The philosophy major introduces the student to the tradition of philosophical
reasoning about the nature of the world, the limits of human knowledge, and the
proper course of human conduct. The curriculum is designed to introduce students
to the full range of philosophical thinking, from ontology and metaphysics to
ethics and epistemology. Rather than stress a particular content or approach to
philosophy, the goal of the program is to graduate majors who have developed the
habit of thinking and writing about complex philosophical issues in a critical
and rigorous manner.
The philosophy program emphasizes the reading of primary texts in the
philosophical tradition. In sharp contrast to the deductive presentation favored
by many textbooks that conceal the origin of the knowledge they present, the use
of primary texts permits the student to follow the path of discovery traveled by
the founders of the philosophical tradition. This approach encourages a
confidence in the ability to reason by showing students that they are equally
capable of using reason to resolve difficult problems. This unique training is
an ideal course of study for students who desire a solid liberal arts
education.
A philosophy major is an excellent preparation for graduate or professional
school and provides an outstanding foundation for careers in journalism,
politics, civil service, advertising, law, medicine, public policy, education,
business, marketing and public relations.
Philosophy also is an ideal double major for those seeking to combine a solid
training in the liberal arts with a more practically oriented vocational
degree.
All philosophy courses listed count toward a major in philosophy. A major
consists of at least 30 credit hours of philosophy courses and a maximum of 42
credit hours. The major consists of seven required courses and three
electives.
In addition, all philosophy majors must satisfy the University speech
requirement by taking a speech intensive course, such as Introduction to General
Speech Communication (COMM 201SI) or Introduction to Persuasive Speaking (COMM
202SI).
The philosophy major is offered both as a Bachelor of Science and as a
Bachelor of Arts degree.
MAJOR REQUIREMENTS
| Code |
Course |
Credit |
| PHIL 101 |
Introduction to Philosophy |
3 |
| PHIL 212 |
Ethics |
3 |
| PHIL 301 |
Ancient Philosophy |
3 |
| PHIL 303 |
Modern Philosophy |
3 |
| PHIL 330 |
Symbolic Logic |
3 |
| PHIL 375 |
Selected Topics in Philosophy |
3 |
| PHIL 423WI |
Philosophy Seminar |
3 |
| |
Total: |
21 |
Additionally, choose three (3) additional courses from the following to
complete the major:
|
|
|
| Code |
Course |
Credit |
| PHIL 214 |
Biomedical Ethics |
3 |
| PHIL 215 |
Environmental Ethics |
3 |
| PHIL 221 |
Philosophy of Art |
3 |
| PHIL 305 |
Philosophy of Religion |
3 |
| PHIL 311 |
Political Philosophy |
3 |
| PHIL 331 |
Existentialism |
3 |
| PHIL 375 |
Selected Topics in Philosophy
(May be repeated for credit
with topic change) |
3 |
| PHIL 423WI |
Philosophy Seminar
(May be repeated for credit with
topic change) |
3 |
| |
Total: |
24 |
MINOR REQUIREMENTS
A minor in Philosophy consists of at least 15 credit hours, of which a
minimum of nine hours must be in courses numbered 300 or above.