Philosophy
In this program you’ll explore the complex questions we face in our everyday lives. You’ll take a rational and critical look at:
- the nature of truth
- knowledge
- justice
- meaning
- beauty
- ethics
- political philosophy
Potential careers
What can you do with a philosophy degree? Here are a few jobs that relate to the program:
- policy analyst
- legal professional
- communications coordinator
- librarian
- archivist
- technical writer
- labour relations officer
- immigration officer
- intelligence officer
- program manager
- community worker
- human resources coordinator
- logistics coordinator
- business or risk analyst
- software programmer
- teacher or instructor
- entrepreneur
Some of these roles may require post-graduate studies or training.
Find a career that fits you
- Explore your career options at an appointment with a career educator.
- Attend career development workshops as you search for work.
- Enrol in the Your Career Starts Here course to generate career ideas and plan your next steps.
Experience & connections
Opportunities in the philosophy program
- With the Co-op Program you can alternate study with paid work.
Opportunities outside your program
- With a work study position you can develop skills during your study term.
- Volunteering is a great way to give back to your community while you build skills.
Networks you can connect to
Here are a few professional associations related to philosophy:
Hands-on learning opportunities
These courses in the philosophy program offer extensive hands-on learning.
Co-op
Co-op work terms
Alternate academic study with paid work terms to gain workplace experience
Course-based
PHIL 100 - Introduction to Philosophy
Explore diverse issues and figures in philosophy
PHIL 201 - Critical Thinking
Gain and exercise critical thinking skills
PHIL 232 - Moral Problems of Contemporary Society
Critically assess the practical ethical dimensions of topics like abortion, racism, etc.
PHIL 330 - Professional and Business Ethics
Discuss ethical issues with guest speakers (business members or professionals)
PHIL 336 - Philosophy of Law
Explore the nature of law and legal reasoning by considering real-world legal cases
Field experience
PHIL 240 - Introduction to Philosophy of Art
Visit an artist or attend a performance
Research project
PHIL 308 - The Empiricists
Complete research on significant empiricist figures
PHIL 330 - Professional and Business Ethics
Meet with community members to develop an ideal business plan
PHIL 490 - Advanced Topics in Philosophy
Write a research paper on a philosophical topic
These courses are not always offered as described.
What you'll learn
Every student at UVic builds skills all employers look for. At UVic Co-op & Career we call these "competencies". This is what you’ll learn in the philosophy program.
Philosophical method
- use philosophical methodology and technique to identify the significant features of difficult material
- assess lines of reasoning for soundness and validity
- assess the merits of competing arguments and viewpoints
- make a clear and persuasive argument or clearly articulate a viewpoint
- recognize the complexity in things that are otherwise taken for granted
- explore ethical or moral issues from many philosophical perspectives
History of philosophy
- understand ancient philosophical traditions in Western philosophy including Plato and Aristotle
- understand modern traditions in Western philosophy including rationalism, empiricism and existentialism
Epistemology and metaphysics
- understand epistemology (the theory of knowledge) and metaphysics (a type of philosophy that helps define reality)
- explore concepts such as knowledge, skepticism, evidence, rational belief, doubt, justification and certainty
- explore the psychology of perception and the theory of knowledge, examining the merits of realist, representationalist and phenomenalist theories
- examine the philosophy of religion
- examine the nature of technology and its moral implications for human and non-human environments
- examine the philosophy of language
Logic
- generate deductively valid arguments and detect invalid arguments
- understand inductive logic, decision making, syllogistic reasoning and informal fallacies
- understand and evaluate arguments
- identify correct inference rules for sentential and quantificational arguments
- understand formal logic from a theoretical point of view