2. Area Philosophy Coursework – Semester Hours: 15
15 semester hours in 100-level Philosophy coursework as detailed below:
1) Reasoning – Semester Hours: 3
150, 152, 154
2) History of Philosophy – Semester Hours: 3
114, 141, 143, 145, 147, 148, 182
3) Value – Semester Hours: 3:
130, 131, 133, 136, 137, 138, 166, 170
4) Knowledge & Reality – Semester Hours: 3
161, 163, 164, 165, 168, 180, 180a, 180b
5) Additional 100-level Philosophy Course – Semester Hours: 3
1 course (3 or 4 cr.), selected from any 100-level PHI course
3. Electives – Semester Hours: 12
12 additional semester hours in PHI coursework.
• Multi-disciplinary option:
A student who has a second or third major in another field may, under advisement and at the discretion of the Philosophy Dept. Chair, count one 100-level course of one of the other majors outside of PHI toward the elective requirement of the PHI major if the subject matter is suitable.
• Students interested in graduate school in philosophy are strongly advised to take the following courses: PHI 141; 143; 154; 014 or 170; 180, 180A or 180B
• Students interested in law school are strongly advised to take the following courses: PHI 015, 120, 121; 150 or 154
• Students who take PHI 183 or 184 in partial satisfaction of a philosophy major or minor may take it on a Pass/D+/D/Fail basis.
4. Departmental Honors
A student does not have to be a member of Honors College to do Departmental Honors. The Philosophy Department encourages any Philosophy major with an overall GPA of at least 3.4 and a department GPA of at least 3.5 in philosophy to consider writing an Honors Thesis and standing for Departmental Honors. A minimum of 15 s.h. in philosophy is required – 18 s.h. in philosophy is strongly recommended – before attempting an honors thesis. Departmental Honors involves developing an independent research project, in consultation with a philosophy department faculty advisor. The project culminates in a 30- to 50-page essay, which a student defends before a committee of philosophy department faculty. It is recommended that students begin to consult with a faculty advisor in the spring of their junior year. Departmental Honors work should be carried out over a period of two semesters – usually the fall and spring of senior year – with the goal of completing the thesis by mid-April of the senior year, allowing time for presentation, defense, and revision. With the approval of the Department Chairperson, the student registers for PHI 193, Honors Essay in each of those semesters.