Philosophy, B.A.
Program Description
Philosophy is the art and science of examining unexamined assumptions that we bring to any field or activity: science, politics, religion, or simply our own daily lives. As such, philosophy is the most fundamental discipline, bringing to awareness the fundamental assumptions we have about reality and subjecting them to scrutiny. Philosophy therefore is both an art and a science: it examines our beliefs with the logical rigor of the sciences, but since it looks into our own most cherished beliefs and biases, it cultivates a self-awareness that we associate most commonly with the arts and humanities.
Besides being an exciting adventure in itself, the study of philosophy leads to intellectual habits that are extremely useful and prized in professional life. The law profession is a natural practical application of philosophical reasoning, as are the professions of teaching, journalism, and government service. Our graduates have also gone on to excel in medicine, business, and politics.
Degree Earned
Bachelor of Arts (B.A.)
Required for Graduation
Courses
- Major: 12
Credits
- Major: 36
- Total: 120
GPA
- Major: 2.0
- Cumulative: 2.0
Student Learning Outcomes
- Demonstrate knowledge of the views of some historically important philosophers (e.g., Plato, Aristotle, Kant, Nietzsche, Dewey)
- Present clearly and rigorously in writing an extended argument on a topic of philosophic importance.
- Reflect on one's intellectual and intuitive responses to issues concerning ethical values.
- Comprehend and interpret philosophically significant texts.
Progress Chart
Level One - Core Courses
12 courses and 2 modules required.
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Level One - Core Courses | ||
| Universal Required Courses | ||
| Students must complete the following 4 courses. | ||
| ILO 8.1: Written Communication | ||
| ENG 110 | College Writing I: Persuasion | 3 |
| ILO 5.1: Information Literacy | ||
| ENG 210 | College Writing II: Research | 3 |
| FYS 130 | First-Year Academic Seminar | 3 |
| ILO 2.1: Reflective Thinking and Valuing | ||
| REL 100 | Religion Matters | 3 |
| Elective Core Courses | ||
| Students must complete 1 course in each of the following 4 ILOs. | ||
| ILO 3.1a: Scientific Reasoning | ||
| Choose course within ILO | ||
| ILO 3.1b: Quantitative Reasoning | ||
| Choose course within ILO | ||
| ILO 6.1: Technological Competency | ||
| Choose course within ILO | ||
| ILO 8.1a/12.1: Oral Communication/Collaborative Engagement | ||
| Choose course within ILO | ||
| Distinct Discipline Core Courses | ||
| Students must complete 1 course in each of the following 4 ILOs. Each course must be from a different discipline. (A "discipline" is represented by the 3- or 4-letter prefix attached to each course.) | ||
| ILO 4.1: Critical Analysis and Reasoning | ||
| Choose course within ILO | ||
| ILO 9.1: Creative and Artistic Expression | ||
| Choose course within ILO | ||
| ILO 10.1: Ethical Understanding and Reasoning | ||
| Choose course within ILO | ||
| ILO 11.1: Cultural and Global Awareness and Sensitivity | ||
| Choose course within ILO | ||
| Universal Required Modules | ||
| Students must complete the following 2 non-credit modules. | ||
| ILO 7.1a | ||
| Health Literacy Module | ||
| ILO 7.1b | ||
| Financial Literacy Module | ||
| Major Requirements | ||
| Level Two | ||
| Students must complete 1 course/learning experience in each of the 4 commitments. | ||
| ILO 2.2: Broader Identity (Capstone Course/Experience) | ||
| PHL 480 | Seminar | 3 |
| Select one ILO from 3.2a, 3.2b, 4.2, 5.2, 6.2, 7.2a, or 7.2b: Expanded Literacies | ||
