Philosophy, BA
Philosophers inquire into the great questions that address the human condition and the basic orientations that shape our understanding of contemporary life. Our department is especially concerned to promote a genuine engagement with the most important issues that concern us today. From matters of law and politics to ethics and medicine, from justice and society to art and literature, we enable students to thoughtfully understand and critically assess the essential dimensions of these pressing issues. In the process, we help students to develop crucial cognitive skills in logical thinking, interpretive comprehension, critical evaluation, and argumentative writing. Moreover, the department offers a program of study that can be tailored to the student’s specific interests. In fact, it expressly encourages the incorporation of relevant courses from other disciplines into the philosophy major. The program is open and flexible, especially for those interested in philosophy as a second major.
The Philosophy Department allows students to design their own major around a basic structure that consists of
- a common core of six courses and
- four elective course, two of which must be philosophy courses at the 300 level or higher.
The designed major must be developed with the guidance of a Philosophy faculty advisor and approved by the Chair.
Requirements
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Philosophy | 30 | |
| INTRO TO PHILOSOPHY | ||
| INTRODUCTION TO ETHICS 1 | ||
| INTRODUCTION TO CRITICAL THINKING | ||
| METAPHYSICS | ||
| HIST.OF ANCIENT& MEDIEVAL PHILOSOPHY | ||
or PHIL-361 | Evil and Modern Thought | |
| SENIOR RESEARCH SEMINAR | ||
Select four PHIL electives from Tracks below | ||
| General Education Requirements | 37 | |
| Foreign Language 2 | 3 | |
| General Electives | 50 | |
| Total Credits | 120 | |
- 1
PHIL-104 and one additional Philosophy course are required General Education courses that will both count towards Philosophy Major requirements. AS a result, in order to meet the 120 credit hour degree requirements, Philosophy majors must take an additional six (6) credit hours of general electives.
- 2
The foreign language must be at the level of 202 or higher. Students not prepared to begin at this level will need to take additional courses in language that will count toward their General Electives.
A senior thesis is also required. Seniors must register for three credits of 498 in the fall semester of senior year.
To help guide the student, the Philosophy faculty has developed four tracks that constitute preapproved topic areas for the major. A major in Philosophy may be earned by
- completing the six required courses above, and
- fulfilling the requirements for any one of the tracks below or selecting four courses in consultation with the Philosophy faculty advisor.
Track 1: Philosophy, Law and Politics
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| PHIL-325 | PHILOSOPHY OF LAW | 3 |
| PHIL-326 | LEGAL REASONING | 3 |
| Select one of the following: | 3 | |
| LEGAL ETHICS | ||
| SOC. & ECON. JUSTICE | ||
| Select one of the following: | 3 | |
| COURTS IN AMER. POLITICS | ||
| CONSTITUTIONAL LAW I: POLITICAL STRUCTURE | ||
| CONSTITUTIONAL LAW II: CIVIL RIGHTS | ||
| MOCK TRIAL | ||
| Total Credits | 12 | |
Track 2: Philosophy and Social Justice
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| PHIL-332 | SOC. & ECON. JUSTICE | 3 |
| Curriculum under review, additional course should be selected with department chair | 3 | |
| Select two of the following: | 6 | |
| ENVIRONMENTAL ETHICS | ||
| CONTROVERSIES-PUBL POLICY | ||
| ENVIRONMENTAL POLITICS | ||
| CONSTITUTIONAL LAW I: POLITICAL STRUCTURE | ||
| SOCIOLOGY OF INEQUALITY | ||
| Minorities in the United States | ||
| Total Credits | 12 | |
Track 3: Philosophy, Art & Literature
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Select two of the following: | 6 | |
| EXISTENTIALISM | ||
| Curriculum under review, additional course should be selected with department chair | 3 | |
| Select one of the following: | 3 | |
| INTRO TO CRITICISM & THEORY | ||
| CONTEMPORARY ISSUES IN ART | ||
| MODERN ART & THEORY | ||
| Select one of the following: | 3 | |
| SURVEY OF WESTERN ART I | ||
| SURVEY OF WESTERN ART II | ||
| AMERICAN LITERATURE I | ||
| AMERICAN LITERATURE II | ||
| Total Credits | 15 | |
Track 4: Philosophy, Ethics and Medicine
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| PHIL-335 | PHIL. OF SCIENCE & MEDICINE | 3 |
| PHIL-338 | HEALTH CARE ETHICS | 3 |
| Select two of the following: | 6 | |
| DEATH AND DYING | ||
| VALUES AT THE END OF LIFE | ||
| HEALTH PSYCHOLOGY | ||
| HEALTH AND ILLNESS | ||
| Total Credits | 12 | |
Philosophy Pre-Law Program
The department offers a philosophy pre-law program for those students interested in philosophy or a general arts education and in pursuing a legal career. It is generally acknowledged that a concentration in philosophy and the other arts provides an appropriate basis for the study of law. Students in the pre-law program complete the requirements of the Philosophy, Law and Politics track. Additional courses are selected in consultation with the department’s pre-law advisor (who has a law degree) that will assist the student in preparing for law school and beyond.
Bachelor of Arts with a Major in Philosophy
| First Year | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Fall | Credits | Spring | Credits |
| PHIL-102 | 3 | PHIL-104 | 3 |
| PHIL-111 | 3 | ENG-102 | 3 |
| BONA-101 | 3 | Foreign Language1 | 3 |
| ENG-101 | 3 | General Education Requirements | 6 |
| Foreign Language/General Elective | 3 | ||
| 15 | 15 | ||
| Second Year | |||
| Fall | Credits | Spring | Credits |
| General Elective | 3 | PHIL-210 | 3 |
| General Education Requirements | 12 | General Electives | 9 |
| General Education Requirements | 4 | ||
| 15 | 16 | ||
| Third Year | |||
| Fall | Credits | Spring | Credits |
| Select one of the following: | 3 | Philosophy Elective | 3 |
| Philosophy Elective | 3 | ||
| General Electives | 9 | ||
| Philosophy Elective | 3 | ||
| General Electives | 9 | ||
| 15 | 15 | ||
| Fourth Year | |||
| Fall | Credits | Spring | Credits |
| PHIL-498 | 3 | General Electives | 6 |
| Philosophy Elective | 3 | General Electives | 8 |
| General Electives | 9 | ||
| 15 | 14 | ||
| Total Credits 120 | |||
- 1
The foreign language must be at the level of 202 or higher. Students not prepared to begin at this level will need to take additional courses in language.
Changes in the sequence of the program listed above may be desirable. These must be made in consultation with the student’s academic adviser.