Philosophy (A.A.)

The Social Sciences, Human Services and Criminal Justice offers a program in Philosophy for its students leading to an Associate in Arts degree. The program will support BMCC’s Strategic Plan by strengthening college readiness, enabling students to transfer into Philosophy programs at senior colleges with no loss of credit, improve the student experience by focusing on key transferable professional skills, and providing access to higher paying careers for our students.

Philosophy majors and students who have had a philosophy focus during their first two years of college are well-situated to make a case for themselves in applications for medical school, law school, and graduate schools in the social sciences and humanities. Philosophy majors learn how to analyze arguments, how to discuss, and how to unfold their imaginations and problem solving in writing and presentations. They know how to come up with new questions, how to read with slow patience, and how to weigh theoretical and practical considerations. Philosophy majors learn that they are responsible for assessing and reflecting on their own conceptions of the good life. They also learn that they have something valuable to contribute at the highest levels of decision-making and intellectual creativity. In a well-designed program, philosophy majors will also learn that their own experiences are a crucial basis for creating new questions and new goals, and that there are many ways to “do” philosophy well and to lead—and to help others lead— a philosophically curious and enriched life.

The philosophy major at BMCC is designed to prepare students for transfer to a four-year college within CUNY or elsewhere, to encourage inter- and multi-disciplinary work, and to find the most meaningful next steps in their educational or professional career, based on their values, and their experiences. The philosophy major will support students as they find links between the most timely and timeless questions in the areas of life and work that they care about—from computer science to medicine, from elementary school teaching to environmental activism, from how to best support one’s family, to how to find support in friendship.

Transfer Options

BMCC has an articulation agreement with Brooklyn to allow students completing the A.A. program in Philosophy to transfer seamlessly into the Baccalaureate major without the loss of credits.

Explore Careers

BMCC is committed to  students’ long-term success and will help you explore professional opportunities. Undecided? No problem. The college offers Career Coach for salary and employment information, job postings and a self-discovery assessment to help students find their academic and career paths. Visit Career Express to make an appointment with an advisor, search for jobs or sign-up for professional development activities with the Center for Career Development. Students can also visit the Office of Internships and Experiential Learning to gain real world experience in preparation for a four-year degree and beyond. These opportunities are available to help BMCC students build a foundation for future success.