The University of Akron - UA (reviews)

Being a philosophy major at the University of Akron has been an overall wonderful experience. The professors are the best part of the program—Nathanial Blower, Nathan Blackerby, Joseph Li Vecchi, Travis Hreno, and Andrew Stypinski are all extremely knowledgeable, interesting, and truly committed to their students’ education. They are approachable and willing to talk about concepts outside of the classroom, so the department seems friendly and mentally stimulating.

All that notwithstanding, the biggest issue with the program is its scale. With only such a modest faculty, there are times when the scope of courses available feels a tad cramped, especially when you have stronger interests like my own in applied ethics and philosophy of language. While the courses available are nice and challenging to take, sometimes I wish that there were slightly more options when it comes to advanced or niche topics or electives with which to delve further into various different philosophical traditions.

Despite that, the quality of instruction is of the finest caliber, and the department cultivates an engaging community among its students. As long as you enjoy philosophy and don’t mind having fewer classes to choose from, I wholeheartedly recommend the program!