in every major era in the history of philosophy, on figures such as Aquinas, Kant, Nietzsche, and Wittgenstein, and our courses cover areas such as Asian Philosophy, Business Ethics, Philosophy of Disability, and Philosophy of Literature alongside traditional subjects such as Metaphysics, Ethics, and Logic.
IN THE NEWS
ALUMNI
AFTER PC
You’ll be prepared for almost any career, including in business, healthcare, and law, and for graduate study because you’ll have developed the ability to make and analyze arguments, to read critically and write effectively, to express clearly substantive ideas, and to approach problems reflectively. You’ll learn from passionate scholars how to think for yourself, and you’ll leave here better off.
81%
of 2019-2023 philosophy graduates are employed and/or attending graduate school
31%
are employed only
31%
are attending school only
19%
are employed and attending school
Due to rounding, some totals may not correspond with the sum of the separate figures.
Selected Places of Employment/Service
Archdiocese of Boston
Bishop Fenwick High School
Diocese of Burlington
Flatbread Company Providence
Providence Burger Bar
RGIS
Rosenberg Jacobs Heller & Flemming
Ski Butlers
Selected Graduate Schools
Dominican House of Studies
Georgetown University Law Center
Mount St. Mary’s Seminary
Providence College
Roger Williams University School of Law
Sacred Heart Major Seminary
Saint John’s Seminary
University of Connecticut Law School
University of New Hampshire School of Law
ADDITIONAL CONTACT INFORMATION
Dr. John Abbruzzese
Associate Professor / Department Chair
Siena Hall 108
401.865.1030
jabbruzz@providence.edu
Amy Almeida
Administrative Coordinator
Siena 105
401.865.2335
aalmeid2@providence.edu
