Best Colleges and Universities for Philosophy in the World
About Philosophy
Philosophy is an academic study that seeks to answer fundamental problems about the world, such as what is valuable and what is not. In Greek, the word “philosophy” implies “love of wisdom.” In a broader sense, philosophy connects our past with the present providing answers to the basic and fundamental questions of life and existence.
Philosophical education broadens one’s horizons in life. It provides one with self-awareness, foresight, and a sense of purpose in life. It helps to cultivate individuality and self-esteem as well as expressive abilities. This field is ideal for those who are looking for a profession that will satisfy them intellectually.
Skills required for pursuing a career in Philosophy
Philosophers are those who are able to think logically, come up with unique answers to issues, and communicate those solutions to others. Therefore the following skills sets puts students in a perfect position to pursue a variety of careers in philosophy.
- Analytical thinking
- Problem solving
- Communication skills (written and oral)
- Organizational skills
- Research skills
- Logical thinking
- Time management
- Leadership skills
- Inter-personal skills
- Flexibility
- Adaptability
- Argumentative skills
Popular degrees for pursuing a career in Philosophy
Philosophy has always been a popular subject since it allows for a wide range of professional options. Some of the best colleges offer the following degrees to students interested in pursuing a career in philosophy.
Bachelor’s Programs
A bachelor’s degree in philosophy typically teaches the basic principles of the field and how to adopt the important skills. Some of the popular bachelor’s degrees in philosophy are:
- B.A. in Philosophy
- B.A. in Religion, Philosophy and Ethics
- B.A. in Politics, Philosophy and Economics
- B.A. in Religious Studies
Master’s Programs
A master’s degree in philosophy polishes and enhances all of the skills acquired throughout bachelor degree. Students can choose the following specializations for their master’s degree in philosophy:
- M.A. in Philosophy
- M.A. in Religious Studies
- M.A. in Aesthetics
- M.A. in Psychology
- M.A. in Political Philosophy
- M.A. in Theology
Doctoral Programs
Students who wish to enter academia and research can opt for a P.h.D degree in philosophy after completing their master’s degree. Doctoral programs are typically chosen for positions such as professor, assistant professor, or associate professor at universities or colleges.
Specializations in Philosophy
The traditional specializations in the field of physiology are
Metaphysics: It is the study of reality beyond scientific concepts and includes physical metaphysics, ontology or general metaphysics, and psychical or religious metaphysics.
Epistemology: It involves the study of origin, nature, and scope of knowledge and wisdom.
Ethics: Often known as moral philosophy, ethics is the study of what defines an ethical human life, including what is right, wrong, and evil.
Logic: It studies the various reasoning and argumentation strategies.
In addition to these traditional specializations, students can opt for emerging specializations in philosophy such as
- Philosophy of mind
- Philosophy of science
- Philosophy of religious studies
- Philosophy of aesthetics
- Philosophy of language
- Philosophy of psychology
- Philosophy of law
- Philosophy of Arts
- Social and political philosophy
- Philosophy of computer science
- Philosophy of logic and math
- Cognitive science
- Theology
Duration of Programs in Philosophy
The length of a philosophy curriculum is determined by the breadth and range of philosophical topics covered. The following is a typical timeline for the degree programs given by the finest colleges in the world:
| Country | Bachelor’s Degree | Master’s Degree | Doctoral Degree |
| USA and Canada | 3-4 years | 1-2 years | 4-7 years |
| UK | 3-4 years | 1-2 years | 4-7 years |
| Australia | 3-4 years | 1-2 years | 4-7 years |
Career opportunities in Philosophy
Philosophy is a comprehensive subject of study that covers a wide range of topics from all walks of life. There is no limit as to what one can achieve with this degree in both the public and private sectors. In the end, your passion for a particular branch of philosophy will determine your career path.
