Philosophy Major
Program Requirements
- Total Units Required: 27 units
- At least 15 units must be at the 3000 level
- At least 6 units must be at the 4000 level
- No more than 3 units of credit in PHIL 4998 or PHIL 5000 Independent Work can be counted toward the 6 units of 4000-level coursework.
- Grade Requirement: C- or above; Pass/No Pass grades do not count toward major requirements
Majors are encouraged to take more than the minimum number of courses, especially if they are considering graduate work in philosophy. Majors who are planning to do graduate work in philosophy should attain reading proficiency in German, Greek, Latin, or French.
Required Courses
Core Area Requirements
Majors must complete at least one course in each of the three core areas:
- Contemporary Language, Epistemology, Mind & Metaphysics
- Historical Philosophy
- Value Theory
A course cannot count towards more than one core area. The courses that will satisfy each core area are listed below.
Contemporary Language, Epistemology, Mind, & Metaphysics (3 units):
| Code | Title | Units |
|---|---|---|
| PHIL 3000 | Philosophy of Medicine | 3 |
| PHIL 3020 | Philosophy of Language | 3 |
| PHIL 3091 | Theory of Knowledge | 3 |
| PHIL 3100 | Philosophy of Mind | 3 |
| PHIL 3110 | Mind and Morals | 3 |
| PHIL 3130 | Philosophy of Science | 3 |
| PHIL 3140 | Philosophy of Biology | 3 |
| PHIL 3150 | Philosophy of Religion | 3 |
| PHIL 3250 | Introduction to Metaphysics | 3 |
| PHIL 3310 | Philosophy of Emotions | 3 |
| PHIL 3320 | Art and the Mind-Brain | 3 |
Historical Philosophy (3 units):
| Code | Title | Units |
|---|---|---|
| CLASSICS 3800 | Ancient Greek and Roman Medicine | 3 |
| PHIL 3240 | Ancient Philosophy | 3 |
| PHIL 3260 | Descartes to Hume | 3 |
| PHIL 3290 | Kant and 19th-Century Philosophy | 3 |
| PHIL 3300 | Conceptual Foundations of Modern Science | 3 |
| PHIL 3340 | Existentialism | 3 |
Value Theory (3 units):
| Code | Title | Units |
|---|---|---|
| PHIL 3110 | Mind and Morals | 3 |
| PHIL 3160 | Classical Ethical Theories | 3 |
| PHIL 3170 | Feminist Philosophy | 3 |
| PHIL 3190 | Philosophy of the Arts | 3 |
| PHIL 3200 | Social and Political Philosophy | 3 |
| PHIL 3220 | Issues in Applied Ethics | 3 |
| PHIL 3230 | Philosophy of Law | 3 |
| PHIL 3310 | Philosophy of Emotions | 3 |
| PHIL 3320 | Art and the Mind-Brain | 3 |
The Writing Intensive Seminar
Majors are encouraged to fulfill their writing intensive requirement by taking PHIL 3390 Philosophical Writing. A philosophy major who does not take the Philosophy Writing Intensive Seminar must take a fourth core course from any of the three core areas. Students typically take Philosophical Writing during their junior year.
The course is offered every fall and is limited to 15 students. However, registration priority is given to philosophy majors and minors who have not yet completed their writing intensive requirements. Significant attention is devoted to conceiving, researching, writing, revising, critiquing and presenting philosophical essays.
Capstone Requirement
All philosophy majors are required to complete a capstone experience either by writing an honors thesis (PHIL 4998) or by taking PHIL 3990 Philosophy Capstone.
Capstone Course
Please note that the capstone course is offered only in the spring semester. Students will need to plan their class schedules accordingly. Only philosophy majors with senior standing may take this course, and preference is given to students not pursuing Honors. The course will draw together a variety of different philosophical areas.
Senior Honors Thesis
The Honors Thesis is a two-semester course PHIL 4998 taken during a student's senior year. Students will apply in the spring of their junior year. To qualify, students must meet the following:
- Must have a minimum philosophy major GPA of 3.5
- Must have a minimum GPA of at least 3.5 in 3000- and 4000-level philosophy courses
- Must have a minimum overall GPA of 3.65
Students must have the agreement of a faculty member to serve as their thesis advisor. For important additional information regarding Senior Honors, please visit the Department's Undergraduate Honors webpage.
Additional Information
- The Department of Philosophy does not typically count summer courses toward the major.
- No course can count toward more than one requirement.
Study Abroad
The Department has special study abroad arrangements with University College, London; King's College, London; Trinity College, Dublin (Ireland); Sussex University (U.K.); Utrecht University (the Netherlands); and the University of Auckland (New Zealand). Information about study abroad and specific overseas programs is available on the Department of Philosophy's Study Abroad Page. Philosophy majors interested in studying abroad are strongly encouraged to meet with Philosophy's Director of Undergraduate Studies (DUS) prior to going abroad.
Please note that the Department of Philosophy does not typically count study abroad courses as 4000-level courses towards the major. Majors will be expected to satisfy their core area requirements with courses taken at Washington University.
No more than 6 units can be transferred from other institutions and/or study abroad programs.
Specializations
The Department of Philosophy offers the following specializations. For more information about them, please visit the Department of Philosophy website.
- Philosophy Research Specialization
- Law and Policy Specialization
- Philosophy of Science Specialization
Contact Info
| Phone: | 314-935-6670 |
| Email: | philosophy@wustl.edu |
| Website: | http://philosophy.artsci.wustl.edu |