BA in Philosophy
All majors have faculty advisors. The philosophy major requires the student to complete a total of nine courses with a grade of C or higher:
- One Logic course: 160 or higher level Logic course
- PH 300 – History of Ancient Philosophy
- PH 310 – History of Modern Philosophy
- One Moral, Political, or Legal philosophy course at the 200 level or above
- One course in Metaphysics, Epistemology, Philosophy of Science, Mind, or Language (200 level or higher)
- One elective (200 level or higher)
- One course from PH 403–PH 430
- One additional 400-level course
- One PH course other than those taken to fulfill 1–8
College of General Studies students and students who have completed the humanities portion of the Core Curriculum receive major credit for CAS PH 150 or PH 155. Students who complete the social science portion of the CAS Core Curriculum receive major credit for CAS PH 253 or PH 254.
Specialized Areas
Students desiring specialized work in addition to the requirements of the regular major are invited to consider the following four areas: philosophy of law, politics, and society; philosophy and history of science; philosophy and the ancient world; and philosophy of the biomedical sciences. These specialized areas do not appear on the diploma. They do, however, serve as valuable guidelines for further work in addition to the major itself. Where alternatives are listed in the four specializations, it is often advisable to take both courses.
Philosophy of Law, Politics, and Society
CAS PH 254, 255, 277 are suggested, as well as at least two courses in political science, sociology, or economics.
Philosophy and History of Science
Students desiring to specialize further in this area are encouraged to take CAS PH 270; CAS PH 277 or 477; two courses in the history of science; and at least two courses in the natural sciences or the social sciences or both.
Philosophy in the Ancient World
CAS PH 300, 403 or 404, 405 or 406, and CAS CL 101 and 264 are suggested.
Philosophy of the Biomedical Sciences
Suggested are CAS PH 251 and 273; CAS PH 277, 270, or 472; directed study on philosophy of medicine, and at least two courses in biology approved by the Department of Biology.
Honors in the Major
Qualified students may wish to pursue a course of study aimed toward graduation with honors in the major. Twelve courses including a senior paper are required. Interested students should contact the director of undergraduate studies in the department.
Joint Majors with Other Departments
Students with interdisciplinary interests may choose a joint major combining philosophy with another field: see the seven programs below. Joint majors coordinate courses from two disciplines in an integrated way combining breadth and depth. They have more courses than a single major, but generally fewer than a double major (that is, fewer than two single majors taken together). All joint majors have a faculty advisor in the Department of Philosophy with whom they should consult regularly in planning their program of study. Joint majors take the place of single majors and appear on diplomas. Thus, it is not necessary to be a joint concentrator in order to be a regular major, or vice versa, and the two cannot be pursued together.
