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 121 | GN: Bioethics | 3 credits |
| PHIL 251 | GN: Ancient Philosophy | 3 credits |
| PHIL 281 | GN: Philosophy of Mind | 3 credits |
| PHIL 321 | Logic II | 3 credits |
| PHIL 337 | Contemporary Ethics | 3 credits |
| PHIL 417 | 20th Century Analytic Philosophy | 3 credits |
| PHIL 418 | Phenomenology and Existentialism | 3 credits |
| PHIL 457 | Kant 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 110 | GN: Introduction to Philosophy | 3 credits |
| PHIL 221 | GN: Logic I | 3 credits |
| PHIL 231 | GN: Ethics | 3 credits |
| | | |
| PHIL 355 | Rationalism and Empiricism | 3 credits |
| OR | | |
| PHIL 356 | Rationalists of the 17th and 18th Centuries | 3 credits |
| OR | | |
| PHIL 357 | Empiricists of the 17th and 18th Centuries | 3 credits |
| Total Credit Hours: | 12 |
(2) Leadership in Diverse Communities Concentration
30 credits
Required Courses:
| PHIL 110 | GN: Introduction to Philosophy | 3 credits |
| PHIL 140 | GN: Introduction to Africana Philosophy | 3 credits |
| PHIL 151 | GN: Philosophy of Leadership | 3 credits |
| PHIL 340 | Philosophy of Race, Gender, and Culture | 3 credits |
| Total Credit Hours: | 12 |
Choose four courses from the following list:
| PHIL 213 | GN: Black Humanism | 3 credits |
| PHIL 231 | GN: Ethics | 3 credits |
| PHIL 238 | GN: Philosophy Of Law | 3 credits |
| PHIL 312 | Cross-Cultural Philosophy | 3 credits |
| PHIL 337 | Contemporary Ethics | 3 credits |
| PHIL 411 | Philosophy 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 140 | GN: Introduction to Africana Philosophy | 3 credits |
| PHIL 213 | GN: Black Humanism | 3 credits |
| PHIL 251 | GN: Ancient Philosophy | 3 credits |
| PHIL 265 | GN: Philosophy of Religion | 3 credits |
| PHIL 270 | GN: Religions of Asia | 3 credits |
| PHIL 271 | GN: Islam | 3 credits |
| PHIL 419 | 20th 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 110 | GN: Introduction to Philosophy | 3 credits |
| PHIL 212 | GN: Asian Thought and Culture | 3 credits |
| PHIL 312 | Cross-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 103 | English 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 105 | Health Promotion and Lifetime Wellness | 3 credits |
| Total Credit Hours: | 15 |
Spring
Senior Year
Fall
Spring
Total Credit Hours: 120
For more information, contact the department at 570-422-3601. esu.edu/phil