PHI 110, 120, 282, 283; and 21 additional credits of philosophy, including 12 credits in third- or fourth-level courses.
Foreign language through the intermediate level, or equivalent reading proficiency as determined by examination upon written request to the philosophy chair. Greek, Latin, French, German, and Spanish are strongly encouraged. Also accepted are Italian, Japanese, Hebrew, or Arabic. Still other languages may be substituted by departmental approval upon written request to the chair. Students with double majors either may meet this requirement as stated or may elect the following alternative: one year of a foreign language and either PHI 260 Language and Form or PHI 361 Philosophy of Language and Theory of Meaning.
Except for the language requirement, all courses required for the major must be taken for a letter grade, and may not be taken on a Pass/No Pass basis. Courses taken to satisfy the language requirement may be taken on a Pass/No Pass basis.
In accordance with Arts and Sciences policy, writing assignments in upper-level philosophy courses will involve a minimum of 3,000 words of college-standard English. Because of the importance placed by the department on clarity of language as essential to clarity of thought, most courses will involve writing assignments in excess of the minimum. All major writing assignments will be criticized and returned for revision.
Learning Outcomes for the BA in Philosophy
1) Students will exhibit knowledge of major figures, issues, and concepts in the history of philosophy and in its current state.
2) Students will exhibit the ability to conduct inquiry through (a) reading both empathically and critically; (b) reasoning and argumentation; and (c) research conducted with appropriate use of textual, visual, online, and/or experiential resources.
3) Students will communicate effectively in speaking and in writing.
4) Students will exhibit growth in attitudes conducive to effective citizenship in a pluralistic democracy, including intellectual curiosity, appreciation of the complexity of philosophical issues, and desire to contribute to their communities.