| PHL 264 | Critical Thinking | 3 |
| ILO 8.2b: Effective Expression (Writing-Intensive Course) | ||
| PHL 329 | Contemporary Philosophy | 3 |
| Select one ILO from 10.2, 11.2, or 12.2: Active Responsibility | ||
| PHL 326 | The Dawn of Reason: Ancient Greek Philosophy | 3 |
| All Other Required Courses | ||
| **Note: All Philosophy majors will take PHL 326 and either PHL 151, PHL 152, PHL 153, or PHL 154. Because of the distinct discipline requirement, a student may only apply one of these four PHL 15x courses toward the core. Majors may therefore choose one of the following four options: | ||
| Option A (an option for those taking PHL 151) | ||
ILO 4: PHL 151 | ||
ILO 9: Choose Course within ILO | ||
ILO 10: Choose course within ILO (may not take PHL 152) | ||
ILO 11: Choose course within ILO (to be taken in addition to PHL 326) | ||
| Option B (another option for those taking PHL 151): | ||
ILO 4: Choose course within ILO (to be taken in addition to PHL 151) | ||
ILO 9: Choose course within ILO | ||
ILO 10: Choose course within ILO (may not take PHL 152) | ||
ILO 11: PHL 326 | ||
| Option C (an option for those taking PHL 152): | ||
ILO 4: Choose course within ILO (may not take PHL 151) | ||
ILO 9: Chose course within ILO | ||
ILO 10: PHL 152 | ||
ILO 11: Choose course within ILO (to be taken in addition to PHL 326) | ||
| Option D (another option for those taking PHL 152): | ||
ILO 4: Choose course within ILO (may not take PHL 152) | ||
ILO 9: Choose course within ILO | ||
ILO 10: Choose course within ILO (to be takenin addition to PHL 152) | ||
ILO 11: PHL 326 | ||
| PHL 151 | The Examined Life | 3 |
| PHL 152 | Ethics & The Good Life | 3 |
| PHL 153 | Beauty and the Soul | 3 |
| PHL 154 | God: Beliefs, Proofs, & Doubts | 3 |
| PHL 325 | Symbolic Logic | 3 |
| PHL 311 | Problems of Knowledge | 3 |
| or | ||
| PHL 313 | Metaphysics | 3 |
| or | ||
| PHL 323 | Philosophy of Science | 3 |
| PHL 326 | The Dawn of Reason: Ancient Greek Philosophy | 3 |
| PHL 327 | Angels & Demons: The Romance of Medieval Philosophy | 3 |
| PHL 328 | (Early) Modern Philosophy | 3 |
| PHL 329 | Contemporary Philosophy | 3 |
| PHL 480 | Seminar | 3 |
| Four Philosophy Electives (may not include PHL 151, 152, 153, or 154) | ||
| Free Electives | ||
| In addition to the requirements listed above, students must take enough courses to the fulfill graduation credit requirements for their School and major. | ||
Recommended Course Sequence
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| The following courses are required for the major: | ||
| The Examined Life (OR) | ||
| Ethics & The Good Life (OR) | ||
| Beauty and the Soul (OR) | ||
| God: Beliefs, Proofs, & Doubts | ||
| AND | ||
| The Dawn of Reason: Ancient Greek Philosophy | ||
| History Sequence: | ||
| Angels & Demons: The Romance of Medieval Philosophy | ||
| (Early) Modern Philosophy | ||
| Contemporary Philosophy | ||
| Further Requirements: | ||
| Critical Thinking | ||
| AND | ||
| Problems of Knowledge | ||
| 3 Elective Courses* | ||
*PHL 480 will be taken by a major in his or her senior year in conjuncitons with any 300 level PHL course. In that course the student is expected to produce a substantive research paper or reflective essay beyond the standard requirements for the course. | ||
Dual Major Requirements
The requirements for the double major are the same for those of the single major. Nevertheless, the department is flexible and is willing to count, where possible, courses in the student's other major toward the total credits necessary for the philosophy major. Only 11 credits in Philosophy are required for a dual major with another discipline.
