COURSE CURRICULUM

The Bachelor of Arts Philosophy Major requires students to complete a structured combination of lower-level and upper-level courses designed to build a strong foundation in philosophical thinking and advanced critical analysis. At the lower level, students complete 15 credits, including introductory courses in philosophy such as Great Thinkers or Problems and Themes, along with courses in ethics, logic, metaphysics, and epistemology, plus one additional philosophy elective. These courses introduce key philosophical questions about knowledge, reality, and morality while developing reasoning and argumentation skills. At the upper level, students complete 30 credits, including required courses in ethics, major historical philosophical traditions such as rationalism or empiricism, modern European or continental philosophy, and metaphysics or epistemology. Students must also complete a capstone course, PHIL 4280, which integrates their learning and is taken in the final stage of the program, along with additional upper-level philosophy electives. Overall BA requirements allow students to complete between 42 and 60 credits in philosophy, with at least 30 credits at the advanced level. Students must also complete electives outside the discipline and maintain a minimum GPA of 2.0 for graduation. This structure ensures both depth in philosophy and breadth across the arts.