Typically, over 80 of the 4500 undergraduates at Santa Clara University are majors in philosophy, and many students with other majors have elected to minor in philosophy.

• Department activities include Cafe Socrates, a popular weekly discussion group for students and faculty.
• Each year the department bestows two awards on outstanding students in philosophy and offers enrollment into the national philosophy honor society.
• Each year, a scholar of prominence occupies the Fagothey Chair for at least one term.
• The department annually hosts a professional conference with invited philosophers internationally renowned in their fields.