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 five courses and
- five elective courses, at least three 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 | |
| INTRODUCTION TO ETHICS 1 | ||
| INTRODUCTION TO CRITICAL THINKING | ||
| INTRO TO PHILOSOPHY | ||
or PHIL-210 | METAPHYSICS | |
| SENIOR RESEARCH SEMINAR | ||
| One Historical Text course from this set: | ||
| FEMINIST PHILOSOPHY | ||
| EXISTENTIALISM | ||
| PHILOSOPHY OF LAW | ||
| PHILOSOPHY OF LOVE & SEX | ||
| EVIL AND MODERN THOUGHT | ||
| HIST.OF ANCIENT& MEDIEVAL PHILOSOPHY | ||
Select five PHIL electives | ||
| 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.
Majors may choose to pursue one of the four specialized tracks listed below. Each track requires four courses, in which case a student will need one more PHIL elective in addition to the courses in the track. Majors may also take a general major, taking any five 300- or 400-level PHIL electives.
Track 1: Philosophy, Law and Politics
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| PHIL-324 | MOCK TRIAL | 3 |
| PHIL-325 | PHILOSOPHY OF LAW | 3 |
| PHIL-326 | LEGAL REASONING | 3 |
| Select one of the following: | 3 | |
| SYMBOLIC LOGIC | ||
| PARALEGAL INTERNSHIP | ||
| PARALEGAL INTERNSHIP | ||
| SOC. & ECON. JUSTICE | ||
| ART, POWER & POLITICS | ||
| COURTS IN AMER. POLITICS | ||
| CONSTITUTIONAL LAW I: POLITICAL STRUCTURE | ||
| CONSTITUTIONAL LAW II: CIVIL RIGHTS | ||
| CRIMINOLOGICAL THEORY | ||
| VICTIMOLOGY | ||
| JUVENILE DELINQUENCY | ||
| FAMILY VIOLENCE | ||
| Total Credits | 12 | |
Track 2: Ethics & Society
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| PHIL-332 | SOC. & ECON. JUSTICE | 3 |
| Select three of the following, including at least one PHIL course | 9 | |
| FEMINIST PHILOSOPHY | ||
| NATIVE AMERICAN PHILOSOPHY | ||
| PHILOSOPHY OF LAW | ||
| BUSINESS ETHICS | ||
| HEALTH CARE ETHICS | ||
| ENVIRONMENTAL ETHICS | ||
| ART, POWER & POLITICS | ||
| CONTROVERSIES-PUBL POLICY | ||
| ENVIRONMENTAL POLITICS | ||
| CONSTITUTIONAL LAW I: POLITICAL STRUCTURE | ||
| SOCIOLOGY OF INEQUALITY | ||
| MINORITIES IN THE UNITED STATES | ||
| Total Credits | 12 | |
Track 3: Culture, Media & Technology
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| PHIL-377 | TECHNOPHILOSOPHY | 3 |
| PHIL-381 | ART, POWER & POLITICS | 3 |
| Select two of the following, including at least one PHIL course: | 6 | |
| PHILOSOPHY OF HUMOR | ||
| THE PHILOSOPHY OF SPORT | ||
| EXISTENTIALISM | ||
| SUSTAINABLE LIVING: ARCHITECTURE & PLACEMAKING | ||
| CULTURE WARS:POLITICS/MEMORY | ||
| MEDIA AND POLITICS | ||
| PSYCHOLOGY OF CULTURE | ||
| CYBERPSYCHOLOGY | ||
| MEDIA & SOCIAL CHANGE | ||
| SOCIAL MEDIA & SOCIETY | ||
| Total Credits | 12 | |
Track 4: Philosophy, Ethics and Medicine
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| PHIL-335 | PHIL. OF SCIENCE & MEDICINE | 3 |
| PHIL-338 | HEALTH CARE ETHICS | 3 |
| PHIL-345 | VALUES AT THE END OF LIFE | 3 |
| Select one of the following: | 3 | |
| HEALTH PSYCHOLOGY | ||
| HEALTH AND ILLNESS | ||
| HEALTH, FAITH & ETHICS | ||
| 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 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 or 210 | 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 |
| PHIL-111 | 3 | General Electives | 12 |
| General Elective | 3 | General Education Requirements | 4 |
| General Education Requirements | 9 | ||
| 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 | Philosophy Elective | 3 |
| Philosophy Elective | 3 | General Electives | 11 |
| 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.