Program Overview

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Philosophy

The Philosophy concentration offers courses covering subjects from the philosophy of religion to the philosophies of science and literature. It also provides survey courses on various periods in the history of philosophy. Concentrators can expect to strengthen their knowledge of and skills in ancient philosophy, early modern philosophy, logic, epistemology, and metaphysics. Students are asked to identify an area of specialization. There is also a related, but separate concentration in physics and philosophy.

Degree Type

• A.B.

Department

• Department of Philosophy

CIP Code

• 38.0101

Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP)

The Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP) was developed by the U.S. Department of Education to categorize educational programs in the U.S. for a variety of reporting purposes. Each program at Brown is assigned a CIP code that best matches its academic curriculum.

Related Academic Areas

• Classics
• Cognitive and Psychological Sciences
• Physics
• Political Science

Philosophy Concentration Requirements

• List of requirements
• Honors website

Student Goals

Students in this concentration will:

• Learn to think analytically and creatively about philosophical texts and issues
• Understand the work of major figures in the history of philosophy, including Plato, Aristotle, Descartes, and Kant
• Become familiar with arguments and approaches in metaphysics or epistemology, and a selection of other areas of philosophy, such as philosophy of mind and philosophy of language; as well as topics in ethics and political philosophy
• Know how to carry out logical proofs and derivations within a formal system
• Produce a significant body of written work

Department Undergraduate Group (DUG)

Student Leaders:

• Linxi Wu
• Cat Gao
• Alexander Anaya

Graduating Class

Class Year	Total Students	Honors Graduates
2021	16	4
2022	25	7
2023	27	8
2024	28	7
2025	40	9

Alumni Pathways

Alumni who concentrated in Philosophy have pursued a wide range of careers, including as journalists, attorneys, research scientists, investment bankers, bioethicists, business executives, and university professors.

Career Outcomes

Alumni who concentrated in Philosophy have pursued careers in various fields, including:

• Journalism
• Law
• Research science
• Investment banking
• Bioethics
• Business
• Academia