Philosophy Major

Note: The authoritative statement of the requirements for an undergraduate degree in Philosophy are kept by the Registrar’s Office. These can be found here: link and in the Academic Programs Catalog. The information given below is for advising purposes only.

University Requirements:

  • 24 credits in Integrative Studies
  • Mathematics course(s)
  • Tier I writing requirement (4 credits)
  • Tier II writing requirement, may be satisfied by completing PHL 492 or 499
  • Total of at least 120 credits

College of Arts & Letters Requirements:

  • 30 credits at the 300-400 level among the 120 credits required for graduation
  • One cognate area, satisfied one of three ways:
    • Another major
    • A minor
    • One 15 credit cognate
  • Capstone requirement (PHL 492, PHL 454, or PHL 499)
  • Second year competency in a foreign language (usually a 4th level college course)
  • Experiential Education: Fulfilled by 3 credit hours of an approved internship, service learning, undergraduate research, study abroad, or study away program. Within Philosophy, the Experiential Education degree requirement can be satisfied with any of our capstone courses: PHL 492, PHL454, and PHL499.

Requirements for the Philosophy Major:

  • A total of at least 36 PHL credits, including:
  • Two of the following courses in the History and Traditions of Philosophy:
    • PHL 210 – Ancient Greek Philosophy
    • PHL 211 – Modern Philosophy
    • PHL 212 – Latin American Philosophy
    • PHL 213 – Africana Philosophy
    • PHL 214 – Indigenous Philosophy
  • One of the following courses in Logic:
    • PHL 130 – Reasoning and Argumentation
    • PHL 330 – Formal Deductive Reasoning
    • PHL 331 – Formal Practical Reasoning
    • PHL 432 – Logic and its Metatheory
  • One of the following courses in Value Theory:
    • PHL 340 – Ethics
    • PHL 342 – Environmental Ethics
    • PHL 344 – Ethical Issues in Healthcare
    • PHL 345 – Business Ethics
    • PHL 350 – Introduction to Social and Political Philosophy
    • PHL 356 – Philosophical Aspects of Feminism
  • One of the following courses in Epistemology and Metaphysics:
    • PHL 360 – Philosophy of Language
    • PHL 361 – Knowledge & Reality
    • PHL 380 – Nature of Science
  • At least three courses at the 400 level (in addition to PHL 492)
  • The capstone course PHL 492 (offered Spring Semester only).  PHL 499 may be substituted for PHL 492 with written approval.
  • Philosophy electives: Additional credits in Philosophy courses as needed to meet the requirement of at least 36, but not more than 40, credits in the major.

Requirements for the Philosophy Major with a pre-law concentration:

  • A total of at least 36 PHL credits, including:
  • PHL 130 – Reasoning and Argumentation
  • PHL 354 – Philosophy of Law
  • PHL 340 – Ethics
  • PHL 350 – Introduction to Social & Political Philosophy
  • One of the following courses in Logic:
    • PHL 330 – Formal Deductive Reasoning
    • PHL 331 – Formal Practical Reasoning
    • PHL 432 – Logic and its Metatheory
  • One of the following courses in History and Traditions of Philosophy:
    • PHL 210 – Ancient Greek Philosophy
    • PHL 211 – Modern Philosophy
    • PHL 212 – Latin American Philosophy
    • PHL 213 – Africana Philosophy
    • PHL 214 – Indigenous Philosophy
  • Two of the following courses:
    • PHL 342 – Environmental Ethics
    • PHL 344 – Ethical Issues in Health Care
    • PHL 345 – Business Ethics
    • PHL 353 – Core Themes in Peace and Justice Studies
    • PHL 355 – Philosophy of Technology (W)
    • PHL 356 – Philosophical Aspects of Feminism
    • PHL 357 – Philosophy of Karl Marx
    • PHL 440 – Central Issues in Ethics
    • PHL 442 – Ethics and Animals
    • PHL 444 – Philosophical Issues in Biomedicine
    • PHL 451 – Philosophy and the Black Experience
    • PHL 452 – Ethics and Development
    • PHL 453 – Ethical Issues in Global Public Health
    • PHL 456 – Topics in Feminist Philosophy
  • The capstone course PHL 454 – Topics in Philosophy of Law (offered Spring Semester only).  PHL 499 may be substituted for PHL 454 with written approval.
  • At least three courses at the 400 level (in addition to PHL 454)
  • Philosophy electives: Additional credits in Philosophy courses as needed to meet the requirement of at least 36, but not more than 40, credits in the major.

Note: All philosophy majors, whether primary, additional, or secondary (dual-degree), are required to satisfy the College of Arts and Letters Requirements.  Additional and dual-degree majors satisfy the cognate requirement by means of their non-philosophy major.  The most important requirement to plan for is the foreign language competency requirement.