The philosophy major helps students respond to every person’s primary task: becoming the person he or she would like to be.
Philosophy students develop their own morally coherent identity by studying and questioning what great and wise people before them have said about the nature of the good life. At the same time, they develop critical-thinking skills useful in a wide range of careers from law to teaching.
Students majoring in philosophy study historical and contemporary answers to life’s fundamental questions and formulate their own answers. This active learning encourages them to become life-long learners and some will go on to graduate school.
Philosophy is a popular double major, often combined with psychology, business, or, perhaps, political science. Students find the combinations enhance their understanding and make them eminently employable.
| Requirements for the major in Philosophy |
| View core curriculum requirements (34-48 credits). |
| Students majoring or double-majoring in philosophy must fulfill the following requirements: |
| Required Courses |
CREDITS |
| PHI 201, 202, 303, 315 |
12 |
| PHI 304 or PHI 320 |
3 |
| R-PHI 466 Undergraduate Research |
1-3 |
| Three courses from PHI level 100, 200, 300, and 400 offerings |
9 |
| Electives, related or double major |
48-62 |
| Total credits for major |
25-27 |
| Total credits for minor |
18 |
Special Requirements
Seniors majoring in philosophy are required to complete a capstone project, usually a paper, that demonstrates the students’ learning over the course of the major. This project may be done for a course being taken in the senior year or it may be a research project undertaken with a faculty member.
Philosophy Honors Program
Students who meet the following requirements will graduate with honors in the major.
- A minimum cumulative GPA in philosophy of 3.5
- A minimum cumulative overall GPA of 3.0.
- Presentation of some philosophical work, either the student's capstone paper or some other independent research project, in a public forum. The public presentation may include, but is not limited to, a presentation of the paper or project to the Philosophy Club, a poster presentation open to the College, or an Honors colloquium of the College, or the SEPCHE colleges.