Is a research university right for me?–

Research universities are colleges and universities whose faculty are active in research and publishing. Research universities offer a wide array of doctoral programs, especially in the sciences. They tend to be big, with tens of thousands of students. Do you prefer a larger university setting, such as largest public university in your state? Research universities are typically big, offering degrees in many different disciplines. Is a big high-powered research environment the thing for you. If not, you should think about a liberal arts college. In deciding on an undergraduate institution, ask yourself what sort of environment will best help you to be happy and excel. Consider whether you are self motivated enough to be a face in the crowd for some classes and largely unknown on campus at a large university. Of course you can find clubs and friends at a large university, but often liberal arts colleges have a more personal quality to them. If you want the community feel, a research university may not fit you well. Are you interested in STEM fields? Research universities have that name for a reason – real research is happening there. This can create an exciting atmosphere for students interested in STEM. Attending a research university can give you a better chance of getting into better programs for graduate degrees, although a lot of that depends on your performance.

Is a liberal arts college right for me?–

Often referred to as “teaching colleges” liberal arts colleges put a premium on undergraduate studies and offers a broad range of subjects for students to study. A college of liberal arts typically provides smaller class sizes, more direct engagement with professors, and, most importantly, the opportunity to sample a wide range of subject areas on the way to a bachelor’s degree. Do you want your professors to know you? Liberal arts colleges strive to cultivate campus cultures that encourage tight bonds between professors and students. Professors at these schools will typically conduct original research. Yet the best of these schools offer their faculty reduced teaching loads so that they can both be productive researchers and still have plenty of time for students (both in and outside the classroom). Do you want to feel like you know everybody? One of the most enticing features of a liberal arts college is that in very little time, you can feel like you know who’s who, which can create strong friendships, but also more pleasurable walks across campus. While your sports teams may never be on ESPN, it’s more likely that you’ll know the athletes as your peers. Beyond student and faculty relationships, it’s not unusual for the school president and other administrators to learn who you are. When faced with problems with your student account or the need to switch classes, this can be comforting during a stressful moment.

Is an online college right for me?–

Online colleges are typically the same colleges and universities you could attend in-person, but for certain degree programs the college or unviersity has made the degree programs available to be completed online. For over 5 million students, online degree programs allow students to earn their degrees in the most flexible format available. Online degrees are as respected as the on-campus degress you could earn from the same schools. There’s usually no disctinction between the two degrees, and your degree and transcript will not say that the degree was earned online. Online degree programs are offered by a vast majority of colleges and universities, and the number of offering continues to grow. Whehter you are searching for an associate, bachelor’s, master’s, or doctorate, there’s a good chance you can earn your degree online from a respectable online college. Are you a self-driven student? Perhaps the hardest aspect of obtaining an online degree is whether you will be disciplined enough to manage your time and course demands. Many online students report that online college made them more disciplined in all areas of their lives, but the flexible, self-paced learning that makes online colleges attractive can often be the same qualities that make it difficult. If you tend to be a procrastinator, you need to be honest with yourself. You can change your habits and propensities, or you can throw money down the drain. Do you need the flexibility of an online degree program? Most online students study online because of time demands balancing work and life, or becuase the online colleges afford them the chance to attend a better school without moving. If you are serious about earning your degree for career advancement, online colleges make it possible. The most flexible options among online degrees are those that are aynchronous, meaning you don’t have scheduled times to meet with your class online. However, many students seek synchronous online degree programs so that they have some structure – set meeting times, scheduled exams, etc. The good news is that attending an online college doesn’t mean you will miss out on getting to know your professors and classmates. In fact, many online students who have experienced both online and on-campus courses report having easier access to their professors. Since most communication with your professor is expected to be in text – via email or your class learning management system – it makes asking your questions easier. The same students also report that they got to better know the thoughts of their classmates. While in-person course conversations can be dominated by a few extroverts, online courses that require online discussions make it so that you see all of your classmates’ thoughts and questions. If you’re interested in an online bachelor’s degree, check out what the best online colleges offer, or search our online degrees for the exact program that interests you. In either case, you will find, well respected colleges and universities that offer online degrees.

