Bachelor of Arts in Philosophy
Program Contact: Jennifer Sacco 203-582-8972
Philosophy is an ancient project, but one that continues to evolve as humans respond ethically to challenges in the coming century: peace, environmental sustainability, globalization, technology, the needs for health and security, and the yearning for love and justice. The philosophy major is structured to equip students with the conceptual tools and techniques of inquiry necessary to arrive at thoughtful responses to the world’s challenges through their knowledge of different eras, themes and figures in the history of philosophy, both inside and outside the Western tradition.
Students learn to reflect critically, ethically and holistically on the significance of these tools and techniques to their own lives and to the world they are about to inherit. Students develop analytical and research skills in philosophical inquiry as they explore the history of philosophy and the current status of the main problems in epistemology, metaphysics and ethics.
Students who major in philosophy develop competence in reasoning techniques, and will appraise the validity (and invalidity) of arguments, expose hidden assumptions, recognize fallacies and make a precise and coherent case in support of their own views. Philosophy graduates will be skilled in combining and synthesizing information from a wide range of sources, and in reflecting on their own thinking and experience. Students complete the major with a senior seminar in which they isolate and define a specific philosophical question that they explore in a senior thesis.
BA in Philosophy Curriculum
Students must obtain a minimum grade of C in all philosophy courses. No more than 6 credits of independent study (PL 299, PL 399) may count toward completion of the major. Students majoring in philosophy must meet the following requirements:
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| University Curriculum 1 | 46 | |
| College of Arts and Sciences Curriculum 2 | 21-24 | |
| Philosophy Core Requirements | ||
| PL 101 | Introduction to Philosophy | 3 |
| PL 102 | Introduction to Ethics | 3 |
| PL 103 | Logical Reasoning | 3 |
| PL 332 | Ancient Philosophy | 3 |
| PL 333 | Modern Philosophy | 3 |
| PL 401 | Senior Seminar | 3 |
| Electives | ||
| Select six philosophy or cognate courses: | 18 | |
Philosophy courses: | ||
| Bioethics | ||
| Philosophy of Science | ||
| Philosophy of Language | ||
| Philosophy of Mind | ||
| Philosophy of Technology, Environment and Social Transformation | ||
| Philosophy of Sport (SPS 240) | ||
| Philosophy of Art | ||
| Diverse Global Philosophies | ||
| Philosophy of Religion | ||
| Independent Study in Philosophy | ||
| Philosophy of War and Peace (PO 312) | ||
| Thought and Work of Albert Schweitzer (SL: Service Learning) | ||
| Philosophy and Gender (WS 330) | ||
| Philosophy of Humor | ||
| Medieval Philosophy | ||
| Contemporary Social and Political Philosophy (PO 336) | ||
| Human Rights: Theory and Practice (PO 337) | ||
| Paradoxes | ||
| Philosophy of Sex and Love | ||
| Philosophy of Death and Dying | ||
| Critical Game Studies (GDD 395) | ||
| Directed Research in Philosophy | ||
Cognate courses: 3 | ||
| Intelligent Systems | ||
| The Age of Pericles | ||
| Political Theory | ||
| American Political Thought | ||
| Democratic Theory and Practice | ||
| Sociological Theory | ||
| Free Electives | 17-20 | |
| Total Credits | 120-126 | |
| 1 | All students must complete the University Curriculum requirements. |
| 2 | Students must complete the College of Arts and Sciences Curriculum requirements specific to their major. See details below. |
| 3 | In addition to philosophy courses, a student may count up to two of the cognate courses toward completion of the philosophy major. |
College of Arts and Sciences Curriculum
The College of Arts and Sciences offers bachelor of arts and bachelor of science degrees. Students earning either degree must complete one foreign language through the 102-level, and all students are encouraged to pursue a balanced program of study.
In addition, students earning a bachelor of arts degree must fulfill separate requirements for breadth and depth of study.
For the breadth requirement, students must complete at least 3 credits in each of the four CAS disciplinary areas other than the area of the student’s major. These areas are fine arts, humanities, natural sciences and social sciences. A course taken to fulfill the CAS breadth requirement may not also be used to fulfill a UC requirement.
For the depth requirement, students must complete at least 9 credits within a single subject area other than that of the major. (A “subject area” is identified with a catalog subject code, such as PL, CJ, WS, MA, etc.)
A student enrolled in the Accelerated Dual-Degree BA/JD or BS/JD (3+3) program is exempt from these College of Arts and Sciences requirements, with the exception of the foreign language requirement. A student pursuing a double major is likewise exempt from these College of Arts and Sciences requirements, with the exception of the foreign language requirement.
Student Learning Outcomes
Upon completion of the program, students will achieve the following competencies:
- Knowledge: Demonstrate understanding of the major traditions, themes and figures in metaphysics, epistemology and ethics across global history and as they emerge in specific cultures, regions or nations of the world.
- Reflection: Ability to reflect critically, ethically and holistically on human problems affecting their lives (e.g., peace, environmental sustainability, globalization, technology, health, death, social and political justice), and to isolate and define specific philosophical questions for further inquiry.
- Critical thinking: Ability to use inquiry and critical thinking techniques for detecting fallacies and for appraising the validity of arguments.
- Synthesis: Skills of creatively synthesizing new ideas, based on knowledge from a diverse range of historical, regional and cultural perspectives.
- Communication: Ability to communicate effectively one’s own views and judgments in precise, reasoned, coherent and persuasive writing and speaking.
Admission Requirements: College of Arts and Sciences
The requirements for admission into the undergraduate College of Arts and Sciences programs are the same as those for admission to Quinnipiac University.
Admission to the university is competitive, and applicants are expected to present a strong college prep program in high school. Prospective first-year students are strongly encouraged to file an application as early in the senior year as possible, and arrange to have first quarter grades sent from their high school counselor as soon as they are available.
For detailed admission requirements, including required documents, please visit the Admissions page of this catalog.