Major and Minor - Requirements
At the core of any well-rounded life stands the ongoing task of
examining, clarifying, and revising, where necessary, one's beliefs and
values. The study of philosophy bears directly upon this enterprise.
For this reason, all students engaged in liberal education are
encouraged to take one or more basic courses in philosophy and even to
consider a major or minor in philosophy.
Philosophy, in its broadest sense, is the sustained and thoughtful
inquiry into the nature of the universe and the role of human beings
within it. To this end, philosophy aims to develop students' capacity
for independent, critical thinking and to acquaint them with
humankind's efforts to carry out this investigation. The courses
offered by the department emphasize both the mastery of the material
and the development of skills, such as patient, careful reading;
recognition, analysis, and evaluation of arguments; and the clear
presentation and justification of one's own beliefs. Students thus
become more capable of thinking independently.
Thirty-six credits are required for the major. With the
consent of the chairperson of the Department of Philosophy, courses in
other departments may be counted for a philosophy major.
A minor in philosophy consists of 24 credit hours in this
discipline. With the chairperson's permission, certain courses with
substantive philosophical content from other disciplines may count
toward the minor.
Award for Philosophical Excellence
A
book is presented to the student(s) who has demonstrated outstanding
performance in philosophy course work during the academic year. The
department faculty will nominate and evaluate student(s) based on
outstanding philosophical writing and demonstrated excellence in the
classroom. The winner's name will be added to the department's plaque.
