Welcome to the Department of Philosophy and Classics, the home of UTSA's programs devoted to philosophy, humanities and the study of the ancient world.
As a discipline, Philosophy has developed into an institution whose field of inquiry consists not only of the traditional four areas -- metaphysics, epistemology, moral philosophy/ethics, and social-political philosophy -- but also a wide range of other areas including history of philosophy, logic, philosophy of science (or cognitive science), aesthetics, and likewise.
Classics is the study of ancient Greek and Roman civilization in all its aspects -- language, literature, art, archaeology, history and culture -- from pre-historical times to the rise of Christianity. It also encompasses the exploration of how this tradition has been received by modern Western and other societies, as well as its continuing influence on contemporary culture. Multidisciplinary by nature, Classics embraces perspectives and approaches from art history, anthropology, linguistics, philosophy and literary studies in order to better understand the ancient world and our inheritance from it.
Student Success in Philosophy and Classics
The students and alumni of the UTSA Department of Philosophy and Classics achieve remarkable things both during their time in the program and after graduation. Each student contributes uniquely to our department, leaving an indelible mark on our community. Our pride in these extraordinary individuals extends far beyond their tenure with us!
Matthew, Business Systems Analyst for Lower Colorado River Authority
I currently work for the Lower Colorado River Authority based in Austin as a Business Systems Analyst.COLFA definitely prepared me for my career as a Business Analyst in a lot of ways.COLFA provided me with a test bed for getting in to the minds of people who lived entirely different lives from my own; namely ancient Romans. This ability to pick apart their lives, search for their motivations, and understand their world lends itself so well to a life as a business analyst. As a business analyst I work daily with people I have to get into the mind of to understand them, their work, and the processes they use so that I might be able to help them as best as I can.
Without some of the skills I learned at COLFA I don't believe would be nearly as successful as I have been as a Business Analyst. If I can learn to understand individuals who lived thousands of years ago individuals from the present don't present too much of a challenge.
Rachel, JD student at St. Mary’s School of Law
I graduated from UTSA in 2020 with a bachelor’s in Classical Studies and Humanities. I’m currently at St. Mary’s School of Law, earning my JD.
While getting my undergrad degree, I learned how similar people are to each other, both now and throughout history. Growing my knowledge gave me a boost, but classical studies in particular helped my confidence and negated my imposter syndrome enough to allow me to apply for law school. My background of Latin at UTSA has also been a huge help in understanding legal terms; it’s ingrained in me so much so that I can understand any new “legalese” I come across through mere intuition.
While being a law student, I currently work at an estate planning law firm as a title specialist. I create, edit, file, and overall work with legal documents every day, especially trusts and deeds. My degree has also helped me with reading paragraphs of text and knowing that every word is valuable on a given document.
At UTSA, I enjoyed finding other people who shared my passions for classical studies, whether it was ancient architecture, translation, philosophy, or so many other things that classical studies encompasses. The friends I made helped my experiences at UTSA immensely; I think it’s imperative to have people who all support each other through school and life, and I definitely found that at UTSA.
Have an inquiry about our program?
We appreciate your interest in the Department of Philosophy and Classics and extend our warmest welcome to you.
