Department of Philosophy

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Philosophy is a broad and ancient field of study that explores the most basic and profound questions about human existence. Philosophers seek to understand the nature of reality, knowledge, morality, beauty, justice, and many other topics that affect our lives and values. Philosophy is not a single discipline, but a diverse and rich collection of traditions and methods that aim to clarify and deepen our understanding of ourselves and the world.

Philosophy has two roles. One is to explore big questions about science, art, religion, nature, society and other topics that matter to us. The other is to check its own ideas and those of other fields for mistakes, hidden assumptions, unclear meanings, and contradictions. One of the main aims of philosophy is to help people learn how to make and assess arguments, which are sets of statements that use words in a precise way to support or challenge claims. Studying philosophy helps us develop curiosity, logical thinking, and clear evaluation of ourselves and others. A philosophy degree can equip students with valuable skills and knowledge for various careers. Some examples of possible jobs that training in philosophy can prepare people for are: legal professions, political roles, public policy analysis, cognitive science research, education positions, entrepreneurship ventures, non-profit management, administration roles, business administration jobs, sales and marketing careers, technical writing projects, and ministry work.

The Department of Philosophy offers programs of study leading to the Bachelor of Arts degree with a major in philosophy, a minor in philosophy, a minor in bioethics, and a minor in philosophy of cognitive science.

Departmental Honors

Departmental honors in philosophy are based upon three criteria: (a) general performance in philosophy courses, (b) written work in philosophy and (c) the ability to articulate philosophical ideas orally. First, students must achieve at least a 3.6 grade point average in philosophy courses. Second, those who do so and want to be considered for departmental honors should submit an example of their philosophical writing to the department chairperson early in the semester in which they expect to graduate. Normally this would be a substantial term paper, but two medium-length papers may also be acceptable in some cases. Third, if this work is judged to be of sufficiently high quality, it will be read by the rest of the department, and a conference with the student will be arranged to give him or her an opportunity to discuss the paper (or papers) further with the faculty. The decision to award honors will then be made by the faculty based on all three criteria. Deadlines for submission: October 15 for the fall semester, February 15 for the winter semester.

Course Prerequisites

Except where noted, 1000-and 2000-level courses have no prerequisites. Advanced courses (numbered PHL 3100 to PHL 4970 ) have a general prerequisite of writing proficiency, plus any special requirements listed with the course description.

Department of Philosophy

Departmental Honors

Course Prerequisites

Programs

Courses