BA Philosophy at University of Kentucky

Programme overview

Philosophy encourages critical and systematic inquiry into fundamental questions of right and wrong, truth and falsehood, the meaning of life, and the nature of reality, knowledge, and society. Philosophy prepares you to make important decisions and solve problems by better handling uncertainty and vagueness, verifying claims, gauging your audience, and finding the underlying logic governing your situation, so that you can effectively weigh potential courses of action.

Faculty: College of Arts and Sciences | Duration: 120 credit hours | Study mode: full-time | Intake: Fall, Spring, Summer | Location: Lexington, KY, United States

What you will study

The bachelor's degree in Philosophy provides a broad liberal arts foundation, ideal for students interested in exploring philosophy alongside other humanities disciplines. It provides a strong foundation for students who aspire to go to law school. Students engage deeply with topics such as logic, ethics, metaphysics, and the history of philosophy, while honing their skills in critical thinking, argumentation, and clear communication.

Official programme page

Application information

Entry requirements

University/college-level requirements (not programme-specific): official high school transcript with pre-college curriculum; ACT or SAT optional (test-optional admission). Applies to admission to College of Arts and Sciences.

Tuition is charged per credit, so the total depends on the modules you register for each year. Current fees are listed in the official fee schedule.

First-year entry term: Fall 2027 (applications open August 1). Transfer entry terms: Fall, Spring and Summer.

UK is test-optional for admission and scholarships through the 2028-29 academic year; most freshman applicants may apply without an ACT or SAT score.

First-year applicants for Fall 2027: Early Action deadline December 1 (recommended for Lewis Honors College and competitive and academic scholarships); Regular Decision deadline February 15. Application fee is $50 for domestic and $60 for international applicants. Apply with the UK application or the Common App.

Transfer applicants: application deadlines are August 1 for Fall (scholarship deadline June 15), November 15 for Spring and April 15 for Summer. The application fee is $50, waived for applications fully submitted on listed Transfer Tuesday dates.

Graduate applicants apply online through The Graduate School application system; deadlines and supplemental materials are set by each programme page. Minimum undergraduate GPA 2.75, minimum graduate GPA 3.0, and 2.5 for graduate certificate applicants (programmes may require more).

Apply through the official page: https://academics.uky.edu/apply

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