Julie Pedersen, PhD

Dr. Julie Pedersen is an assistant professor of Philosophy in the Academic Engagement Center at the University of Arizona Global Campus. After receiving her BA in Philosophy from Loyola, she completed a master’s degree and PhD in Philosophy at Purdue University, where she specialized in the work of Descartes and Sartre and the implications of that work for Philosophy of Mind. She returned to Chicago and to Loyola, where she taught a variety of courses at their Lake Shore, Downtown, and Medical Center campuses. While taking time off from teaching to raise her family, Dr. Pedersen launched a career in journalism. Starting out as a reporter for local newspapers, she quickly advanced to writing feature stories for the Chicago Tribune Sunday edition. Dr. Pedersen serves on the editorial board for The UAGC Chronicle and was the editor-in-chief for the UAGC Humanities Review. In addition to her academic work and teaching, Dr. Pedersen is the author of numerous screenplays which have won awards or honors in various competitions such as the Austin Film Festival and the Nicholl Fellowship in Screenwriting, which is sponsored by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. Her screenplays draw heavily from her philosophy background and her Chicago Improv comedy training. Dr. Pedersen began working for the University of Arizona Global Campus in 2009. She strives to bring all aspects of her experience to the online classroom by engaging her students, sharing her knowledge, and nurturing their writing skills.