Below is a list of jobs for philosophy majors:
- Lawyer
- Judge
- Journalist
- Paralegal
- Human resources
- Non-profit organizations
- Professors and lecturers
- Public policy makers
- Marketing
- Finacial services
- Heath care and social work
- Writers and editors
- Business professionals
- Tech industry
- Governemnt officer
- Politician
- Solicitors and advisors
- Psychologist
Average salaries for Philosophers
Because there are so many distinct occupations to choose from in the discipline of philosophy, the salary opportunities are likewise quite varied. The typical salaries for philosophy majors are listed below.
| Country | Average salary in USD/year |
| Canada | 67,573 (Source: Talent) |
| USA | 61,422 (Source: Zippia) |
| UK | 42,696 (Source: Totaljobs) |
Top 50 Universities in the world for Philosophy based on ranking (Shanghai/QS/THE):
The following table contains a global list of some of the best universities to study philosophy based on rankings published by agencies such as Edu, QS, and THE.
| Edu Ranking | QS Ranking | THE Ranking | University | Country | Bachelor Programs | Master Programs |
| 1 | 4 | 1 | University of Oxford | UK | Click Here | Click Here |
| 2 | 7 | 5 | University of Cambridge | UK | Click Here | Click Here |
| 3 | 8 | 2 | Harvard University | USA | Click Here | Click Here |
| 4 | 20 | 30 | University of Edinburgh | UK | Click Here | Click Here |
| 5 | 11 | 18 | University of Toronto | Canada | Click Here | Click Here |
| 6 | 10 | 7 | Princeton University | USA | Click Here | Click Here |
| 7 | 24 | 10 | University of Chicago | USA | Click Here | Click Here |
| 8 | 51-100 | 44 | McGill University | Canada | Click Here | Click Here |
| 9 | 17 | 8 | University of California – Berkeley | USA | Click Here | Click Here |
| 10 | 2 | 190 | Rutgers University – New Brunswick | USA | Click Here | Click Here |
| 11 | 20 | 20 | University of California – Los Angeles | USA | Click Here | Click Here |
| 12 | 1 | 26 | New York University | USA | Click Here | Click Here |
| 13 | 13 | 183 | University of Notre Dame | USA | Click Here | Click Here |
| 14 | 151-200 | 201-250 | University of Sao Paulo | Brazil | Click Here | Click Here |
| 15 | 151-200 | 50 | University of Manchester | UK | Click Here | Click Here |
| 16 | 51-100 | 47 | University of Texas at Austin | USA | Click Here | Click Here |
| 17 | 26 | 58 | University of Sydney | Australia | Click Here | Click Here |
| 18 | 18 | 4 | Stanford University | USA | Click Here | Click Here |
| 19 | 9 | 35 | King’s College London | UK | Click Here | Click Here |
| 20 | 3 | 140 | University of Pittsburgh | USA | Click Here | Click Here |
| 21 | 22 | 18 | University College London | UK | Click Here | Click Here |
| 22 | 16 | 9 | Yale University | USA | Click Here | Click Here |
| 23 | 51-100 | 22 | Cornell University | USA | Click Here | Click Here |
| 24 | 50 | 24 | University of Michigan – Ann Arbor | USA | Click Here | Click Here |
| 25 | 101-150 | 58 | University of Wisconsin – Madison | USA | Click Here | Click Here |
| 26 | 51-100 | 162 | Durham University | UK | Click Here | Click Here |
| 27 | 41 | 5 | Massachusetts Institute of Technology | USA | Click Here | Click Here |
| 28 | 11 | 201–250 | University of St Andrews | UK | Click Here | Click Here |
| 29 | 51-100 | 64 | Brown University | USA | Click Here | Click Here |
| 30 | 101-150 | 801–1000 | National Autonomous University of Mexico | Mexico | Click Here | Click Here |
| 31 | 51-100 | 127 | University of Leeds | UK | Click Here | Click Here |
| 32 | 25 | 11 | Columbia University | USA | Click Here | Click Here |
| 33 | 5 | 54 | Australian National University | Australia | Click Here | Click Here |
| 34 | NA | 167 | Indiana University – Bloomington | USA | Click Here | Click Here |
| 35 | 33 | 42 | Catholic University of Leuven | Belgium | Click Here | Click Here |
