The Philosophy Major

The Philosophy Major

Students majoring in philosophy complete a minimum of 30 semester hours of philosophy course work, at least 21 of which must be at the upper-division level. The course work must be selected from the groups of courses listed below.

9 hours from Basic Philosophy Courses

(Please note that students are encouraged to take PHIL 1301 and PHIL 2303 as early as possible in their pursuit of the major.)

  • PHIL 1301: Introduction to Philosophy (3hrs)*
  • PHIL 2303: Introduction to Logic and Critical Thinking (3hrs)*
  • PHIL 2306: Introduction to Ethics (3hrs)*

6 hours from History of Philosophy

  • PHIL 3306: History of Eastern Philosophy I (3hrs)
  • PHIL 3307: History of Eastern Philosophy II (3hrs)
  • PHIL 3327: American Philosophy (3hrs)**
  • PHIL 4321: Ancient Philosophy (3hrs)**
  • PHIL 4322: Modern Philosophy (3hrs)**
  • PHIL 4323: Contemporary Philosophy (3hrs)**
 Philosophy begins in wonder.

6 hours from Metaphysics and Epistemology

  • PHIL 3327: American Philosophy (3hrs)**
  • PHIL 4303: Minds and Machines (3hrs)
  • PHIL 4304: Metaphysics (3hrs)
  • PHIL 4305: Epistemology (3hrs)
  • PHIL 4321: Ancient Philosophy (3hrs)**
  • PHIL 4322: Modern Philosophy (3hrs)**
  • PHIL 4323: Contemporary Philosophy (3hrs)**
  • PHIL 4330: Philosophy and History of Science and Technology (3hrs)
  • PHIL 4331: Issues in Philosophy of Religion (3hrs)

3 hours from Values and Society

  • PHIL 3342: Philosophy of Love and Sex (3hrs)
  • PHIL 3343: Philosophy of Law (3hrs)
  • PHIL 3344: Social and Political Philosophy (3hrs)
  • PHIL 3345: The Meaning of Life (3hrs)
  • PHIL 3348: Ethics, War, and Terrorism (3hrs)
  • PHIL 4332: Moral Issues in Contemporary Medicine (3hrs)
  • PHIL 4333: Environmental Ethics (3hrs)
  • PHIL 4335: Moral Philosophy (3hrs)

6 hours from Prescribed Electives

(Please note that students may select (a) courses from the list below, or (b) any other upper-level philosophy courses that they are not using to satisfy the requirements of the groups listed above.)

  • PHIL 3346: Elementary Formal Logic (3hrs)
  • PHIL 3347: Philosophy and Science Fiction (3hrs)
  • PHIL 4336: Advanced Seminar in Philosophy (3hrs)
  • PHIL 4337: Philosophy of Language (3hrs)
  • PHIL 4390: Topics in Philosophy (3hrs)
  • PHIL 4396: Directed Individual Study (1-3hrs)

*May not be taken for both Philosophy credit and Core Curriculum credit. Students who take the course for Core Curriculum credit must take an upper level Philosophy course to meet this Basic Philosophy Course requirement.

**May count towards either the History of Philosophy requirement or the Metaphysics and Epistemology requirement (but cannot be counted towards both requirements).