How Minoring in Philosophy Can Complement Your Bachelor's Degree

May 14, 2021
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Today, there’s a common misconception that to prepare for a career, university students must major or minor in a subject that can be directly applied to a future job. While there’s no denying the career-enhancing benefits of a Business degree or a minor in Marketing, a degree in a Humanities subject like Philosophy can prove to be just as valuable. Studying philosophy can equip students with essential skills that will supplement their university experience and enhance their future careers.  

If you’re struggling to choose which courses to take while studying abroad at John Cabot University this upcoming semester, you may want to consider minoring in Philosophy. Philosophy is the study of life’s fundamental questions and issues. Students minoring in Philosophy will learn how to interpret, analyze, and explore different ideas and schools of thought through various lenses. 

 

Enhance Your Critical Thinking Skills

Thinking critically is an essential skill that’s applicable in almost any context. Critical thinking comes in handy in the business world, in everyday life, and within most professional careers— and it certainly doesn’t hurt when studying for an exam during university. When you add a philosophy minor to your bachelor's degree, you gain experience thinking critically, equipping you with the ability to analyze a problem or a situation from multiple angles. 

Man holding arms out explaining something to another studentStudying philosophy teaches students how to think critically

When studying philosophy at JCU, students expand their critical thinking skills by studying life’s fundamental questions and ways of thinking. Philosophy teaches students how to interpret complex issues and general principles and evaluate the merits and drawbacks of arguments and thought processes. Critical thinking is a valuable skill within almost any profession, as, throughout your career, you’ll be asked to develop and evaluate solutions to issues that arise. Thus, minoring in philosophy can be a great way to prepare yourself with the tools you’ll need to solve problems in the future.  

 

Improves Your Communication Skills

Throughout university and beyond, your success will be enhanced by your ability to communicate effectively. Communication skills, both verbal and written, are important for expressing yourself and comprehending everyday situations in both personal and professional life. Supplementing your university degree with a philosophy minor can help you to improve your communication skills, enabling you to clearly articulate your thoughts and understand an issue. 

Girl on the right hand side is staring into the camera from her chair, a man is blurry on the left looking away from the cameraPhilosophy courses enhance discussions between students 

In philosophy courses, students learn how to communicate and debate through discussion and research-based coursework. When studying philosophy, JCU students can consider multiple perspectives and communicate their thoughts and ideas on a topic or question through class discussions and research papers. Learning how to develop and express one’s ideas is a skill that’s honed during philosophy courses, preparing students to communicate more effectively in other courses, the workplace, and beyond.

 

Can Supplement Any Bachelor Degree

If you’re enrolled at JCU and have already chosen your major, there’s no need to wonder whether minoring in philosophy can supplement your degree. The practical skills that are gained with a minor in philosophy are applicable within a variety of fields, whether you’re studying business, biology, journalism, or political science. With courses that enable students to think critically about the world around them and develop well-founded opinions on a number of fundamental questions, studying philosophy is a great way to become a better scholar and communicator. 

If you’re looking to enhance your college experience while studying abroad in Rome, minoring in philosophy could be a transformative way to boost your skillset. Explore JCU’s Philosophy Minor requirements to get started.

 

Ready to minor in Philosophy to enhance your university in Rome experience? 

Explore your options at John Cabot University today!

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