Students interested in any philosophy major must obtain approval from the Philosophy Department AND register as a philosophy major with the Registrar's Office (Campus Center, Upper Level).
The Standard Major in Philosophy
The Standard Philosophy major requires completion of ten philosophy courses with at least five of the courses at the 300-level or higher. The specific requirements are the following:
- Phil 100 (Introduction to Philosophy)
- Phil 120 (Logic)
- Phil 310 (Ancient Philosophy)
- Phil 312 (Modern Philosophy)
Six additional courses in Philosophy, including at least three at the 300-level or higher.
Note: Philosophy 478, 479, 501 do not normally count toward the satisfaction of the 300-level or higher requirement. No more than two courses at the 100-level may be counted toward the standard Philosophy major.
Ethics and Social and Political Philosophy Major
1. Phil 100 (Introduction to Philosophy)
2. A minimum of five courses from the three following areas, including at least one course from each area.
A. History of Ethics, Social and Political Philosophy Courses in this area include, but are not limited to:
Phil 213 (Nineteenth Century Philosophy), Phil 216 (History of Ethics), Phil 218 (Major Social and Political Thinkers), Phil 297 (Asian Philosophy), Phil 397 (Marxist Philosophy), Phil 405 (African Political Philosophy), Phil 455 (Hegel), Phil 465 (Kant’s Moral Philosophy and Its Critics). Other courses that often count are Phil 227 (Existentialism), Phil 303 (Simone Weil), Phil 310 (Ancient Philosophy), Phil 311 (Medieval Philosophy), Phil 351 (Plato), Phil 357 (Kierkegaard), Phil 381 (Special Topics: Medieval Islamic Philosophy), Phil 452 (Aristotle), Phil 456 (Nietzsche).
B. Theory of Ethics, Social and Political Philosophy Courses in this area include, but are not limited to:
Phil 207 (Civic Education), Phil 209 (Individual and Community), Phil 281 (Special Topics: The Holocaust), Phil 290 (Philosophy of Law), Phil 295 (Egoism and Altruism), Phil 281B (Special Topics: Ethics after Darwin), Phil 318 (Race and Racism), Phil 333 (Ethical Theory), Phil 335 (Utopian Justice), Phil 337 (Third World Political Philosophy), Phil 380 (Social and Political Philosophy), Phil 381 (Special Topics: Advanced Political Philosophy: Ethics and Politics), Phil 395 (Global Ethics), Phil 410 (Feminist Legal Theory), Phil 430 (Literary Theory and Critical Theory), Phil 450 (Rights).
C. Problems in Ethics, Social and Political Philosophy Courses in this area include, but are not limited to:
Phil 108 (Moral and Social Problems), Phil G104 (Justice, Punishment and Reparation), Phil G105 (Contemporary Moral and Social Problems), Phil G106 (Justice and Money), Phil G107 (Self and Society), Phil G109 (Moral Debate in Society, Phil G 110 (Equality and Justice), Phil G130 (Privacy), Phil G201 (Morals and the Law), Phil G205 (The Idea of a Nation), Phil G207 (The Meaning of Life), Phil 200 (African Philosophy), Phil 210 (Philosophy of Education), Phil 215 (Philosophical Foundations of Public Policy), Phil 220 (Environmental Ethics), Phil 222 (Moral Issues in Medicine), Phil 230 (Philosophy and Feminism), Phil 232(Philosophy and Multiculturalism), Phil 265 (Sanity and Madness), Phil 287 (Equality), Phil 307 (Technology and Values), Phil 309 (Ethics of Property), Phil 323 (Mental Health: Law and Public Policy), Phil 388 (Moral Issues). Other courses that often count include Phil 225 (Philosophy of Religion).
3. The completion of ten philosophy courses with at least five of the courses at the 300-level or higher.
Note: Philosophy 478, 479, 501 do not normally count toward the satisfaction of the 300-level or higher requirement. No more than two courses at the 100-level may be counted toward the major in Ethics, Social and Political Philosophy.
