undergrad continental philosophy?

College Search & Selection
1

<p>This is a more specific turn on the age-old CC question of which colleges are most intellectual or most known for the life of the mind. I'm looking for a transfer-friendly undergraduate program in philosophy (predominantly continental, NOT analytic--so the Philosophical Gourmet rankings leave me cold) and potentially classics. I am also interested in the history of science, linguistics, and political philosophy (not political science)--not as majors, but I would like to be able to take strong classes in these areas.
I am headed into academia. Really big on perennialism, and the idea of cracking textbooks instead of primary texts for philosophy classes (or any classes, really) makes me feel dirty. Chicago and, to a lesser extent, Columbia seem ideal for their heavy cores (and cold, dark urban locations), but they are both reaches. I'm very interested in NYU's Gallatin School, and would appreciate the input of anyone who has experience with the college on how intellectual the students are on the whole, and how unifying the great books emphasis is. A great intellectual community is what I am really after--of course I can get much of what I want out of my library and a park bench, as one CCer suggested in another "intellectual colleges" thread, but I've done that for a while now and miss being surrounded by brilliant and enthusiastic professors and peers to bounce ideas off of.</p>

<p>From the course catalogs of the many philosophy programs I've looked through, it seems most places have a smattering of broad survey courses; maybe a class on Kant, Nietzsche, or Plato; and a few seminars built on twentieth-century cultural issues. Please don't jump on me for being unfair--I am not trying to be dismissive or to speak too broadly--but I would like a program more robust: one with greater historical scope and more depth. My ideal grad school is Chicago's Committee on Social Thought, and would like a school that would, at best, provide a close approximation of the Committee in an undergraduate education, or, at least, well prepare me for a chance at acceptance there. I have not geeked out over any school's courses nearly as much as I have over these. Here is a link to the course descriptions for the past few years, in case it's helpful:
Courses</a> - Committee on Social Thought </p>

<p>I had a 2240 SAT (760 v, 690 m, 790 w) and 31 ACT. High school GPA ~3.75UW; college GPA ~3.2 with very positive written evaluations (left after three semesters). Few ECs, relatively strong volunteer experience, but constant full-time work experience since age 15, with the exception of the most recent semester (store closing due to economy--fruitless job hunt played a big role in my leaving). I am currently taking a year off to work and travel and will be applying for Fall 2011; I need both academic and financial safeties. Prefer metropolitan areas large/developed enough to have relatively reliable public trans and high enough above the Mason-Dixon to keep me in a peacoat for most of the academic year. Skittish about states that are land-locked or Pacific (those that were not once colonies.) UChicago is a reasonable exception.</p>

<p>I've also looked into Wesleyan's College of Letters (uncertain of my chances, ambivalent about the location)--I'd like to hear from someone who has attended. Additionally, I am not interested in programs for which I'd have to abandon my accumulated credits entirely--i.e. BC's Perspectives, the Great Books colleges, etc--or in religiously affiliated institutions, although I think I could love the right Jesuit school.</p>

2

<p>This is a link I came across on schools with strengths in continental when I was trying to figure out the difference between continental vs analytic philosophy. It’s on grad programs only, but so is the Philosophical Gourmet so you may still find it useful if you haven’t come across it already.</p>

<p>[Philosophy</a> Graduate Schools Friendly to Continental Philosophy](<a href=“http://www.earlham.edu/~phil/gradsch.htm]Philosophy”>http://www.earlham.edu/~phil/gradsch.htm)</p>

3

<p>I had a great experience taking undergrad courses in Emory’s philosophy department, which has a continental focus. You might also like Emory’s Interdisciplinary Studies department: [ILA</a> | Graduate Institute of Liberal Arts](<a href=“http://www.ila.emory.edu/ila-undergraduate/sub-major-in.shtml]ILA”>http://www.ila.emory.edu/ila-undergraduate/sub-major-in.shtml). </p>

<p>Since so many US philosophy departments are geared toward analytic, cultural studies departments may be worth checking out. I’ve heard that Minnesota is great: [Undergraduate</a> : Cultural Studies & Comparative Literature : University of Minnesota](<a href=“Undergraduate | Cultural Studies & Comparative Literature | College of Liberal Arts”>Undergraduate | Cultural Studies & Comparative Literature | College of Liberal Arts) and Berkeley’s rhetoric program may have things you like: [Rhetoric</a> Department](<a href=“http://rhetoric.berkeley.edu/undergraduate.html]Rhetoric”>http://rhetoric.berkeley.edu/undergraduate.html).</p>

<p>Edited to add: Emory does have a religious affiliation but I found it to be a pretty secular place.</p>

4

<p>I once read in a graduate school admissions book that those interested in continental philosophy would probably have their wants better fulfilled in graduate programs in Comparative Literature departments.
Even though I’m not a grad student, nor am I planning on applying to graduate school, I did make the switch from philo to comp. lit, and literature as a whole fulfills my continental philosophy interests. What I think you should do is either look at schools with open curriculums so that you can pick and choose classes in different departments(look at course offerings in poly sci, history, sociology, philosophy, literature-french, german, english, etc), or schools that offer “the great books” curriculum(look at St. Johns College, and for a list of other schools wiki great books curriculum),</p>