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.
Philosophy is closely associated with Gender and Social Justice; our staff administers both programs, and many of our faculty teach in both areas. For more information on Gender and Social Justice, visit their website.
Events
Garrath Williams: Transnational business corporations: a Kantian lens
Kantian theorists have examined global economic structures, labour, and many issues in business ethics. But can Kantian political philosophy illuminate transnational business corporations (TNCs), the central actors of international commerce?
Questions and Conversational Complicity: Reflections on the Boghossian Report
Jennifer Saul will share her research and thoughts on the Boghossian Report as the second instalment of our Fall 2026 colloquium speaker series.
News
Welcome Talia Bettcher!
We are thrilled to announce that Dr. Talia Bettcher has been awarded the new inaugural Eddie Goldenberg Research Chair. Dr. Bettcher will work in the Gender and Social Justice and Philosophy areas within the new School of Social, Political and Historical Research (SSPHR). Bettcher is internationally recognized as a foundational figure in trans philosophy, helping shape a field that was once represented by only a handful of scholars.
For more than three decades, her research and community engagement has helped advance trans community resilience through the development and application of “hermeneutic resources” — concepts and frameworks that help people better understand and communicate lived trans experiences while fostering more meaningful dialogue and education. Her scholarship has influenced research, public discourse and policy recommendations across disciplines, including sociology, psychology, public health and computer science.
Keeping Curiosity Alive
Mature Arts students from Philosophy and Liberal Studies share the different perspectives of learning later in life in this WatNews Article: Keeping Curiosity Alive
Canadian Philosophy Association's Annual Congress 2026
The Canadian Philosophical Association held its annual congress at Dalhousie University in Halifax, Nova Scotia from June 6 to 9, 2026. Waterloo Philosophy was very well represented!