A comical storyboard depicting philosophy as dangerous

Hello, and welcome to philosophy at Concordia University!

We hope you enjoyed the comical storyboard above 😂.

This philosophy student guide was written by senior students of philosophy and executives of the Students of Philosophy Association at Concordia and is meant for new students; however, it can also offer tips and advice for more advanced philosophy students too.

We assume that most people coming into philosophy have never taken a philosophy course or have maybe taken one course in college or CEGEP. 

You might be feeling both anxious and excited about being a university and philosophy student. University is a big step in any person’s professional and academic journey and can be overwhelming. We hope this guide can help allay some of those fears and make the transition easier.

This guide will help point you towards resources, provide tips, and paint an overview of what to expect as a university philosophy student.

The sections in this guide are as follows:

  1. What to Expect as a University Student
  2. What to Expect as a Philosophy Student
  3. What is Philosophy?
  4. Reading, Writing, Thinking, and Discussing Philosophy
  5. Situations Students find Themselves In and What to Do
  6. Philosophy Student Resources
  7. Opportunities for Philosophy Students

The Students of Philosophy Association

The Students of Philosophy Association (SoPhiA) is the overseeing body of all philosophy students enrolled at Concordia University.

We are a group of student leaders, or executives, who represent philosophy students legally and institutionally, and advocate for students’ needs. We often host events and services (like a study group or tutor service). We have our office in the S-Annex room M09. We also have a library of 700 books that students can borrow for up to an entire semester. 

We hold office hours, so feel free to drop by and have a chat with us. You can come see us with any needs or issues, or simply to chat about courses, professors, or life and philosophy in general. 

Website:  SoPhiA Concordia – Students of Philosophy Association | Concordia University

Facebook group: SoPhiA Concordia | Facebook

We thank Andrew Wilcox (BA Hons Philosophy 2023) and Nicolas Gaudreau (BA Hons Philosophy 2023) for contributing to this guide.