Best Research Universities for Philosophy Degrees

BEST FOR PHILOSOPHY RESEARCH UNIVERSITIES

By James Barham and Dr. Brian Carlson

Published: Nov 8, 2021
Updated: Sep 8, 2023

The best philosophy research universities are those with rich histories of influence, proven through the work produced by the program’s faculty and alumni. Beyond demonstrating scholarly impact in the field, the best philosophy degree programs maximize your opportunities to interact with outstanding philosophy faculty.

Key Takeaways

A philosophy degree helps students to gain practical skills that are highly transferable to a wide range of workplaces.
A philosophy degree can lead to a wide range of career opportunities in education, political science, religion, and business.
If you are interested in attending a large university that is focused on research and publishing, a research university may be the right choice for you when pursuing a philosophy degree.

Top 10 Research Universities Philosophy Programs

Harvard University
University of California, Berkeley
Columbia University
University of Chicago
Stanford University
Yale University
Princeton University
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
University of Michigan
University of Pennsylvania

University of Texas at Austin 29%
University of Virginia 21%
University of Michigan 20%
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill 20%
University of Notre Dame 15%
University of California, Berkeley 14%
University of Southern California 13%
New York University 13%
Georgetown University 12%
University of California, Los Angeles 11%

University of California, Berkeley 19 to 1
University of California, Los Angeles 18 to 1
University of Texas at Austin 17 to 1
University of Virginia 15 to 1
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill 13 to 1
Georgetown University 11 to 1
University of Michigan 11 to 1
University of Southern California 9 to 1
Cornell University 9 to 1
University of Notre Dame 9 to 1

Columbia University $63,530
Brown University $62,304
University of Chicago $62,241
University of Pennsylvania $61,710
University of Southern California $61,503
Cornell University $61,015
Dartmouth College $60,870
Northwestern University $60,768
Duke University $60,244
Georgetown University $59,957

University of Chicago $62,640
Brown University $60,944
University of Southern California $60,446
Dartmouth College $58,953
Johns Hopkins University $58,720
University of Notre Dame $58,190
Duke University $57,900
Northwestern University $56,067
Princeton University $56,010
Massachusetts Institute of Technology $55,510

Vanderbilt University
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
University of Notre Dame
Dartmouth College
Georgetown University
University of Virginia
Brown University
University of Texas at Austin
Northwestern University
Duke University

Massachusetts Institute of Technology 4%
Stanford University 4%
Harvard University 4%
Columbia University 4%
Princeton University 4%
Yale University 5%
University of Pennsylvania 6%
Dartmouth College 6%
University of Chicago 6%
Duke University 6%

Massachusetts Institute of Technology 3 to 1
Stanford University 4 to 1
Yale University 4 to 1
Princeton University 4 to 1
Harvard University 5 to 1
University of Chicago 5 to 1
Columbia University 6 to 1
Duke University 6 to 1
Northwestern University 6 to 1
Brown University 6 to 1

University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill $7,019
University of California, Los Angeles $11,442
University of California, Berkeley $11,442
University of Texas at Austin $11,752
University of Virginia $16,547
University of Michigan $16,865
Harvard University $55,587
Massachusetts Institute of Technology $55,878
Princeton University $56,010
Stanford University $56,169

University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill $10,552
University of California, Los Angeles $11,442
University of California, Berkeley $11,442
University of Texas at Austin $12,050
University of Virginia $17,674
University of Michigan $24,902
Cornell University $29,500
New York University $35,982
University of Pennsylvania $38,732
Yale University $45,700

Table of Contents

A bachelor’s degree in philosophy is an excellent starting point for a career in public service, corporate governance, education, and a host of other intellectually stimulating fields. As a philosophy major, you’ll study ethics, epistemology, and rhetorical debate.

Your philosophy degree will incorporate classic works by great thinkers alongside a critical analysis of relevant literature, history, and social order. The best schools for philosophy are those which are regionally accredited, which offer a full array of philosophy concentrations, and which give you the chance to work with the best and most influential professors and classmates.

In Greek, philosophy means love of wisdom. If you’re considering pursuing a career in this field, it’s wise to learn about the best research universities for philosophy degrees. Modern philosophy can be very interesting, but choosing where to study the discipline can be overwhelming.

