Degree Requirements

Bachelor of Arts in Philosophy

A major in philosophy involves a core of courses required of all majors, one senior seminar, and 18 elective units in philosophy chosen by the student. Core courses provide overviews of the major areas of philosophy, whereas elective courses may be more specialized or experimental in content and method.

Degree Requirements Summary
Requirements Units
General education 51
Philosophy Major Core 24
Philosophy Major Electives 18
General electives 27
Total units needed for graduation 120
Major Core Requirements
Course #   Course Name Note Units
PHIL 101 Critical Thinking These GE C1 units do not count for the major. 3
PHIL 102 Introduction to Logic   3
PHIL 120 Introduction to Philosophy   3
PHIL 202 Proseminar   3
PHIL 302 Ethics and Value Theory These GE C3 units do not count for the major. 3
PHIL 290 Great Thinkers of the West: Thales to Occam   3
PHIL 295 Great Thinkers of the West: Hobbes to Kant   3
PHIL 305 Epistemology   3
PHIL 310 Metaphysics   3
PHIL 400 Senior Seminar   3
Total Units in Major Core: 24

Teaching of senior seminars rotates among full-time department members, and at least one is offered each semester. PHIL 400 may be repeated twice for credit when the subject matter and instructor are not repeated.

In exceptional cases, the Philosophy Department permits the design of an individual major. A proposal for an individual major must be approved by three members of the full-time faculty selected by the applicant. These three faculty members shall constitute the student's major committee.

The major requirement is thus 42 units: 24 core units and 18 units of electives. Students may petition for elective units to be transferred in from outside the department.

Minor in Philosophy

The minor in philosophy consists of 18 units chosen by the student in consultation with a department advisor. No more than 6 of these 18 units may be lower-division GE courses. The 12 remaining units must be upper division courses offered by the Philosophy Department. Course substitutions must be approved by the Department Chair. All courses must be taken for a grade to count toward the minor. The minor track in philosophy may be designed to emphasize pre-law, pre-med, pre-business, critical thinking, and other applied areas and/or pre-professional programs. Consult the department chair for further information.