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2025-2026

Philosophy, Bachelor of Arts (NEXT STEP Pathway)

VCU

Community college:
Associate of Arts in Liberal Arts (Brightpoint Community College)
Brightpoint Community College
Associate degree

Associate of Arts in Liberal Arts

Completing the associate degree will waive VCU's general education requirements.

Program description

Philosophy aims at a deeper understanding of matters that should most concern the human race. Philosophical questions crop up in science, religion, art, morality, politics, medicine and in everyday life. Philosophy Students enrolled in philosophy are encouraged to think seriously about fundamental issues in all these domains and to formulate coherent and well-grounded points of view. Because of its extensive use of critical and analytical reasoning, philosophy equips students for careers in medicine, law, business and other fields that require careful thought and the clear expression of ideas.


Majors intending to pursue graduate studies in philosophy are advised to follow this curriculum.

Career opportunities

An undergraduate degree in philosophy is good preparation for graduate study in areas such as law or public administration. Obtain leadership roles in school or community organizations. Excellent verbal and written communication skills are imperative for most careers related to law, politics, or government. Gain experience in fundraising and grant writing techniques. Nonprofit and educational organizations are often funded in this manner. Part-time and summer jobs, internships, and volunteer positions are critical to gaining the experience and skills that employers seek.

Bachelor-level job titles
  • Compliance Manager
  • Congressional Aide
  • Editor
  • Labor Relations Specialist
  • Management Analyst
  • Medical Records and Health Information Technicians
  • Paralegal
  • Social and Human Services Assistant
  • Social Science Research Assistant
  • Technical Writer
Graduate and professional level job titles
  • Attorney
  • Legislator
  • Policy Advisor
  • Religious Leader or Chaplain
Contact information

 

VCU Transfer Center

Telephone: (804) 827-1349

Email: transferinfo@vcu.edu

Transfer Advising Request

VCCS Transfer Planning Checklist


Office of Admissions

Telephone: (804) 828-1222 or (800) 841-3638

Email: ugrad@vcu.edu
Apply Here.

Guaranteed transfer admission requirements

Students are guaranteed admission to this degree program with:

  • Completion of the associate degree
  • Minimum GPA of 2.5
  • All courses completed with a "C" grade or better
Degree requirements in Bulletin
Plan of study in Bulletin
Requirements
Highest level of math required
  • Quantitative Foundations requirement only
Science required
  • Natural Sciences requirement only
Foreign language requirements
  • Yes
Additional tuition/fees
  • No
GPA requirements (to progress/graduate in the major)
  • 2.0+ cumulative GPA, 2.0+ major GPA
VCU Major Maps

View VCU Major Map for Philosophy with concentration in Ethics and Public Policy, Philosophy and Law, Philosophy and Science

Transfer major map
Visit majormaps.vcu.edu for the online version with links.
Sponsored by the Office of the Provost
Major map compass icon
2025-2026

Philosophy, Bachelor of Arts (NEXT STEP Pathway)

Brightpoint Community College (Associate of Arts in Liberal Arts)

MAXIMIZE COURSE AND DEGREE PLANNING GET CONNECTED WITH YOUR COMMUNITY DEVELOP CULTURAL AGILITY EXPLORE CAREERS AND DEVELOP ESSENTIAL SKILLS PREPARING FOR LIFE AFTER COLLEGE
Explore Year 1
  • Attend cultural events at community college and VCU to celebrate diversity.
  • Attend VCU’s annual Intercultural Festival or another community intercultural event.
  • Make friends with people with diverse perspectives and join a cultural or identity-related student organization.
  • Consider learning a foreign language to open doors to international organizations and future study.
  • Develop personal and career goals and create SMART steps for 2-3 "dream jobs."
  • Practice independent living skills (such as money management, self-care, time management, and personal responsibility).
  • Create a weekly and monthly budget.
  • Prepare for a career after college by creating a brand for yourself.
Experience Year 2
  • Visit the VCU campus and attend a transfer admission session.
  • Research housing options for next year.
  • Attend a talk or other event sponsored by the VCU Philosophy department, consider joining a VCU club, or meeting with VCU students to make professional and personal connections.
  • Learn about short-term, semester and year-long study abroad options.
  • Check out the VCU Office of Multicultural Student Affairs (OMSA) and follow @vcuomsa.
  • Attend VCU cultural events, including the monthly Global Café, VCU Diversity Scholars in Research week, or department-related events.
  • Using LinkedIn, connect to at least 10 people. Check out the VCU alumni page in My Network.
  • Use the cost calculator to estimate your tuition/fees as an upperclassman at VCU.
  • Explore the types of aid available at VCU.
  • Consider who you would like to have serve as professional and academic references for future letters of recommendation.

