Choosing the Program That’s Right For You
Carleton University offers a number of different ways to study philosophy, depending on your level of interest. You can study towards a three-year Bachelor of Arts or a four-year Bachelor of Arts (Honours) degree in Philosophy. If you’re in the Honours program, you can hone your expertise further by studying for a formal specialization in Philosophy, Ethics, and Public Affairs. If you have an interest in two different fields of study, philosophy can be successfully combined with other disciplines such as Law, Human Rights, Women’s Studies and Art History, among others, for a combined degree. And, if you are concentrating in another area but have some interest in philosophy, we still give you lots of opportunity to study with us – from a single introductory course to the completion of a four credit Minor in Philosophy.
The Carleton Philosophy Department ensures high quality of education by providing opportunities in every year of your program for smaller-group learning and interaction with instructors:
- You can start with First-Year Seminars or an ArtsOne learning community. No other Canadian university offers the same opportunities for interaction with instructors and your fellow students.
- In second year you will take two dedicated second-year courses for Philosophy majors only, in addition to a foundational course on the classics of ancient Western philosophy. All have moderate class sizes, in which you can receive all the attention you need from your instructors.
- Third-year courses are similarly of moderate size – no more large lectures!
- In fourth-year seminars (typically of 10 to 15 students) students are coached to develop successful research projects on some aspect of the broader course topic (which is a research specialty of the instructor). You will be guided by the best: these instructors are highly regarded for their knowledge and research in Canada and internationally.
The Carleton University Philosophy Students group (CUPS) organizes regular discussion groups, tutoring, and celebrations attended by undergraduate, graduate students and faculty.