Traditional Philosophy Major
This option is most appropriate for students wanting a broad and well-balanced grounding in the whole field of philosophy, and for those intending to go on to graduate work in philosophy, theology, or other areas.

The traditional philosophy major is also an excellent preparation for law school. It should be noted that philosophy majors, as a group, generally outperform students from almost all other disciplines when it comes to entrance exams for graduate school: the GRE (general exam for graduate school), the LSAT (law school exam), and even the MCAT (medical school exam).

Requirements for students beginning college
fall 2006 or later

At least 40 of a student's 120 hours must be in upper-division courses.
PHIL 101 [H] Introduction to Philosophy*
PHIL 201 [H] Elementary Logic
PHIL 320 [H] History of Ancient & Medieval Philosophy
PHIL 321 [H] History of Modern Philosophy
PHIL 495 [M]** Senior Seminar

One of these:
PHIL 314 [G,M] Philosophies & Religions of India
PHIL 315 [G,M] Philosophies & Religions of China & Japan

One of these:
PHIL 322 [H] Nineteenth-Century Philosophy
PHIL 420 Contemporary Continental Philosophy

One of these:
PHIL 325 [M] History of Analytic Philosophy
PHIL 442 [M] Analytic Philosophy of Mind
PHIL 443 Philosophy of Language

One of these:
PHIL 446 Metaphysics
PHIL 447 Theory of Knowledge

One of these:
PHIL 460 [M] Ethical Theory
PHIL 472 [M] Social and Political Philosophy

Plus 6 additional hours of philosophy electives; total 36 hours.

For requirements for students beginning college
prior to fall 2006, please see an advisor.

* While PHIL 101 is the normal beginning point for most students in philosophy, it is not absolutely required. Students in the Honors College will presumably have begun with PHIL 198 instead. Or, where a student seems already interested in a particular area of philosophy and begins with a different course, the department does not require the student take PHIL 101, but instead would accept an additional philosophy elective in its place.

** This (along with other [M] courses) satisfies the Writing in the Major requirement, which pertains to all majors within the University. The following is a list of courses which meet the [M] requirement in philosophy: PHIL 314, PHIL 315, PHIL 325, PHIL 442 (450), PHIL 460, PHIL 462, PHIL 472(445), PHIL 495.