UNC Greensboro offers one of the best online philosophy degree programs in the nation, according to two recent rankings by bestcolleges.com and bestvalueschools.org.
This year, the program was ranked no. three on Best College’s 5 Best Online Bachelor’s in Philosophy Programs and no. eight on Best Value Schools’ list of 15 Best Online Philosophy Degree Programs.
“I think one aspect that makes our program excellent is that the courses offered to online majors are exactly the same as those offered to majors studying here on campus,” said Dr. Heather Gert, head of UNCG’s Department of Philosophy. “It’s not in any way a ‘light’ degree.”
The Philosophy Department has offered a completely online degree program since 2018, preparing students for a wide range of careers in business, law, government, social service, education, and communication. The largest group of majors, according to Gert, go on to law school, with many opting to follow the degree’s pre-law concentration.
The online philosophy program is particularly attractive to students who, for one reason or another, were unable to complete their bachelor’s degrees at an earlier time and desire an accessible online delivery; however, Gert says, students are overwhelmingly drawn to the program because of a deep interest in the subject matter. Philosophy majors take courses in Formal Logic, Critical Thinking, Ethics, Ancient Philosophy, Modern Philosophy, and more.
Online students who live near UNCG are also welcome to participate in the same activities that are open to on-campus Philosophy majors, such as the Philosophy Club, the annual Ethics Bowl, and the Public Republic, a public reading – straight through – of Plato’s “Republic.”
Yet it’s the quality of teaching that really sets the program apart, said Gert.
“Our biggest asset is our faculty,” she said. “We’ve had faculty who have been teaching online for as many as 20 years. Our faculty are genuinely interested in pedagogy. We regularly talk about teaching and trade ideas.”
To learn more about the online philosophy program, visit the Philosophy Department and UNCG Online.
Photography by Jiyoung Park and Martin W. Kane, respectively.
