Philosophy has historically provided the cornerstone of a classical liberal arts education. Students who are drawn to the study of philosophy are individuals who wish to understand the most fundamental truths about themselves and their relationships to reality. They seek to build a conceptual framework upon which to base their thinking. They are unsatisfied with the various simplistic "answers" to questions about ultimate reality and are driven to explore regions, which promise mental stimulation rather than stagnant certainty. Philosophy students receive from their discipline an intensification of their consciousness through an adventure among ideas.

The philosophy major generally seeks a career among the professions, especially law, theology, politics, social work and college teaching. The broad background which a philosophy major acquires meets the demand in both business and government for men and women who have been exposed, through training in the liberal arts, to a careful scrutiny of the history of conflicting ideas, ideals, and world views.