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Department of Philosophy

Major & Minor

Explore and Discover. The Department of Philosophy offers a wide range of courses that relate philosophy to various dimensions of human concern. We emphasize those philosophers and movements that have had significant, forming effects on Western culture.

Philosophy Major

The philosophy major emphasizes three broad areas of scholarly and teaching excellence: ethics, social and political philosophy, and the history of philosophy.

Requirements

The major can be tailored to the needs and interests of each student. Students must take at least 30 hours in the major field, of which at least 21 hours must be in courses beyond the 1000 level.

All students are required to complete the following distribution of courses:

  • Logic: PHIL 1003 or 3003 (at least 3 credit hours)
  • Ethics: PHIL 1005, 3605, or 3606 (at least 3 credit hours)
  • History of Philosophy: PHIL 2100, 2101, 2102, 2103, or 2104 (at least 6 credit hours)

Any alterations must be approved by the director of undergraduate studies. We encourage all majors to work closely with their faculty advisers to select courses that form a coherent whole.

Philosophy Minor

The minor provides a broad grounding in the study of philosophy and complements many majors.

Students must complete 18 credit hours, including at least 12 credit hours in courses beyond the 1000 level. Each program must be approved by the director of undergraduate studies.

Declaring a Major or Minor

To declare a major or minor in philosophy, complete the Major/Minor Declaration form. See the Major/Minor Declaration User Guide for more information.