major: Philosophy
Degree: Bachelor of Arts (BA) Concentration: General Philosophical Studies 2024-2025
Major Requirements (24 credits)
Requires grades of C or higher
PHI2101 (GM) Introduction to Logic (3 Credits)
PHI3084 Philosophical Methods (3 Credits)
HISTORY (6 credits) - Select 2 courses, each from a different history category:
Ancient Western History:
PHH 3100 Ancient Greek Philosophy (3 credits)
PHH 3104 Socrates and the Sophists (3 credits)
PHH 3230 Islamic Philosophy (3 Credits)
PHH 3930 Topics in History of Philosophy (3 credits) (with departmental approval)
PHH 3400 Modern Philosophy (3 credits)
PHH 3500 Kant to Nietzsche (3 credits)
PHH 3930 Topics in History of Philosophy (3 credits) (with departmental approval)
PHP 3786 Existentialism (3 credits)
Non-Western History:
PHH 3820 (FC) Chinese Philosophy (3 credits)
PHH 3840 (FC) Philosophies of India (3 credits)
PHH 3860 (FC) Japanese Philosophy (3 credits)
PHH 3930 Topics in History of Philosophy (3 credits) (with departmental approval)
KNOWLEDGE AND REALITY (3 credits)
PHI 3300 Introduction to Epistemology (3 credits)
PHI 3320 Philosophy of Mind (3 credits)
PHI 3400 Philosophy of Science (3 credits)
PHI 3463 Science and Objectivity (3 Credits)
PHI 3500 Introduction to Metaphysics (3 credits)
PHI 3700 Philosophy of Religion (3 credits)
PHI 3939 Selected Topics in Knowledge and Reality (3 credits)
PHP 3790 American Philosophy (3 credits)
VALUE THEORY (6 Credits):
PHI 2885 Philosophy through Fiction (3 credits)
PHI 3601 Ethics (3 credits)
PHI 3632 Feminist Philosophy (3 credits)
PHI 3633 Bioethics (3 credits)
PHI 3637 Ethical Issues in Public Health (3 credits)
PHI 3640 Environmental Ethics (3 credits)
PHI 3664 Ethics East and West (3 credits)
PHI 3670 Relativism and Disagreement (3 credits)
PHI 3800 Aesthetics (3 credits)
PHI 3880 Philosophy of Film (3 credits)
PHI 3934 Selected Topics in Value Theory (3 credits)
PHI 4641 Business Ethics (3 credits)
PHI 4881 Philosophy of Music (3 credits)
PHM 3020 Philosophy of Love and Sex (3 credits)
PHM 3050 Ethical Issues in Death and Dying (3 credits)
PHM 3304 Political Philosophy (3 credits)
PHM 3361 Philosophy of Democracy (3 credits)
PHM 3400 Philosophy of Law (3 credits)
PHM 4100 Social Philosophy (3 credits)
DIVERSE METHODS & PERSPECTIVES (3 CREDITS)
PHH 3810 Introduction to Buddhism (3 credits)
PHH 3811 Philosophy of Zen Buddhism (3 credits)
PHI 3931 East and West: Special Topics (3 credits)
PHI 3932 Special Topics in Asian Thought and Practice (3 credits)
PHM 3128 Philosophy of Race and Racism (3 credits)
PHM 3362 Global Justice (3 credits)
Any 3000 or 4000 level REL course (3 credits)
Major Electives (9 credits)
Students are free to select major 3 electives from any 3000 or 4000 level philosophy courses offered by the program; one elective must be from the 4000 level. PHI 3084 Philosophical Methods is a pre-requisite for some 4000 level courses. No more than 15 hours of transfer credit may be used. Only 3 hours of PHI 4905 may be used in the major. Grades of C or higher required in courses used toward the major.
PHI 3120 The Greek Experience, and PHI 3930 Germany Today or other foreign culture courses may not be used as electives in the philosophy major.
SELECT 2 COURSES AT 3000 LEVEL
SELECT 1 COURSE AT 4000 LEVEL
Minor Required
A minor is required for this major.* (Credits will vary)
The minor must be selected from the list of approved minors, including those outside the college of the major.
See List of Minors in the Undergraduate Catalog. Minors are generally completed during the last 60 credit hours of your program. Your minor may require prerequisites, so choosing a minor early is beneficial. See your Advisor to declare a minor.
*Double majors are exempt from a minor.
Foreign Language/Foreign Cultures
Foreign Language (8 CHs)/Foreign Culture Requirement (6 CHs): All BA students in the College of Arts and Sciences are required to complete either (i) the Foreign Language option or (ii) the Foreign Culture option, in either case with grades of C or higher.
TAKE 8 HOURS OF FOREIGN LANGUAGE
- Select 1 two-course sequence of Spanish, French, Chinese, German, Latin, or American Sign Language.
- The first course in each of the two-course sequences is typically offered in the fall; the second course in each of the two-course sequences is typically offered in the spring.
- To determine whether to enroll in the first or the second course of the two-course French or Spanish sequences, incoming students with prior experience in French or Spanish must take a placement exam. Students who place above the beginning level will satisfy the Foreign Language option by earning a "C" or better in the second French or second Spanish course into which they have placed.
- Students who complete a 3000-level French or Spanish course with a "C" or above have demonstrated the mastery that is required in the two-course French or Spanish sequence and may request retroactive credit for the sequence. The retroactive credit will either be 3 or 6 credits, depending on their placement following the exam.
- This policy applies to Chinese as well, placement being determined by the professor of the program.
FC Foreign Culture Option
- Students who successfully completed 2 years of foreign language in high school have the option of taking 6 hours of foreign culture courses instead of 8 hours of college level foreign language.
- Foreign cultures contain (FC) in the course title.
- A complete list of foreign culture courses can be found in the Arts & Sciences Advising Office.
Free Electives (4 credits)
ELECTIVES 4 HOURS (3000/4000)
This degree requires a minimum of 120 total hours with 48 upper (3000/4000) level hours. Free electives may be courses in any discipline (provided the required prerequisites are met) and they are the hours needed to satisfy the total hour requirement. These hours may vary (consult your advisor about free elective hours needed to graduate).