Program Details

Bachelor of Arts Degree • School of Arts and Sciences

The Philosophy Major

The study of philosophy has been fundamental to the education of people in all great civilizations. The major offers a thorough grounding in the history of philosophy, comparative philosophy, ethics, logic and critical thinking.  An examination of the nature and historical development of the most fundamental ideas of both Western and non-Western philosophy is included, as is the systematic study of major theories of ethics and logical and metaphysical principles.  The objective is to foster the abilities students require to understand and evaluate the competing claims of different value systems and alternative world views.

Total credit hours required for major: 45 or 48
Total credit hours required for degree: 120

ACADEMIC REQUIREMENTS

(See also General Education Core)

Course		Credit Hours	Year Taken
Core		34-55
Major Course Requirements
All of the following:
Philosophy 101	Critical Thinking	3	1,2
Philosophy 205	History of Ancient Philosophy	3	2,3,4
Philosophy 206	History of Modern Philosophy	3	2,3,4
Philosophy 315	Theories of Knowledge	3	3,4
Philosophy 375	Symbolic Logic	3	3,4
One of the following:		3
Philosophy 107	Ethics		1,2
Philosophy 108	Professional Ethics		1,2
Seven philosophy courses (At least four at 300-level or higher)		18
		39
Major-Related Course Requirements
One of the following:		3
History and Philosophy of Science 126 The Rise of Modern Science:Aristotle to Newton			1,2
History and Philosophy of Science 127 The Rise of Modern Science: Newton to Einstein			1,2
One of the following: (Course to be determined in consultation with adviser)		3
200-level or higher course in history			2,3,4
200-level or higher course in quantitative reasoning			2,3,4
		45
Honors Requirement
(Optional, by invitation only)
Philosophy 490	Readings in Philosophy	3	4
		48
Electives
The student must complete sufficient elective courses to earn at least the minimum credit hours required for this degree, and at least 90 of the 120 credit hours must be in the liberal arts and sciences.