| 36 | NA | 85 | Ohio State University | USA | Click Here | Click Here |
| 37 | 151-200 | 13 | University of Pennsylvania | USA | Click Here | Click Here |
| 38 | 151-200 | 401-500 | State University of Campinas | Brazil | Click Here | Click Here |
| 39 | 51-100 | 150 | University of Arizona | USA | Click Here | Click Here |
| 40 | NA | 201-250 | University of Massachusetts – Amherst | USA | Click Here | Click Here |
| 41 | 101-150 | 105 | University of Birmingham | UK | Click Here | Click Here |
| 42 | NA | 29 | University of Washington – Seattle | USA | Click Here | Click Here |
| 43 | 51-100 | 110 | University of Sheffield | UK | Click Here | Click Here |
| 44 | 51-100 | 52 | University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill | USA | Click Here | Click Here |
| 45 | NA | 105 | Purdue University | USA | Click Here | Click Here |
| 46 | 101-150 | 141 | University of Nottingham | UK | Click Here | Click Here |
| 47 | 51-100 | 62 | Boston University | USA | Click Here | Click Here |
| 48 | 101-150 | 23 | Duke University | USA | Click Here | Click Here |
| 49 | NA | 601-800 | University of Pretoria | South Africa | Click Here | Click Here |
| 50 | 51-100 | 37 | University of British Columbia | Canada | Click Here | Click Here |
Top Universities in the USA for Philosophy
| Edu Ranking | QS Ranking | THE Ranking | University | Country | Bachelor Programs | Master Programs |
| 3 | 8 | 2 | Harvard University | USA | Click Here | Click Here |
| 6 | 10 | 7 | Princeton University | USA | Click Here | Click Here |
| 7 | 24 | 10 | University of Chicago | USA | Click Here | Click Here |
| 9 | 17 | 8 | University of California – Berkeley | USA | Click Here | Click Here |
| 10 | 2 | 190 | Rutgers University – New Brunswick | USA | Click Here | Click Here |
Top Universities in the UK for Philosophy
| Edu Ranking | QS Ranking | THE Ranking | University | Country | Bachelor Programs | Master Programs |
| 1 | 4 | 1 | University of Oxford | UK | Click Here | Click Here |
| 2 | 7 | 5 | University of Cambridge | UK | Click Here | Click Here |
| 4 | 20 | 30 | University of Edinburgh | UK | Click Here | Click Here |
| 15 | 151-200 | 50 | University of Manchester | UK | Click Here | Click Here |
| 19 | 9 | 35 | King’s College London | UK | Click Here | Click Here |
Top Universities in Canada for Philosophy
| Edu Ranking | QS Ranking | THE Ranking | University | Country | Bachelor Programs | Master Programs |
| 5 | 11 | 18 | University of Toronto | Canada | Click Here | Click Here |
| 8 | 51-100 | 44 | McGill University | Canada | Click Here | Click Here |
| 50 | 51-100 | 37 | University of British Columbia | Canada | Click Here | Click Here |
Top Universities in Australia for Philosophy
| Edu Ranking | QS Ranking | THE Ranking | University | Country | Bachelor Programs | Master Programs |
| 17 | 26 | 58 | University of Sydney | Australia | Click Here | Click Here |
| 33 | 5 | 54 | Australian National University | Australia | Click Here | Click Here |
Academic requirements for studying Philosophy
The following are the eligibility requirements for admission to a bachelor’s or master’s degree in philosophy as given by the top-performing universities around the world.
Bachelor’s level
- A high school diploma or equivalent with a GPA of 3.0
- Academic transcripts
- Good score in English language proficiency tests like IELTS and TOEFL (minimum score requirement varies from university to university)
- Letter of Recommendation (LOR)
- Statement of Purpose (SOP)
- Valid passport
Master’s level
- A GPA of 3.0 or more in bachelor’s degree in philosophy or a comparable field.
- Academic transcripts
- GRE score of 290 or above
- Good score in English language proficiency tests like IELTS and TOEFL (minimum score requirement varies from university to university)
- Letter of Recommendation (LOR)
- Statement of Purpose (SOP)
- Valid passport
- Published research papers (preferable)