Philosophy B.A.

Program Features

The Philosophy B.A. offers three concentrations aligned with the teaching and research strengths of our departments, as well as reflecting the interests of students who major in Philosophy.

Choose one of the three concentrations:  

  • (1) Knowledge and Critical Reasoning
  • (2) Leadership in Diverse Communities
  • (3) Religion and Global Thought

(1) Knowledge and Critical Reasoning Concentration

30 credits

Choose four courses from the following list:

PHIL 121GN: Bioethics

3 credits

PHIL 251GN: Ancient Philosophy

3 credits

PHIL 281GN: Philosophy of Mind

3 credits

PHIL 321Logic II

3 credits

PHIL 337Contemporary Ethics

3 credits

PHIL 41720th Century Analytic Philosophy

3 credits

PHIL 418Phenomenology and Existentialism

3 credits

PHIL 457Kant and German Idealism

3 credits

Total Credit Hours:12

Six additional Philosophy credits:

PHIL XXX(6) Philosophy credits

6 credits

Total Credit Hours:6

Required Courses:

PHIL 110GN: Introduction to Philosophy

3 credits

PHIL 221GN: Logic I

3 credits

PHIL 231GN: Ethics

3 credits

 

PHIL 355Rationalism and Empiricism

3 credits

OR

PHIL 356Rationalists of the 17th and 18th Centuries

3 credits

OR

PHIL 357Empiricists of the 17th and 18th Centuries

3 credits

Total Credit Hours:12

(2) Leadership in Diverse Communities Concentration

30 credits

Required Courses:

PHIL 110GN: Introduction to Philosophy

3 credits

PHIL 140GN: Introduction to Africana Philosophy

3 credits

PHIL 151GN: Philosophy of Leadership

3 credits

PHIL 340Philosophy of Race, Gender, and Culture

3 credits

Total Credit Hours:12

Choose four courses from the following list:

PHIL 213GN: Black Humanism

3 credits

PHIL 231GN: Ethics

3 credits

PHIL 238GN: Philosophy Of Law

3 credits

PHIL 312Cross-Cultural Philosophy

3 credits

PHIL 337Contemporary Ethics

3 credits

PHIL 411Philosophy and Hip-Hop

3 credits

Total Credit Hours:12

Six additional Philosophy credits:

PHIL XXX(6) Philosophy credits

6 credits

Total Credit Hours:6

Total Credit Hours: 30

(3) Religion and Global Thought Concentration

30 credits

Choose four courses from the following list:

PHIL 140GN: Introduction to Africana Philosophy

3 credits

PHIL 213GN: Black Humanism

3 credits

PHIL 251GN: Ancient Philosophy

3 credits

PHIL 265GN: Philosophy of Religion

3 credits

PHIL 270GN: Religions of Asia

3 credits

PHIL 271GN: Islam

3 credits

PHIL 41920th Century French Philosophy

3 credits

Total Credit Hours:12

Six additional Philosophy credits:

PHIL XXX(6) Philosophy credits

6 credits

Total Credit Hours:6

Required Courses:

PHIL 110GN: Introduction to Philosophy

3 credits

PHIL 212GN: Asian Thought and Culture

3 credits

PHIL 312Cross-Cultural Philosophy

3 credits

Total Credit Hours:12

Total Credit Hours: 30

Additional Requirements for all three concentrations

  • No more than one 100-level course in Philosophy (or transferred course equivalent to a 100-level course) may count toward the major.
  • No more than 15 transferred credits may count toward the major.
  • Completion of the Foreign Language Competency.

PHIL 110, PHIL 221, PHIL 231, and PHIL 251 are taught every year.

All other courses are offered on a two-year rotation. 

Therefore, the order of years 3 and 4 in the Program Curriculum may be switched, depending on the year of entry. The students may start taking 200-level elective courses with prerequisites once PHIL 110 has been completed. 300- and 400-level courses should not be taken at least until the second year.

4 Year Curriculum Program Plan

(Subject to change by the university without notice)

Freshman Year

Fall

PHIL ____PHIL "Required Course" for Concentration

3 credits

MLXX ____Foreign Language I

3 credits

ENGL 103English Composition

3 credits

GN:____ General Education Elective - Natural Sciences

3 credits

GN:____ General Education Elective - Social Science

3 credits

Total Credit Hours:15

Spring

PHIL ____PHIL "Required Course" for Concentration

3 credits

MLXX ____Foreign Language II

3 credits

GN:____ General Education Elective - Arts & Letters

3 credits

GN:____ General Education Elective - Natural Sciences

3 credits

GN:____ General Education Elective - Social Science

3 credits

Total Credit Hours:15

Sophomore Year

Fall

PHIL ____PHIL "Required Course" for Concentration

3 credits

XXXX ___Elective

3 credits

GN:____ General Education Elective - Arts & Letters

3 credits

GN:____ General Education Elective - Natural Sciences

3 credits

GN:____ General Education Elective - Social Science

3 credits

Total Credit Hours:15

Spring

PHIL ____PHIL "Required Course" for Concentration

3 credits

XXXX ___Elective

3 credits

XXXX ___Elective

3 credits

GN:____ General Education Elective - Natural Sciences

3 credits

GN:____ General Education Elective - Social Science

3 credits

Total Credit Hours:15

Junior Year

Fall

PHIL ____PHIL "Choose four" Course for Concentration

3 credits

PHIL ____PHIL "Choose four" Course for Concentration

3 credits

GN:____ General Education Elective - Natural Sciences

3 credits

GN:____ General Education Elective - Social Science

3 credits

HPLW 105Health Promotion and Lifetime Wellness

3 credits

Total Credit Hours:15

Spring

PHIL ____PHIL "Choose four" Course for Concentration

3 credits

XXXX ___Elective

3 credits

XXXX ___Elective

3 credits

XXXX ___Elective

3 credits

XXXX ___Elective

3 credits

Total Credit Hours:15

Senior Year

Fall

PHIL ____PHIL "Choose four" Course for Concentration

3 credits

PHIL ____PHIL Elective

3 credits

XXXX ___Elective

3 credits

XXXX ___Elective

3 credits

XXXX ___Elective

3 credits

Total Credit Hours:15

Spring

PHIL ____PHIL Elective

3 credits

XXXX ___Elective

3 credits

XXXX ___Elective

3 credits

XXXX ___Elective

3 credits

XXXX ___Elective

3 credits

Total Credit Hours:15

Total Credit Hours: 120

For more information, contact the department at 570-422-3601. esu.edu/phil