Philosophy

The Philosophy Department consists of seven full-time faculty members and approximately 25 majors and 15 minors.  As a major in Philosophy, you can enroll in the regular Philosophy program or the new Religious Studies track within the major. You can also double major in philosophy to increase marketability of your primary major because of the relevance of philosophical/logical skills for a whole variety of majors and careers. You will be assigned an advisor who can help you to decide which program may be better for you, given your interests and goals.  Your advisor will also help you to select courses and assist in your matriculation through the program.  As a major, you have the highest priority for entry into all philosophy courses.

Our reasonable size makes it easier for us to meet the needs of individual students.  For example, Senior Seminar in Philosophy consists of an individualized tutorial on a topic on the student's choice.   We try to match the student with a faculty member who has a similar interest. We have also been able to offer Independent Studies (one-on-one tutorials) on topics such as African-American Philosophy, Feminist Philosophy, and Environmental Ethics.  Students have also received tutorial instruction in Latin and Greek.  Independent Studies may be available in cases in which a student has a special interest, but there is not a regular course offering. 

Our upper level classes tend to be relatively small, which means that students receive more individualized attention.  In all our courses, we emphasize the development of skills in logical analysis, critical thinking, and writing -- skills that graduate schools and employers in a wide variety of fields look for in applicants.  The program is particularly good preparation for law, business, civil service, publishing, computer and systems analysis, the ministry, and a variety of graduate programs, including, of course, Philosophy.  Indeed, some of our graduates have gone on to study philosophy in some of the best graduate schools in the country.  Others have obtained gainful employment in a wide variety of fields.  See where our students are now.

In addition to our strong commitment to teaching, the Philosophy Department is one of the most active departments at the university in terms of research.  Dao: A Journal of Comparative Philosophy is edited in the department by Prof. Yong Huang and is published four times a year.  The faculty is also very active in publishing books and articles on a broad range of philosophical issues and historical figures.  We have been able to involve some of our majors in our research, which is a great way for you to get hands-on experience as a philosopher. The Philosophy Student Association or "Philosophy Club" is also very active provided a forum for bringing many national and international scholars to the university for visiting lectures.   The meetings also providing an opportunity for students to present their own research, discuss their interests, or simply float new ideas.  Students in the club have also presented papers at regional philosophy conferences and published their work in undergraduate journals of philosophy.  Click here for more information.

For more information about the philosophy program at Kutztown University Contact Prof. John Lizza