I decided to study philosophy after my first semester at UAB. I came in as a biology major, caught the philosophy bug in a bioethics class, joined the Ethics Bowl Debate Team, and had thrown myself into philosophy by the end of the fall semester. I think this is typical of most students that end up majoring or minoring in philosophy. Our deep interest in our intended subject matter goes deeper when we add philosophy, then philosophy reveals itself as such an enticing and sprawling subject that we can’t help but get swept up in it. Even though my schooling in philosophy is done, my education is far from complete. Studying philosophy has made me a more curious and invested person. Where I could previously accept my thoughts and actions at face value, I now interrogate them in a way that makes me an asset in my professional life and makes my personal life rich and engaging. Philosophy didn’t dramatically alter my career path in the end, but it allowed me to take a longer way around and to learn critical thinking skills and self-discipline that I will recruit every day for the rest of my life.

Being a philosophy major, not to mention a member of UAB Philosophy’s wonderful community of students and professors, was the best experience I got from UAB. I recommend UAB’s philosophy program to anyone who wants to get the most out of a university degree, anyone who wants to learn to think deeply and meaningfully, and anyone who wants an experience they will cherish for years to come.