Explore
MAXIMIZE COURSE AND DEGREE PLANNING
GET CONNECTED WITH YOUR COMMUNITY
DEVELOP CULTURAL AGILITY
  • Attend cultural events at community college and VCU to celebrate diversity.
  • Attend VCU’s annual Intercultural Festival or another community intercultural event.
  • Make friends with people with diverse perspectives and join a cultural or identity-related student organization.
  • Consider learning a foreign language to open doors to international organizations and future study.
EXPLORE CAREERS AND DEVELOP ESSENTIAL SKILLS
PREPARING FOR LIFE AFTER COLLEGE
  • Develop personal and career goals and create SMART steps for 2-3 "dream jobs."
  • Practice independent living skills (such as money management, self-care, time management, and personal responsibility).
  • Create a weekly and monthly budget.
  • Prepare for a career after college by creating a brand for yourself.

Experience
MAXIMIZE COURSE AND DEGREE PLANNING
GET CONNECTED WITH YOUR COMMUNITY
  • Visit the VCU campus and attend a transfer admission session.
  • Research housing options for next year.
  • Attend a talk or other event sponsored by the VCU Philosophy department, consider joining a VCU club, or meeting with VCU students to make professional and personal connections.
DEVELOP CULTURAL AGILITY
  • Learn about short-term, semester and year-long study abroad options.
  • Check out the VCU Office of Multicultural Student Affairs (OMSA) and follow @vcuomsa.
  • Attend VCU cultural events, including the monthly Global Café, VCU Diversity Scholars in Research week, or department-related events.
EXPLORE CAREERS AND DEVELOP ESSENTIAL SKILLS
PREPARING FOR LIFE AFTER COLLEGE
  • Using LinkedIn, connect to at least 10 people. Check out the VCU alumni page in My Network.
  • Use the cost calculator to estimate your tuition/fees as an upperclassman at VCU.
  • Explore the types of aid available at VCU.
  • Consider who you would like to have serve as professional and academic references for future letters of recommendation.
Recommended courses
Major map compass icon
2025-2026

Philosophy, Bachelor of Arts (NEXT STEP Pathway)

Brightpoint Community College (Associate of Arts in Liberal Arts)

Brightpoint Community College courses
Course Title Equivalent course Credits Requirements
SDV 100 College Success Skills UNIV 101 1 Elective
ENG 111 College Composition I UNIV 111 3 General education
ENG 112 College Composition II UNIV 200 3 General education
MTH 154 Quantitative Reasoning MATH 131 3 General education
CST Select one: CST 100 OR CST 110 SPCH 3 General education
Foreign language 101 or transfer elective Note: students are eligible for a waiver of VCU's language requirement (language through the 102 level) if they successfully completed through the third level of a foreign language in high school. VCU equivalent 3 to 4 Elective
History elective (select one from approved BCC list) VCU equivalent 3 General education
Laboratory science elective (select one from approved BCC list) VCU equivalent 4 General education
Foreign language 102 or transfer elective Note: students are eligible for a waiver of VCU's language requirement (language through the 102 level) if they successfully completed through the third level of a foreign language in high school. VCU equivalent 3 to 4 Elective
Arts elective (select one from approved BCC list) VCU equivalent 3 General education
Social/behavioral sciences elective (select one from approved BCC list) VCU equivalent 3 General education
History elective (select one from approved BCC list) VCU equivalent 3 General education
Literature elective (select one from approved BCC list) VCU equivalent 3 General education
Foreign language 201 or transfer elective VCU equivalent 3 Elective
Cultural Understanding/Civic Engagement elective (select one from approved BCC list) VCU equivalent 3 Elective
PHI 220 Ethics and Society PHIL 201 3 Major
Foreign language 202 or transfer elective VCU equivalent 3 Elective
Liberal Arts Transfer Electives VCU equivalent 8 to 10 Elective
Brightpoint credits transferred to VCU 60 to 62
VCU courses
Course Title Credits Requirements
PHIL 103 Ancient Greek and Medieval Western Philosophy 3 Major
PHIL 104 Modern Western Philosophy 3 Major
PHIL 222 Logic 3 Major
PHIL 490 Seminar in Philosophy 3 Major
Select three of the following with at least one course each from Group A and Group B. Group A: PHIL 320, PHIL 321, PHIL 327, PHIL 328, PHIL 335 Group B: PHIL 300, PHIL 301, PHIL 302, PHIL 303, PHIL 304, PHIL 331, PHIL 332, PHIL 333 Group C: PHIL 391 9 Major
PHIL electives (any level) 6 Major
PHIL elective (300 level or higher) 3 Major
Upper-level electives (300 or 400-level courses): consider a minor or a second major. Note: Students must complete a minimum of 45 upper-level credits to graduate from VCU. 28 to 30 Elective
Credits completed at VCU 58 to 60
Minimum credits required for bachelor's degree 120
VCU offers two options for an accelerated B.S. in Philosophy and a master degree: B.A. and Master of Public Administration and B.A. and M.S. in Gerontology. See VCU advisor for more information.