What is a Philosophy degree? Philosophy addresses some of the most fundamental and difficult questions. It teaches you critical reasoning like no other discipline. With a Philosophy degree, you will develop the ability to use logic, reason and ethics to solve problems on and off the job.
Career possibilities in Philosophy include lawyers, bioethicists, public policy analysts, journalists, teachers, mental health counsellors, and health care and education civil service managers, researchers, and social workers. With the University of Waterloo’s Co-Op program, you can make meaningful work placement connections that can lead to job prospects.
We feel that the Philosophy program at the University of Waterloo is one of the best places to study because it is uniquely positioned to explore vast interdisciplinary options. Philosophy at Waterloo offers courses in ethics in AI, Philosophy of Math, and Science, Philosophy of Law, Philosophy of Sport, Biomedical Ethics, as well as Feminist Philosophy, Anti-racist, and Decolonial Philosophy. Don't take our word for it, take look at what one of our PhD students calls Philosophy with a purpose.
Find out more about our Undergraduate programs and plans, pathways to a Philosophy MA degree or our Philosophy PhD and our Applied PhD programs. Learn how to apply to the Philosophy Undergraduate degree program and how to apply to the Philosophy Graduate programs at Waterloo today.
The Department of Philosophy is closely associated with the Department of Gender and Social Justice; our staff administrates both programs and many of our faculty teach in both areas. For more information on the Gender and Social Justice Department, visit their website.
Events
Getting Real: On Sexism, Transphobia, and the Value of Philosophy
Dr. Talia Mae Bettcher is Professor of Philosophy of California State University, Los Angeles. She is one of the founders and most influential scholars of the multi- and interdisciplinary field of trans studies, and is the author, most recently of Beyond Personhood: An Essay in Trans Philosophy (University of Minnesota Press, 2025).
We are very lucky to welcome her to Waterloo for this talk, which unpacks the representations of trans women as predatory men and looks at forms of sexist violence, transphobia, and racist violence and the vital role Philosophy plays within this arena.
Ariella Binik: Ethical Challenges in Research on Sexual Dysfunction
Join us for the second installment of the Philosophy Colloquium speaker series for the winter 2026 term as we welcome Ariella Binik, who joins us from McMaster University, to speak on Ethical Challenges in Research on Sexual Dysfunction.
News
Madeleine Kenyon, Applied PhD candidate, features in ARTS blog
Philosophy with a purpose
“My department worked hard to develop camaraderie and warmth towards and between incoming graduate students, even when gathering in physical spaces was limited or impossible. When I mentioned to my supervisor that I had been feeling isolated from my feminist philosophy community in light of my required courses and pandemic restrictions, Dr. Saul sent out an email that same day to solicit members in our department for a weekly online feminist philosophy reading group – one which still runs now, almost five years later.”
Vanita Fernandes, Applied PhD candidate, featured on the ARTS blog
Bridging Philosophy and Healthcare
“My dissertation explores the impact of artificial intelligence (AI) in healthcare. I argue that to responsibly harness the benefits of AI, we need to have effective policies in place to guide its ethical use. Specifically, I evaluate the harms to autonomy and knowledge that could be caused by mental health chatbots and predictive algorithms.”
Celebrating Philosophy faculty
Each year, the Celebration of Arts ceremony recognizes faculty and staff with outstanding performance. This year, Philosophy's own Gerry Callaghan and Katy Fulfer each received an award.