Prepare for an examined life.
(Note: This site is under construction, some information may require updating)

You'll learn to understand the beliefs that shape people and cultures, question what we know about ourselves and the universe, and sharpen how you argue, skills our majors carry into law, business, technology, government and more.

See what you'd take Talk to an advisor

? Where do you want to start

Courses

What do I take?

See what's offered this term, which GE box each class ticks, and more.

Explore courses → Degrees and Transfer

Which path fits me?

Three degrees: see which one fits your goal.

Compare degrees → Careers and Outcomes

Where does this lead?

Data on where Philosophy and Religious Studies majors actually end up working.

See outcomes → Faculty

Who will teach me?

Meet your professors, and find out how to contact them.

Meet faculty → Community and Support

How can I get involved beyond the classroom?

Philosophy and Religious Studies Club, research and internship opportunities, drop-in advising/workshops, and people who'll notice what you need to grow.

Get connected →

Philosophy and Religious Studies · Fullerton College · School of Social Sciences · 1400 Building / Room: 1422 · Phone: 714.992.7534 · Email: pryan@fullcoll.edu

Philosophy and Religious Studies is a small department, so we can work closely with our students and majors to offer an educational experience tailored to your needs and interests. We offer three degrees built for your goals, courses that satisfy two GE areas, and a path to competitive and meaningful careers.

? What's happening right now

A few things worth a closer look

Course spotlight

Philosophy meets the frontier

PHIL 361 (Technology and Ethics) now feeds directly into Fullerton's new Bachelor of Science (B.S.) in Drone and Autonomous Systems. California is already the most active state in the country writing the rules for artificial intelligence. This is where you learn to be part of that conversation.

Learn more about PHIL 361 →

PHIL 361

Technology and Ethics: required support course for the B.S. in Drone and Autonomous Systems (fall 2026)

A question you'll ask

Whose voice counts?

In Introduction to Ethics (PHIL 160), students take on real cases, like what it means to respect a person's wishes once dementia has taken their ability to state them. There's no clean answer. That's the point.

See what else you'll wrestle with →

PHIL 160

Introduction to Ethics

A question you'll ask

What do we owe the living?

PHIL 220 (The Holocaust) looks at how Jewish and non-Jewish communities alike have reckoned with genocide since, and what that reckoning still asks of us.

Explore Religious Studies courses →

PHIL 220

The Holocaust

Careers

Our Graduate's Job Titles

Our majors have gone on to work as paralegals, software engineers, program coordinators and pharmacy technicians, including Orange County tech roles paying $150K–$160K. Real, verified titles our own graduates have held, not a hypothetical list.

See the full picture on Careers and Outcomes →

Students Like You

Job titles of FC and Cal CC graduates, not projected from a national average

Careers

Religious Studies goes way beyond ministry

Just 8.76% of Philosophy and Religious Studies graduates nationally go into ministry. The rest build careers in law, business, education, healthcare and more. Real alumni include a Disney paralegal, a university chief of operations and a touring musician.

See all 12 career paths →

8.76%

Share of Philosophy and Religious Studies grads who go into ministry, not the majority (U.S. Census / Data USA)

Student life

Find your people

The Philosophy and Religious Studies Club is open to any student, major or not, with no dues and no prerequisites. Think trivia nights, movie and pizza nights, game nights and open discussions: a laid-back way to keep thinking, and have fun, outside of class.

Get connected →

Phil & RS Club

Advised by Prof. Patrick Ryan and Prof. Martha Smith · open to all students, no dues

? Is this a career path

Philosopher isn't a job title, so where does this lead?

Top 2

Philosophy ranks #2 of all majors on the LSAT and #1 in GRE verbal reasoning and analytical writing. Proof the skills you build here transfer directly.

Source: LSAC / ETS, via the American Philosophical Association

8.76%

Share of Philosophy and Religious Studies graduates nationally who go into ministry or clergy work. The rest build careers in law, business, education, healthcare and more.

Source: U.S. Census / Data USA

$120,000

Estimated average earnings for Philosophy and Religious Studies graduates in Orange County, adjusted from the $107,865 national average across a dozen documented career paths.

Source: U.S. Census / Data USA; Orange County estimate applies the same regional pay premium used on the Careers and Outcomes: Philosophy page.

Ready for a next step?

No need to have it figured out. Start here.

See the current schedule Talk to an advisor Join the Philosophy Club