Undergraduate Program Overview

Undergraduate Degree Options

Undergraduates studying Philosophy at ÃÛÌÒÓ°Ïñ have options! Whether you're thinking about majoring or minoring in Philosophy, the following options are available to you. 

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Major with or without a concentration

Philosophy majors take a total of ten courses (30 credit hours): three required courses (9 credit hours) and any seven Philosophy electives (21 credit hours) (brochure)

  • The general Philosophy major (major without a concentration) is a highly flexible program that allows students to be directed by their interests. 
  • The more structured Philosophy major with a concentration integrates well with, and provides a valuable additional dimension to, courses of study (like pre-med and pre-law) that are directed at specific careers.
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Minor with or without a concentration

Philosophy minors complete a total of seven courses (21 credit hours): two required courses (6 credit hours) and any five Philosophy electives (15 credit hours) (brochure)

  • The general Philosophy minor (minor without a concentration), like its counterpart major, provides maximum flexibility so that students can be guided by their developing interests. 
  • The more structured Philosophy minor with a concentration, like its counterpart major, is designed to be an easily integrated complement to a career-oriented course of study.
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Concentrations

Three options to choose from:

  • Ethics, Values, and Society (brochure)
  • Philosophy for the Health Professions (brochure)
  • Philosophy for the Legal Professions (brochure)
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The Philosophy Major

Requirements for all Philosophy majors

All Philosophy majors complete ten Philosophy courses (30 credit hours), including the following three required courses (9 credit hours): 

  • PHIL 4000 – Modern Logic (recommended) or PHIL 1000 – Logic
  • PHIL 1001 – Foundations in Philosophy ​or PHIL 1001H – Honors Foundations in Philosophy
  • CORE 4929 – The Service of Faith and Promotion of Justice or
    CORE 4929H – Honors Service of Faith and Promotion of Justice

General major (no concentration)

In addition to the three required courses above, students who opt to major in Philosophy without a concentration take

  • any seven Philosophy electives (21 credit hours).

 

Major with concentration

In addition to the three required courses above, students who opt to major in Philosophy with a concentration take

  • three Philosophy electives (9 credit hours) in their area of concentration plus
  • any four further Philosophy electives (12 credit hours).

With the approval of their Philosophy advisor, students may replace one Philosophy elective (either a general elective or an elective in a concentration) with an upper-level course outside Philosophy that is relevant to their philosophical interests.

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The Philosophy Minor

Requirements for all Philosophy minors

All Philosophy minors complete seven Philosophy courses (21 credit hours), including the following two required courses (6 credit hours): 

  • PHIL 1001 – Foundations in Philosophy ​or PHIL 1001H – Honors Foundations in Philosophy
  • CORE 4929 – The Service of Faith and Promotion of Justiceor
    CORE 4929H – Honors Service of Faith and Promotion of Justice

Philosophy minors are advised but not required to take PHIL 4000 – Modern Logic (preferred) or PHIL 1000 – Logic.

General minor (no concentration)

In addition to the two required courses above, students who opt to minor in Philosophy without a concentration take

  • any five Philosophy electives (15 credit hours).

Minor with concentration

In addition to the two required courses listed above, students who opt to minor in Philosophy with a concentration take

  • three Philosophy electives (9 credit hours) in their area of concentration plus
  • any two further Philosophy electives (6 credit hours).

With the approval of their Philosophy advisor, students may replace one Philosophy elective (either a general elective or an elective in a concentration) with an upper-level course outside Philosophy that is relevant to their philosophical interests.

Concentration Courselists

Ethics, Values, and Society

Choose three of the following seven options:

or
       		 Theory of Ethics or
       Ethics and the Function of Reason
Philosophy of the Environment
PHIL 3470 Philosophy of Technology
or
       		 The Ethics of Intimacy or
       Philosophy of Disability
Philosophy of Race
Feminist Philosophy
or
       		 Contemporary Ethical Problems or
       Biomedical Ethics

Philosophy for the Health Professions

Choose three of the following seven options:

 or
       		 Introduction to Cognitive Science or
       Philosophy of Mind
Theory of Ethics
Philosophy of the Environment
or
       		 Epistemology or
       Philosophy of Science
or
       		 The Ethics of Intimacy or
       Philosophy of Disability
Contemporary Ethical Problems
Biomedical Ethics

Philosophy for the Legal Professions

Choose three of the following seven options:

or
       		 Theory of Ethics or
       Contemporary Ethical Problems
or
       		 Narrating Freedom: Gender, Race and Mass Incarceration or
       Global Justice 
or
       		 Philosophy of Race or
       Feminist Philosophy
Marx and Marxism
Political Philosophy
Philosophy and History of Crime and Punishment
PHIL 4750   Philosophy of Law ( in Spring 25)

 

Ready to declare a major or minor in Philosophy?