My first philosophy classes were contemporary moral issues and intro to ethics in fall of my sophomore year. I was on my third change of major when I picked philosophy and took those classes. They were a perfect fit for me because what we discussed in there and the questions we asked were things I had thought before about but never knew how to go about finding answers to.

After changing my major I decided to still minor in criminal justice and sociology, two of my previous majors. Now in my senior year I’m starting to apply to graduate school for criminal justice (a very roundabout way to get there). In learning about the different areas of philosophy, I became really interested in ethics and moral philosophy and how it related to my studies in criminal justice. My goal is to research the ethics and morality of prisons and ways we can seek justice outside the carceral system.

Philosophy is a great place to explore your interests and it connects to every area of life and fits in with every area of study. The philosophy professors at UAB are always excited about what they’re teaching and encourage us to be inquisitive and talk to each other about what we’re learning and thinking about. I may not always come out of class with an answer to our latest moral or metaphysical quandary, but I am able to think about things in ways I hadn’t before, which is an invaluable experience and skill.