Philosophy and Public Policy Major
1. Phil 100 (Introduction to Philosophy) or Phil 108 (Moral and Social Problems) or Phil 209 (Individual and Community)
2. Phil 215 (Philosophical Foundations of Public Policy)
3. Phil 450 (Rights)
4. At least one course from the following applied philosophy courses:
Phil 207 (Civic Education in Liberal Democratic States)
Phil 210 (Philosophy of Education)
Phil 220 (Environmental Ethics)
Phil 222 (Moral Issues in Medicine)
Phil 230 (Philosophy and Feminism)
Phil 232 (Philosophy, Race and Multiculturalism)
Phil 265 (Sanity and Madness)
Phil 287 (Equality)
Phil 307 (Technology and Values)
Phil 323 (Mental Health: Law and Public Policy)
Phil 380 (Social and Political Philosophy)
5. At least two courses from the following offerings in the history and theory of ethics, social and political philosophy:
Phil 216 (History of Ethics)
Phil 218 (Major Social and Political Thinkers)
Phil 290 (Philosophy of Law)
Phil 295 (Egoism and Altruism)
Phil 318 (Race and Racism)
Phil 333 (Ethical Theory)
Phil 351 (Plato)Phil 380 (Social and Political Philosophy)
Phil 395 (Global Ethics)
Phil 410 (Feminist Legal Theory)Phil 452 (Aristotle)
Phil 465 (Kant’s Moral Philosophy and Its Critics)
6. Two public policy cognate courses offered by other departments and programs from a list including but not limited to:
Africana Studies 320 (Problems in Urban Education)
Political Science 203 (Public Policy)
Polsci 335 (Law and Public Policy)
Political Science 347 (Politics, Social Choice and Public Policy)Sociology 360 (Social Policy)
Women’s Studies 330 (Women and Public Policy)
7. Senior Directed Study. This is undertaken in the final semester as a 3-credit independent study project supervised by a member of the Philosophy Department.
8. A total of twelve courses, including the two public policy cognate courses.
Optional internships will be arranged for those students who wish to experience public policy making at state, city, or local levels of government.
Note: Philosophy 478, 479, 501 do not normally count toward the satisfaction of the 300-level or higher requirement. No more than two courses at the 100-level may be counted toward the Philosophy and Public Policy major.
Philosophy and Law Program of Study
1. Phil 100 (Introduction to Philosophy) or Phil 108 (Moral and Social Problems)
2. Phil 120 (Logic)
3. Phil 290 (Philosophy of Law)
4. Phil 410 (Feminist Legal Theory) or Phil 411 (Critical Legal Theory) or Phil 309 (Ethics of Property) or Phil 450 (Rights)
5. PhilLaw 210 (Legislative Labyrinth) (CPCS Legal Education)
6. PhilLaw 300 (Basic Legal Reasoning and Argument) (CPCS Legal Education)
7. Two additional courses from the following list:
Any other law course listed under PhilLaw
Africana Studies 430 (Race and the American Legal Process)
History 378 (American Legal History)
Phil G201 (Morals and Law)
Phil 323 (Mental Health: Law and Public Policy)
Political Science 329 (American Constitutional Law and Theory)
Political Science 332 (Civil Liberties in the US)
Political Science 335 (Law and Public Policy)
Political Science 415 (Law and International Relations)
Sociology L461 (Internship in Law and Criminal Justice)
Sociology L462 (Internship in Law and Juvenile Justice)
Sociology L467 (Sociology of Law)
Women’s Studies 290 (Legal Rights of Women)
Women’s Studies 291 (Family Law)
Women’s Studies 292 (Family Law Practice)
Religious Studies 370 (Religion and Law)
Philosophy Minor
The Philosophy minor is designed to enable students interested in philosophy to become acquainted with important issues in the field while pursuing their major area of study in other disciplines. Philosophy minors must take at least six courses offered by the Department. These must include Phil 100 (Introduction to Philosophy) and at least two courses at the 300-level or above. No more than two courses at the 100-level may be included in the required six. Students are assigned a faculty advisor in Philosophy upon declaring their minor, and receive regular faculty advising on the intermediate and advanced courses they undertake.