2023 Most Affordable Online Bachelor's Degrees in Philosophy

Fort Hays State University (FHSU) is a public institution that offers an online Bachelor of Arts in Philosophy requiring 120 credit hours, which full-time students can complete in four years. However, only 30 hours need to be completed at FHSU, and many students graduate sooner by transferring credits from a previous institution.

At FHSU, students use Blackboard to access their coursework, which is 100% online. This program includes a capstone thesis and courses such as Philosophy of Knowledge, Ethics, and Foundation of Modern Philosophy. FHSU also offers nine credit hour certificates in General Philosophy, Moral and Political Philosophy, and Philosophy of Religion. Graduates may work as teachers, lawyers, bank executives, and software developers.

Holy Apostles College & Seminary (Holy Apostles) is a private, “unambiguously Catholic” institution that offers an online Bachelor of Arts in Philosophy. This online bachelor's program requires 120 credit hours, and may take students between two and three years to complete with a full-time schedule.

At Holy Apostles, students use Populi to access their coursework, which is entirely online and asynchronous, meaning that they can study at their own pace. The philosophy major focuses on Christian theology, logic, epistemology, and metaphysics. Core courses in this program include Moral Theology, Philosophy of God, and History of Ancient Philosophy. Graduates go on to pursue careers in law, medicine, higher education, and bioethics.

The University of Arkansas at Little Rock (UA Little Rock) is a public institution. UA Little Rock offers an online Bachelor of Arts in Philosophy, which requires 120 credit hours. Typically, this program can be completed in four years with a full-time schedule. UA Little Rock’s acceptance rate is 56%, and the graduation rate is 39%.

At UA Little Rock, students use Blackboard to access their coursework, which is entirely online and asynchronous. The philosophy program includes courses such as The Philosophical Life, Contemporary Ethical Theory, and Philosophy & Narrative, along with a required minor program. The major offers a concentration in law, and students may choose from minor programs such as Professional Communication, Sociology, Education, or Management. Graduates work as lawyers, social workers, public relations specialists, and journalists, among other things.

The University of North Carolina at Greensboro (UNC Greensboro) is a public institution that offers an online Bachelor of Arts in Philosophy requiring 120 credit hours. Students with a full schedule often complete this online degree in four years.

At UNC Greensboro, students use Canvas to access their coursework virtually. The classes are fully online, and students may complete them at either a full- or part-time pace. UNC’s philosophy degree focuses on logic, theory of knowledge, ethics, and metaphysics through courses, such as Contemporary Moral Problems, Free Will, and Good & Evil. This major also requires a senior capstone project. Graduates pursue careers in areas such as law, journalism, business, and psychology.

The University of Southern Mississippi (Southern Miss) is a public institution, which offers an online Bachelor of Arts in Philosophy. This program requires 124 credit hours. Typically, it can be completed in four years with a full-time schedule, but it may be completed sooner by transferring credits. Southern Miss requires that 25% of the program’s credit hours are completed at USM, and the school accepts transfer credits for the other 75%.

At Southern Miss, students use Canvas to access their coursework, which is fully online. Core courses include Philosophy of Human Nature, Research Ethics, and Existentialism and Phenomenology. The online philosophy major also requires writing, speaking, and capstone courses to improve a student's overall skills in philosophical discourse.

The University of New Orleans (UNO) is a public institution that offers an online Bachelor of Arts in Philosophy. Requiring 120 credit hours, this program takes four years to complete. However, UNO’s online bachelor's in philosophy recommends that students have an associate degree before entering the program, so they can graduate in just one or two years.

At UNO, students use Moodle to access their coursework, which is entirely online and may be either synchronous or asynchronous. Make sure to read a course's description if you’d prefer one or the other. The philosophy program offers two concentrations: (1) Pre-Law and (2) Public Policy, Ethics, and Law. Core courses in this major include Social and Political Philosophy, Existentialism, and German Idealism in the 19th Century. Alumni often pursue graduate degrees in law or business administration.

American Public University (APU) — which is part of the American Public University System — is a private institution that offers an online Bachelor of Arts in Philosophy. In total, students need to complete 120 credit hours, 90 of which can be transferred from another institution. This program may take between two and four years, depending on the amount of credits transferred.

At APU, students use Sakai to access their online coursework, which they can finish at their own pace at either a full- or part-time schedule. Students take courses like Philosophy of Science, God and World, and Modern and Post-Modern Philosophy. Additionally, all students must complete a religion and philosophy capstone project. There are four possible concentrations in this degree program: (1) Ethics, (2) Healthcare, (3) Legal Theory, and (4) STEM. Sometimes alumni go on to pursue careers in academia, finance, healthcare, legal systems, and business industries.

The University of Massachusetts - Lowell (UML) is a public institution that offers an online Bachelor of Liberal Arts - Philosophy, which requires 120-122 credit hours. This program typically takes between one and three years to complete, depending on your course load.

At UML, students use Blackboard to access their coursework, which is entirely online. UML requires twelve “Breadth of Knowledge” general courses, covering topics like diversity, information literacy, and written/oral communication. Philosophy core courses include Philosophy of Sex and Love, Introduction to Logic and Critical Reasoning, and Engineering and Ethics. Philosophy graduates typically pursue careers in the following sectors: law, business, politics, and the arts.

University of Massachusetts - Dartmouth (UMass Dartmouth) is a public institution that offers an online Bachelor of Arts in Liberal Arts - Philosophy. This degree and concentration combo requires 120 credit hours, and students may transfer a maximum of 75 credit hours from a previous institution.

At UMass Dartmouth, students use myCourses to access their classes, which are 100% online. Philosophy courses include Philosophy of Happiness, Sex Roles & Politics, and Civil Liberties. It's important to keep in mind that bachelor's programs require two concentrations, so students with Philosophy as one concentration must choose another, such as history, sociology and anthropology, or women’s and gender studies.

The Southwestern Assemblies of God University (SAGU) is a private, Christian institution that offers an online Bachelor of Arts in Religion and Philosophy. Requiring 120 credit hours, students can typically finish this program in four years with a full-time schedule.

At SAGU, students use Blackboard to access their coursework, which is entirely online. This program prepares graduates for roles that require advanced studies in philosophy, apologetics, religion, and theology. Core courses in this major include Logic, Reason, and Persuasion; Christian Apologetics; and Cults, Occults, and Folk Religions. SAGU also requires a handful of core Bible courses as well as a senior paper.