Fret not; it is possible for you to find the best universities with an excellent philosophy department. The good news is there are several prominent research universities that offer high-quality and robust philosophy curricula on the graduate degree level.

Studying this field of logic and reason will make students better at analyzing concepts, reasoning, definitions, challenges, and arguments. Organizing ideas and issues, dealing with value questions, and extracting what’s essential from large quantities of information are all aided by this study.

A surprising number of top schools, publishing firms, and other industries worldwide hire philosophy graduates from the best research universities. Hence, it’s crucial to take time to assess which institution to enroll in for a philosophy major, bachelor’s degree, master’s degree, or doctorate.

Featured Programs

Frequently Asked Questions About Philosophy Bachelor’s Degrees

Earning a bachelor’s degree in philosophy can open numerous professionals doors. As a philosophy major, you’ll spend a great deal of your time poring over compelling historical texts, exploring complex ideas, and engaging discourse over subjects like ethics, religion, and politics. This education will provide you with valuable skills of debate, communication, and persuasion. Moreover, areas of consideration such as morality, behavior, and the human condition have historically factored into the way we understand entities such as national governments, religious organizations, and communities. Philosophy majors must build a strong background in these dimensions of human life in order to contextualize much of the literature they’ll be required to read. As such, philosophy majors are uniquely positioned to understand history, participate in the political process, analyze policy impacts, and even to serve in public office.

Philosophy is a great major because it is interdisciplinary in nature. This means you’ll gain various practical skills. The skills of communication, research, and critical analysis that you’ll develop as a philosophy major are highly transferable to a wide range of workplace settings. Increasingly, progressive companies in the tech, marketing, and retail industries have recruited professionals with a background in philosophy to help attack challenges and seize opportunities with creativity, critical thinking, and a strong grounding in ethics.

This makes the work of today’s leading thinkers extremely consequential. Today, top influencers in philosophy are breaking new ground in feminist theory, the philosophy of science, philosophy of mind, and much more.

Once you’ve declared your major in philosophy, you will likely be required to complete a set of core courses in a number of humanities-related subject areas. While your concentration will give you a chance to choose from a wide range of highly-specialized philosophy electives, there are several common courses that most philosophy majors will be required to take, including:

Social and Political Philosophy
Critical Thinking
Philosophy and Globalization
Topics in Feminist Ethics
Philosophy and Literature
General Ethics
Biomedical Ethics
Philosophy of Knowledge
Environmental Philosophy

Philosophy is not an inherently career-oriented major, insofar as this degree may not necessarily lead you down a specific career path. Instead, majoring in philosophy will arm you with an array of 21st Century workplace skills that are applicable in a wide range of fields from education, marketing and government to healthcare, information security, and corporate ethics. This means that your philosophy major can lead to a wide range of career opportunities, including these top jobs:

Best Research Universities for Philosophy Degree Programs

Frequently Asked Questions About Research Universities, Liberal Arts Colleges, Online Colleges

In pursuing a bachelor’s degree, you will need to choose between three kinds of schools: research universities, liberal arts colleges, and online colleges.

Research universities are colleges and universities whose faculty are active in research and publishing. Research universities offer a wide array of doctoral programs, especially in the sciences. They tend to be big, with tens of thousands of students.

Do you prefer a larger university setting, such as largest public university in your state? Research universities are typically big, offering degrees in many different disciplines. Is a big high-powered research environment the thing for you. If not, you should think about a liberal arts college. In deciding on an undergraduate institution, ask yourself what sort of environment will best help you to be happy and excel.

Consider whether you are self motivated enough to be a face in the crowd for some classes and largely unknown on campus at a large university. Of course you can find clubs and friends at a large university, but often liberal arts colleges have a more personal quality to them. If you want the community feel, a research university may not fit you well.
Are you interested in STEM fields? Research universities have that name for a reason – real research is happening there. This can create an exciting atmosphere for students interested in STEM. Attending a research university can give you a better chance of getting into better programs for graduate degrees, although a lot of that depends on your performance.

Learn more about research universities by reading about the best research universities in the US.

