Seoul National University: Philosophy Overtakes Computer Science in Popularity

At Seoul National University's School of Interdisciplinary Studies, an increasing number of students are opting for Philosophy over Computer Science. In just one year, the proportion of students choosing Computer Science has fallen by more than half, with only three students selecting the major for the second semester of 2024. While Computer Science consistently attracted over 60 applicants annually since 2021, peaking at 69 in 2023, applications have drastically decreased this year. Furthermore, eight students who initially chose Computer Science as their major have since switched to other departments. This year, 18 students from the School of Interdisciplinary Studies selected Electrical and Computer Engineering as their major.

Seoul National University's Philosophy department has seen its employment rate rise from 55.6% in 2021 to 77.3% in 2025. In contrast, the competition ratio for regular admissions via the early decision track has fallen for Computer Science from 7.59:1 in the 2020 academic year to 4.31:1 in the 2024 academic year. Meanwhile, Philosophy's competition ratio has surged from 9.92:1 to 15.56:1 during the same period, showcasing a stark difference.

This trend is also being observed internationally, with a decline in Computer Science and a resurgence of Philosophy. Global corporations are increasingly hiring humanities scholars for key positions. This is analyzed as a result of companies prioritizing the ability to solve problems by understanding human language and context over mere coding proficiency, leading to a heightened interest in foundational humanities knowledge.