FIX University

About the Undergraduate Program

Philosophy engages fundamental questions concerning human identity, the nature of knowledge and reality, moral virtue and responsibility, the nature of community and political authority, aesthetic judgments and values, and other concepts central to the meaning and value of human existence.

Through the study of primary texts and concrete issues drawn from various historical periods and cultures, philosophy facilitates reflection on actions, beliefs, and values while developing critical thinking, reading, and writing skills. Philosophy also strengthens the ability to reason, enlarges the imagination, and refines aesthetic sensitivity.

With over 200 undergraduate majors, the Philosophy major at the University of Oregon is one of the most vibrant in the country. Our program emphasizes the study of ethics, social and political philosophy, American philosophy, continental philosophy, feminist philosophy, philosophy of mind, the philosophy of race, the history of philosophy, and environmental philosophy.

Popular courses include Human Nature, Love & Sex, Existentialism, Philosophy and Cultural Diversity, Philosophy of Religion, and Philosophy of Film. Faculty members regularly offer Freshman Seminars, recent topics of which include "Thinking About the Self," "Approaches to Death," and "Philosophy through Film."

The philosophy department provides a wide range of opportunities for majors outside the classroom. These include public lectures by prominent visiting philosophers as well as an undergraduate philosophy club. The department also routinely hosts regional, national, and international conferences, and all undergraduates are invited and encouraged to participate in these events.