Requirements
6 PHL courses are required for the minor.
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Select one of the following: | 3 | |
| The Examined Life | ||
| Ethics & The Good Life | ||
| Beauty and the Soul | ||
| God: Beliefs, Proofs, & Doubts | ||
| Five 200-400 level courses | 15 | |
| Total Credits | 18 | |
Choices for Philosophy
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| PHL 206 | Social and Political Philosophy | 3 |
| PHL 212 | Current Ethical Issues | 3 |
| PHL 213 | Phil Of Sports | 3 |
| PHL 222 | Love and Human Sexuality | 3 |
| PHL 223 | Perspectives on Death | 3 |
| PHL 260 | Philosophy Explores Photography | 3 |
| PHL 261 | Reason & Reality | 3 |
| PHL 264 | Critical Thinking | 3 |
| PHL 265 | What Is Art? | 3 |
| PHL 266 | Philosophy Looks at Film | 3 |
| PHL 267 | Philosophical Approaches to God | 3 |
| PHL 268 | Topics in Eastern Philosophy | 3 |
| PHL 269 | Work & Culture | 3 |
| PHL 270 | Special Topics | 3 |
| PHL 271 | Special Topics | 3 |
| PHL 272 | Special Topics | 3 |
| PHL 273 | Special Topics | 3 |
| PHL 274 | Special Topics | 3 |
| PHL 275 | Special Topics | 3 |
| PHL 276 | Special Topics | 3 |
| PHL 303 | American Philosophy | 3 |
| PHL 306 | Environmental Philosophy | 3 |
| PHL 308 | The Philosophy of History | 3 |
| PHL 309 | God, Reality, Heaven & Hell: Thomas Aquinas | 3 |
| PHL 310 | Existentialism | 3 |
| PHL 311 | Problems of Knowledge | 3 |
| PHL 313 | Metaphysics | 3 |
| PHL 323 | Philosophy of Science | 3 |
| PHL 325 | Symbolic Logic | 3 |
| PHL 326 | The Dawn of Reason: Ancient Greek Philosophy | 3 |
| PHL 327 | Angels & Demons: The Romance of Medieval Philosophy | 3 |
| PHL 328 | (Early) Modern Philosophy | 3 |
| PHL 329 | Contemporary Philosophy | 3 |
| PHL 330 | The Great Philosophers | 3 |
| PHL 331 | The Great Philosophers | 3 |
| PHL 332 | The Great Philosophers | 3 |
| PHL 333 | The Great Philosophers | 3 |
| PHL 334 | The Great Philosophers | 3 |
| PHL 335 | The Great Philosophers | 3 |
| PHL 336 | The Great Philosophers | 3 |
| PHL 339 | Gender, Body, And Culture | 3 |
| PHL 341 | Minds, Brains, And Zombies | 3 |
| PHL 350 | Business Ethics | 3 |
| PHL 370 | Special Topics | 3 |
| PHL 371 | Special Topics | 3 |
| PHL 372 | Special Topics | 3 |
| PHL 373 | Special Topics | 3 |
| PHL 374 | Special Topics | 3 |
| PHL 375 | Special Topics | 3 |
| PHL 377 | Special Topics | 3 |
| PHL 379 | Special Topics | 3-4 |
| PHL 444 | Research in PHL I | 1-3 |
| PHL 445 | Research in PHL II | 1-3 |
| PHL 470 | Special Topics | 3 |
| PHL 480 | Seminar | 3 |
Course Descriptions
Philosophy
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| PHL 151 | The Examined Life | 3 |
| PHL 152 | Ethics & The Good Life | 3 |
| PHL 155 | The Quest for Meaning: An Inside-Out Course | 3 |
| PHL 206 | Social and Political Philosophy | 3 |
| PHL 212 | Current Ethical Issues | 3 |
| PHL 222 | Love and Human Sexuality | 3 |
| PHL 223 | Perspectives on Death | 3 |
| PHL 260 | Philosophy Explores Photography | 3 |
| PHL 264 | Critical Thinking | 3 |
| PHL 265 | What Is Art? | 3 |
| PHL 266 | Philosophy Looks at Film | 3 |
| PHL 267 | Philosophical Approaches to God | 3 |
| PHL 268 | Topics in Eastern Philosophy | 3 |
| PHL 270 | Special Topics | 3 |
| PHL 303 | American Philosophy | 3 |
| PHL 306 | Environmental Philosophy | 3 |
| PHL 308 | The Philosophy of History | 3 |
| PHL 309 | God, Reality, Heaven & Hell: Thomas Aquinas | 3 |
| PHL 310 | Existentialism | 3 |
| PHL 311 | Problems of Knowledge | 3 |
| PHL 313 | Metaphysics | 3 |
| PHL 323 | Philosophy of Science | 3 |
| PHL 326 | The Dawn of Reason: Ancient Greek Philosophy | 3 |
| PHL 327 | Angels & Demons: The Romance of Medieval Philosophy | 3 |
| PHL 328 | (Early) Modern Philosophy | 3 |
| PHL 329 | Contemporary Philosophy | 3 |
| PHL 330 | The Great Philosophers | 3 |
| PHL 339 | Gender, Body, And Culture | 3 |
| PHL 341 | Minds, Brains, And Zombies | 3 |
| PHL 350 | Business Ethics | 3 |
| PHL 370 | Special Topics | 3 |
| PHL 480 | Seminar | 3 |