University of Tasmania, Australia

You can study philosophy as a major or as a minor, or as degree elective, and all incoming students at UTAS can take philosophy as a student elective. In fact, most people who study philosophy take it as a student elective in their first year at UTAS. It is an ideal subject no matter what your degree because the questions raised in philosophy have a bearing on all subject matters studied in other fields and, more to the point, it addresses questions that most people have simply because they are curious about what it means to live on this planet at this time. What is more, whilst engaging with these fascinating questions you will be developing skills in clear thinking and writing that will be useful in any discipline.

Our students often comment that our classes have helped them write better essays in other subjects, and studies in the USA consistently find that philosophy graduates perform better overall in tests of reasoning skills than graduates of any other discipline except mathematics (who’s overall scores are boosted by very good mathematical reasoning skills).

• Philosophy at UTAS has a very strong research record that is nationally and internationally known. As well as many contacts with Australian, German, and American Universities and Research Centers, Philosophy at UTAS has strong links to (and an exchange program with) north Indian Buddhist teaching centres.
• Philosophy at UTAS is diverse and pluralistic. We teach across several Western and Eastern philosophical traditions, and connect with many other disciplines at UTAS.
• Philosophy at UTAS is unabashedly student-centered. The high evaluations our teachers receive are legendary.
• Philosophy at UTAS has vibrant philosophy societies for students at both Sandy Bay and Newnham.
• Philosophy at UTAS runs a highly respected colloquium series with nationally and internationally renowned philosophers and thinkers as guest speakers.
• Philosophy at UTAS is designed to facilitate individual learning. The climate is resolutely and uncompromisingly personal.

You can take Gender Studies as a major or as a minor, or as a degree elective, and all incoming students at UTAS can take Gender units as student electives. Most students who take Gender units do so as an elective in their first year or as a minor.

Because all human beings are gendered, and because many areas of study are focused on human beings – our histories, our social institutions and practices, our creative endeavours, the relations between different communities or nations, religion, ethics – because gender is implicated in all of these things, it is deeply useful to gain an awareness of what gender is and isn’t, of how it acts in and upon our lives, and of how various disciplines address the fact of sex and gender as a part of human life.

In short, Gender Studies is the perfect accompaniment to any major.  To understand Gender is to understand better human beings and our cultures.