Often referred to as “teaching colleges” liberal arts colleges put a premium on undergraduate studies and offers a broad range of subjects for students to study. A college of liberal arts typically provides smaller class sizes, more direct engagement with professors, and, most importantly, the opportunity to sample a wide range of subject areas on the way to a bachelor’s degree.

Do you want your professors to know you? Liberal arts colleges strive to cultivate campus cultures that encourage tight bonds between professors and students. Professors at these schools will typically conduct original research. Yet the best of these schools offer their faculty reduced teaching loads so that they can both be productive researchers and still have plenty of time for students (both in and outside the classroom).
Do you want to feel like you know everybody? One of the most enticing features of a liberal arts college is that in very little time, you can feel like you know who’s who, which can create strong friendships, but also more pleasurable walks across campus. While your sports teams may never be on ESPN, it’s more likely that you’ll know the athletes as your peers. Beyond student and faculty relationships, it’s not unusual for the school president and other administrators to learn who you are. When faced with problems with your student account or the need to switch classes, this can be comforting during a stressful moment.

Learn more about liberal arts colleges by reading about the best liberal arts colleges in the US.

Online colleges are typically the same colleges and universities you could attend in-person, but for certain degree programs the college or unviersity has made the degree programs available to be completed online. For over 5 million students, online degree programs allow students to earn their degrees in the most flexible format available. Online degrees are as respected as the on-campus degress you could earn from the same schools. There’s usually no disctinction between the two degrees, and your degree and transcript will not say that the degree was earned online. Online degree programs are offered by a vast majority of colleges and universities, and the number of offering continues to grow. Whehter you are searching for an associate, bachelor’s, master’s, or doctorate, there’s a good chance you can earn your degree online from a respectable online college.

Are you a self-driven student? Perhaps the hardest aspect of obtaining an online degree is whether you will be disciplined enough to manage your time and course demands. Many online students report that online college made them more disciplined in all areas of their lives, but the flexible, self-paced learning that makes online colleges attractive can often be the same qualities that make it difficult. If you tend to be a procrastinator, you need to be honest with yourself. You can change your habits and propensities, or you can throw money down the drain.
Do you need the flexibility of an online degree program? Most online students study online because of time demands balancing work and life, or becuase the online colleges afford them the chance to attend a better school without moving. If you are serious about earning your degree for career advancement, online colleges make it possible. The most flexible options among online degrees are those that are aynchronous, meaning you don’t have scheduled times to meet with your class online. However, many students seek synchronous online degree programs so that they have some structure – set meeting times, scheduled exams, etc.
The good news is that attending an online college doesn’t mean you will miss out on getting to know your professors and classmates. In fact, many online students who have experienced both online and on-campus courses report having easier access to their professors. Since most communication with your professor is expected to be in text – via email or your class learning management system – it makes asking your questions easier. The same students also report that they got to better know the thoughts of their classmates. While in-person course conversations can be dominated by a few extroverts, online courses that require online discussions make it so that you see all of your classmates’ thoughts and questions.

If you’re interested in an online bachelor’s degree, check out what the best online colleges offer, or search our online degrees for the exact program that interests you. In either case, you will find well respected colleges and universities that offer online degrees.

If you think a liberal arts college may be a better fit for you, see our ranking of the best liberal arts colleges for a bachelor’s in philosophy.

How do we determine the best philosophy research universities?

Methodology

The people affiliated with a school are ultimately what make it great. This is why we rank the best colleges and universities based on what we call “Influence”.

The influence of a college or university is based on the schools’s top academic influencers related to the discipline in this ranking. We track the influence of faculty and alumni affiliate with these school counting not only the publications and citations of the school’s affiliated people, but we also consider the overall web presence of the faculty and alumni. The greater the citations, authority of web links, web searches, and page views, the greater the individuals’s influence. Those combined make up the departments’s influence in the field of study. We believe tracking the academic influence of the people affiliated with a school is the best indicator of academic excellence.

If you are serious about finding the best colleges and universities, you should be asking where the most influential professors are teaching, and whether their graduates themselves are advancing the school’s reputation for academic excellence. Most ranking sites rely on an opaque combination of reputation surveys and misused performance metrics. Influence, as measured by our InfluenceRanking engine, provides a ranking that is more insulated from manipulation, and more reflective of real-world educational outcomes.