Philosophy B.A.
Requirements
(57 units)
Total units required for graduation: 180
Requirements for the B.A. in Philosophy:
Upper-division requirements (57 units)
1. History of Philosophy (12 units)
Twelve units as follows:
PHIL 311. Ancient Philosophy (4)
PHIL 313. History of Modern Philosophy: Knowledge and Reality (4)
PHIL 314. History of Modern Philosophy: Ethics and Politics (4)
2. Logic (4 units)
PHIL 300. Predicate Logic (4)
3. Metaphysics/Language (4 units)
Four units chosen from:
PHIL 380. Metaphysics (4)
PHIL 387. Philosophy of Language (4)
4. Knowledge/Science (4 units)
Four units chosen from:
PHIL 385. Theory of Knowledge (4)
PHIL 386. Philosophy of Science (4)
5. Value Theory (4 units)
Four units chosen from:
PHIL 350. Ethics (4)
PHIL 361A Social and Political Philosophy: Classical Political Theories (4)
PHIL 361B. Social and Political Philosophy: Themes in Social and Political Philosophy (4)
6. Advanced Issues (4 units)
Four units chosen from:
PHIL 400. Advanced Issues in Logic (4)
PHIL 410. Advanced Issues in History of Philosophy (4)
PHIL 460. Advanced Issues in Value Theory (4)
PHIL 472. Advanced Issues in Philosophy of Religion (4)
PHIL 485. Advanced Issues in Metaphysics and Knowledge (4)
7. Senior Project (1 unit)
Phil 516. Senior Project (1)
8. Electives (24 units)
Twenty-four units chosen from philosophy courses with at most eight units at the 100- or 200-level; PHIL 200 must be included among these courses unless it is taken to satisfy the GE Critical Thinking (A4) requirement. No 100- or 200-level course used to satisfy a General Education requirement will be included among courses which count toward the major. No course counts in more than one category of the major; however, for courses such as the Advanced Issues courses which can be repeated with different topics, the different topics may apply in different categories.
Law/Ethics/Politics Emphasis
Students pursuing the Law/Ethics/Politics Emphasis must substitute the following in categories 6 and 8 above:
6. Advanced Issues (4 units)
PHIL 460. Advanced Issues in Value Theory (4)
8. Electives (24 units)
Twenty-four units chosen from philosophy courses with at most eight units at the 100- or 200-level; PHIL 200 must be included among these courses unless it is taken to satisfy the GE Critical Thinking (A4) requirement. In addition, courses in this category must include eight units chosen from:
PHIL 350. Ethics (4)
PHIL 359. Philosophy and Economics (4)
PHIL 361A Social and Political Philosophy: Classical Political Theories (4)
PHIL 361B. Social and Political Philosophy: Themes in Social and Political Philosophy (4)
PHIL 362A. Philosophy of Law: The Concept of Law (4)
PHIL 362B. Philosophy of Law: Morality and the Law (4)
PHIL 362C. Philosophy of Law: Rights and the Law (4)
PHIL 460. Advanced Issues in Value Theory (4)
Four units chosen from:
PHIL 354. Ethics in the Helping Professions (4)
PHIL 355. Contemporary Ethical Issues (4)
PHIL 356. Environmental Ethics (4)
PHIL 358. Business Ethics (4)
No 100- or 200-level course used to satisfy a General Education requirement will be included among courses which count toward the major. No course counts in more than one category of the major; however, for courses such as PHIL 460 which can be repeated with different topics, the different topics may apply in different categories
Philosophy of Religion/Religious Studies Emphasis
Students pursuing the Philosophy of Religion/Religious Studies Emphasis must substitute the following in categories 6 and 8 above:
6. Advanced Issues (4 units)
PHIL 472. Advanced Issues in Philosophy of Religion (4)
8. Electives (24 units)
Twenty-four units chosen from philosophy courses with at most eight units at the 100- or 200-level; PHIL 200 must be included among these courses unless it is taken to satisfy the GE Critical Thinking (A4) requirement. In addition courses in this category must include 12 units chosen from:
PHIL 312. Medieval Philosophy (4)
PHIL 372. Philosophy of Religion (4)
PHIL 373. World Religions (4)
PHIL 375. Non-Western Philosophy (4)
PHIL 472. Advanced Issues in Philosophy of Religion (4)
No 100- or 200-level course used to satisfy a General Education requirement will be included among courses which count toward the major. No course counts in more than one category of the major; however, for courses such as PHIL 472 which can be repeated with different topics, the different topics may apply in different categories.
Critical Thinking: Majors need not satisfy the GE Critical Thinking Requirement with PHIL 200; but students who fulfill the requirement with PHIL 200 thereby satisfy the prerequisite for PHIL 300.
Course Offerings: The Department of Philosophy offers courses required for the major on a regular basis; consult department office or website for the current schedule.
Electives: A major or minor in philosophy is an exceptionally flexible tool. All students should consult with an advisor in planning their course of study. Students interested in law or religion should consider elective courses from the emphases in Law/Ethics/Politics and Philosophy of Religion/Religious Studies. And there are ways to organize electives around additional interests as well, for example:
Graduate Study in Philosophy: Students planning to apply for graduate programs in philosophy should complete at least eight additional units of upper-division philosophy, and emphasize in electives additional courses from the core areas 1 through 6 above. Students may also need to pursue proficiency in one foreign language especially French, German, Latin, or Greek.
Medical/Helping Professions: Students who will pursue careers in medical and helping professions are encouraged to include among their electives at least three courses from among PHIL 191, 350, 354, 355 and 460.
Business or Economics: Students who will pursue careers in business or economics are encouraged to include among their electives at least three courses from among PHIL 191, 350, 356, 358, 359, and 460.
Cognitive Science/Artificial Intelligence: Majors who will pursue careers in these and related fields are encouraged to include among their electives at least three courses from among PHIL 300, 302, 384A, 384B, 400 and 485.
Please refer to the University catalog at http://catalog.csusb.edu for official information.