Philosophy Major

Goal 1: Students will appreciate the role of arguments in philosophy

Objective 1.1: Students will identify, analyze, evaluate, and construct arguments

Goal 2: Students will demonstrate knowledge of logic (at a level appropriate for undergraduate majors)

Objective 2.1: Students will recognize basic deductive and inductive argument forms as well as different types of informal fallacies

Objective 2.2: Students will evaluate arguments by applying basic logical concepts, such as validity and soundness and strength and cogency 

Goal 3: Students will gain an appreciation for the history of philosophy, including major figures and texts

Objective 3.1: Students will explain and critically engage some of the main ideas, problems, theories, methodologies, or schools of thought from the ancient or medieval periods of Western philosophy

Objective 3.2: Students will explain and critically engage some of the main ideas, problems, theories, methodologies, or schools of thought from the modern or contemporary periods of Western philosophy

Goal 4: Students will display, at a level appropriate for undergraduate majors, the skills required for engaging in philosophy as a specialized academic discipline

Objective 4.1: Students will complete an advanced, seminar-style class resulting in a research paper or project that shows (1) mastery (appropriate to an undergraduate philosophy major) of a particular philosophical problem, area, or text; and (2) the ability to contribute to a specialized discussion of that problem, area or text. 

The traditional undergraduate programs includes a minimum of 120 credits distributed across three components: A General Education component divided into Signature Courses, Variable Courses, and an Integrative Learning requirement; a Major and Divisional component; and Free Electives. In addition to course requirements as specified in each area, students must complete one certified course in each of the following overlay areas¹:

1. Diversity, Globalization or Non-western Area Studies,
2. Ethics Intensive
3. Writing Intensive, and
4. Diversity

¹

Overlay requirements are part of the 120 credit requirements

General Education Signature Courses

See this page about Signature courses. 

General Education Variable Courses

See this page about Variable courses. Six to Nine courses

General Education Overlays

See this page about Overlays.

• Writing Intensive
• Ethics Intensive
• Diversity/Globalization/Non-Western

General Education Integrative Learning Component

See this page about Integrative Learning Component. Three courses:

Electives

14-18 courses

Major Requirements

8 courses:

1. Logic or Symbolic Logic
2. History course: Ancient/Pre-Modern
3. History course: Modern/Contemporary
4. PHL elective course
5. PHL elective course
6. NON-GEP PHL elective
7. PHL 495 Senior Seminar or PHL 395 Junior Seminar
8. GEP Faith and Reason (if taken in Philosophy) or PHL elective Course

Philosophy majors have the option of pursuing one of five tracks:

1. History of Philosophy;
2. Social-Political/Philosophy of Law;
3. Mind, Language, Science; 
4. Philosophy of Religion; and .
5. Arts and Humanities

Philosophy majors have the option of pursuing one of five tracks. Major concentration requirements are the same for all five tracks, though the integrated learning requirements (ILC) will vary from track to track.

History of Philosophy Track

Social-Political/Philosophy of Law Track

Mind, Language, Science Track

Arts and Humanities Track

Philosophy of Religion Track