Undergraduate Catalog 2017-2018

Philosophy B.A.

Coordinator: Dr. James Winchester

Philosophy is at the core of the liberal arts. Our program offers a wide variety of discussion based seminars in both Western and Non-Western philosophy. Working with primary texts, we help students to develop their critical thinking and writing skills. Our courses concentrate on issues which are relevant to students' lives such as how to live, the nature of justice, the role of reason and emotion in a good life and the meaning and role of art in our lives.

After graduation our students have gone on to graduate school, law school, the Peace Corps, non profit organizations and private industry.

Degree Requirements

Areas A-E (See Core section of the Catalog) (42 semester hours)

Area F (18 semester hours)

PHIL 2010Survey of Philosophy

3

PHIL 2020Logical & Critical Thinking

3

Foreign Language

0 - 9

Any 1000-2000 level course in ARTS, ECON, HIST, IDST, MUSC, POLS, PSYC, RELI, RHET, SOCI, or THEA

3-15

PHIL 2010: unless already completed in Area C

Foreign Language: must show competence at the level of the fourth university course (FREN, GRMN, ITAL or SPAN 2002 Intermediate Readings)

Notes: A course taken to satisfy an Area F requirement may not also be counted to satisfy a Major Requirement. Any transfer student who has not completed the courses in Area F, or their equivalents, must take these courses at GC.

Major Requirements (24 semester hours)

9 hours chosen from three of the five areas below:

Ethics
PHIL 4410Ethical Theory

3

or

PHIL 4680Environmental Ethics

3

or

a PHIL special topics course in this area

Non-Western Philosophy
PHIL 4305Myth, Magic and Psychoanalysis

3

PHIL 4420Philosophy of Religion

3

PHIL 4610Confucianism & Daoism

3

or

a PHIL special topics course in area

Social and Political Philosophy
PHIL 4340Social & Political Philosophy

3

PHIL 4675Philosophy of Law

3

or

a PHIL special topics course in this area

History of Philosophy
PHIL 4605Existentialism

3

or

a PHIL special topics course in this area

Philosophy of Art
PHIL 4310Phil of Art & Art of Living

3

or

a PHIL special topics course in this area

Successful completion of a senior capstone experience

Students will submit a research paper written in a Philosophy course to a conference or journal in consultation with the advisor.

Major electives (15 hours)

Additional courses in Philosophy (PHIL) at the 3000-4000 level not counted in another major area

One 3-hour course from a related discipline may be counted as a major elective, with the approval of the department chair and advisor

Pre-Law Concentration (12 semester hours)

Students may complete a concentration in Pre-Law as part of their Philosophy major by completing the following courses.  These courses may be used toward electives in the major.

PHIL 4340Social & Political Philosophy

3

PHIL 4410Ethical Theory

3

PHIL 4675Philosophy of Law

3

PHIL 4680Environmental Ethics

3

Religion Concentration (12 semester hours)

Students may complete a concentration in Religion as part of their Philosophy major by completing four of the following courses.  These courses may be used toward electives in the major.

RELI 3950 Special Topics: History of Buddhism in Asia
PHIL 4950 Special Topics: Philosophy of Religion
RELI 3950 Special Topics: South Asian Buddhism
RELI 3940 Hindu Religious Tradition
PHIL 4950 Special Topics: Confucianism and Daoism
RELI 3310 The Hebrew Bible
RELI 3950 Special Topics: Introduction to Hinduism
HIST 4405 Religion in American History
SOCI 4950 Special Topics: Sociology of Religion

Total Credit Hours: 120

Foreign Language Requirement (3-12 semester hours)

Students must show competence in a foreign language at the level of the fourth university course (2002). (3-12 hours)

Other Requirements

  • A grade of C or better must be earned in each course that counts toward major requirements and in the senior capstone.
  • A minimum of 39 hours overall must be at the 3000-4000 level.
  • The first-year academic seminar must be completed with a satisfactory grade. Students who transfer to GCSU are exempt from this requirement.
  • Exit Survey / Information
  • Portfolio of papers to include Senior Thesis