Division of the Humanities and Social Sciences

Philosophy Option and Minor

 Option Representative: Christopher Hitchcock

Undergraduates wishing to specialize in philosophy may take either a major or a minor in this area.

Philosophy majors must take at least 99 units of philosophy courses during their four years as undergraduates. These must include 18 units of Pl 90 ab, to be taken in any two consecutive terms in the senior year. The 99 units may include 9 units of either Hum/Pl 8 or Hum/Pl 9, 9 units of Pl 98, and up to 18 units of study in related disciplines, such as history of science, logic, physics, math, psychology, or biology. The courses in the philosophy option concentrate in four areas: philosophy of science; philosophy of mind, brain and behavior; ethics; and history of philosophy. Students may choose to specialize in one of these areas, but broader courses of study are also encouraged. Depending on their interests, philosophy majors may be required by the option representative or their advisers to take up to 18 units in one or more related areas. For example, students writing on philosophy of neuroscience will be expected to have the appropriate neuroscience background. Students whose primary interest lies in the philosophy of science, particularly in the philosophy of particular sciences such as physics or biology, will have their intellectual interests best served by taking classes in both the history and philosophy of science. Such students are encouraged to pursue the HPS option; or, if they choose the philosophy option, they may be required to take some history of science courses toward their 99-unit requirement. Students considering the philosophy option will be well advised to take either Hum/Pl 8 or Hum/Pl 9 as one of their freshman humanities courses. From the sophomore year onward, they should plan on taking one philosophy course per term, culminating in two terms of Pl 90 ab in the senior year. Students in Pl 90 ab work with a faculty adviser to write a 10,000 -12,000 word paper on a topic of mutual interest. Senior theses are expected to be of a high standard and to form the basis of students' applications to graduate study in philosophy, should they so desire. With the exception of courses taken during the first two semesters of freshman year, all courses to be counted toward the philosophy option must be taken for grades unless special permission is granted by the option representative.

Option Requirements

1. Pl 90 ab.
2. 63 units of advanced philosophy courses, numbered 99 or above. (Up to 9 units of Hum/Pl 8or Hum/Pl 9 and/or up to 9 units of Pl 98 may be substituted for up to 18 of these advanced units.)
3. 18 units of advanced philosophy courses numbered 99 or above, or advanced non-philosophy courses that are closely related to the student's area(s) of philosophical interest. (Students wishing to count non-philosophy courses towards their option requirements must obtain prior approval from the philosophy option representative or their adviser. Students will normally not be permitted to satisfy this requirement with core courses.)
4. 54 units of science, mathematics, and engineering courses in addition to the core. This requirement cannot be satisfied by core or menu courses, or by courses listed as satisfying the introductory laboratory requirement. Students are strongly encouraged to choose their additional courses in areas that complement their philosophy studies.
5. Passing grades must be earned in a total of 486 units, including the courses listed above.

Philosophy Minor

Minor requirements

1. 72 units of philosophy courses numbered 99 or above.
2. 9 units of Pl 98 may be substituted for any 9 units of the 72 required for the minor.
3. 9 units of either Hum/Pl 8 or Hum/Pl 9 (not both) may be substituted for any 9 units of the 72 required for the minor.