Philosophy majors, whether pursuing the general course of study in philosophy or specializing in either Law and Philosophy or Ethics, are required to complete a total of 10 PHL courses, for a total of 10 course units (See Philosophy Major).
Philosophy Major/Minor Departmental Specializations
- Law and Philosophy
- Ethics
Philosophy minors specializing in Law and Philosophy or in Ethics must ensure that, in choosing courses that satisfy the above-listed requirements, they also satisfy certain additional requirements of these specializations In particular, minors specializing in Law and Philosophy must complete PHL 275 and PHL 375 (the fifth course towards the minor must be at the 300 level or above). Minors specializing in Ethics must complete either PHL 135 or PHL 255, PHL 350, and PHL 430. Because the philosophy minor may be tailored to any number of specific needs and interests, students who are considering a minor in philosophy may wish to consult with the department chair before selecting a particular sequence of courses.
Law and Philosophy
PHL 275/Philosophy of Law
PHL 375/Equality in Law and Ethics
Senior project or thesis on a topic in the area of law and philosophy.
Ethics
PHL 255/Biomedical Ethics
PHL 350/Ethical Theory
PHL 430/Advanced Ethics
Senior project or thesis on a topic in the area of ethics.
Students interested in pursuing a specialization in Law and Philosophy should contact Professor Roberts. Students interested in pursuing a specialization in Ethics should contact Professor Taylor.
Capstone Courses
The philosophy major requires a capstone course. There are two options: thesis (over 2 semesters) or project (over 1 semester). The thesis capstone is a two semester sequence of PHL 495 (research) and PHL 496 (thesis). It consists of independent work guided by an advisor with whom the student will be working closely on a mutually agreed upon topic. The goal of this capstone is to give students the opportunity to unify skills and knowledge they have previously gained in the major. Prior to registering for PHL 495, students must consult with, and seek the permission of, the department faculty member they wish to work with on the capstone. Registration for PHL 495 can take place only after that faculty member has notified the student of this permission. Significant work as determined by the advisor should be completed for each of PHL 495 and 496.Ordinarily, PHL 495 is completed during the fall term of the senior year and PHL 496 during the spring term.
Students who choose instead to complete a project as their capstone course complete this work over one semester, rather than two. PHL 494/Senior Project is independent work guided by an advisor with whom the student will be working closely on a mutually agreed upon topic over the course of one semester. The goal of this capstone is to give students the opportunity to unify skills and knowledge they have previously gained in the major. Prior to registering for PHL 494, students must consult with, and seek the permission of, the department faculty member they wish to work with on the capstone. Registration for PHL 494 can take place only after that faculty member has notified the student of this permission. Significant work as determined by the advisor should be completed for PHL 494. Students who do not enroll in PHL 495/PHL 496must enroll in PHL 494 as a requirement for graduating with the philosophy major.
Departmental Honors
The Department may award departmental honors in philosophyat graduation to students who have completed a distinguished undergraduate record in philosophy. Rising seniors may qualify for this departmental award by a vote of the philosophy faculty and provided they have completed at least six courses in philosophy with a GPA of 3.6 or better in those courses. Students who are juniors or sophomores may also qualify for departmental honors in certain circumstances.
A departmental award of honors in senior thesis may be awarded to students who complete a PHL 496/Senior Thesis with distinction. These students will have, in addition to their capstone advisor who will serve as first reader, a second reader. If both readers judge the thesis to meet the standard for honors in thesis, the student will be invited to a discuss their work with the two readers to receive that departmental designation.
A departmental award of honors in senior project will be given to students who have completed PHL 494/Senior Project with distinction. Students whose capstone advisor recommends their project for distinction will have a second reader. If both readers judge the project to meet the standard for honors in project, the project will receive this departmental designation.