Bachelor of Arts in Philosophy

Philosophy is the creative and critical reflection on enduring questions concerning the nature of the world and our place in it. For example, philosophy asks metaphysical questions about what exists, epistemic questions about what we can claim to know, and ethical questions about the nature of the good life and right action. In addition, philosophy involves the study and practice of good reasoning and clear thinking, skills that are essential to any discipline or profession.

Admission Requirements

• Complete the Admission Requirements for Baccalaureate Programs.

Graduation Requirements

• Complete the General University Requirements for Baccalaureate Degrees.
• Complete the General Education Requirements for Baccalaureate Degrees.
• Occasionally, other departments offer courses that are notably relevant for a student's academic focus. Students wishing to count such a course toward their philosophy degree must first consult with the Philosophy Department chair.
• Complete the following major requirements:

A minimum of 120 credits is required for the degree, of which 39 credits must be upper-division. 

Honors in Philosophy

The Bachelor of Arts in Philosophy recognizes distinguished achievement by conferring programmatic honors in philosophy. In order to receive honors in philosophy, a student must meet the following requirements:

• Meet the requirements for a Bachelor of Arts in Philosophy;
• Meet the requirements for Graduation with Honors as outlined in the catalog;
• Maintain a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.75 in courses specific to the philosophy major;
• Complete PHIL A498 with a grade of A, and a recommendation for departmental honors from the student’s faculty committee for this course;
• Notify the chair in writing on or before date on which the Application for Graduation is filed with the Office of the Registrar of the intention to graduate with departmental honors.

Program Student Learning Outcomes

Students completing a BA in Philosophy will be able to:

• Identify, comprehend, analyze, and evaluate complex philosophical arguments in oral and written discourse.
• Understand, analyze, interpret, and apply major works in the areas of the history of philosophy, ethics, and contemporary topics.

Sample Plan

The academic plan below is one pathway through the degree/certificate. It includes all requirements, taking into account recommendations from program faculty. Each student’s plan may vary according to their initial course placement, intended course load, additional majors and/or minors, and their placement into required prerequisite courses. Any change in the plan below can have an unforeseen impact on the rest of the plan. Therefore, it is very important to meet with your academic advisor to verify your personal academic plan.

Please review the following terms, definitions, and resources associated with the sample academic plan below.

• Each course in the far left column links to a pop-up bubble with a course description, prerequisite requirements, and associations with university requirements. For example, if a course fulfills a general education requirement, you will see that in the pop-up bubble.
• GER: indicates a General Education Requirement. GERs that also count toward degree/certificate requirements appear as a specific course in the plan. For these courses, "GER" is not indicated explicitly in the table, but if you click on the course, you will see the course's GER status in the pop-up bubble.
• Program Elective: indicates a specific course selection determined by program faculty to fulfill a degree/certificate requirement. Students should seek assistance from their academic advisor.
• Elective: indicates an open selection of 100-400 level university courses to fulfill elective credits needed to meet the minimum total credits toward the degree/certificate.
• Upper Division Program Elective: indicates a specific 300-400 level course selection determined by the program faculty to fulfill a degree/certificate requirement. Students should seek assistance from their academic advisor.
• Upper Division Elective: indicates an open selection of 300-400 level courses to fulfill elective credits needed to meet the minimum total credits toward the degree/certificate. These courses must be upper division in order to meet General University Requirements for the particular degree/certificate type.