Philosophy Major (BA)
- Demonstrate knowledge of the main concepts and theories of philosophy.
- Demonstrate knowledge of the views of some historically important philosophers.
- Demonstrate knowledge of the extent to which arguments and conclusions are supported by evidence.
- Display intellectual openness by approaching topics that involve disparate views in a spirit of philosophical inquiry.
Requirements for the Philosophy Major
- At least 15 credits of upper-level courses in the major must be completed at UW-Parkside. PHIL 499 Independent Study does not count toward these 15 credits.
- A total of no more than 6 credits of PHIL 499 Independent Study, will count toward the major.
- A grade of C-minus or higher is required in any course to be counted toward the major.
- A 2.50 or better GPA in courses counting toward the major is required. Not all philosophy courses taken need be counted toward the major.
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Required Courses | ||
| PHIL 201 | Logic | 3 |
| PHIL 260/360 | History of Philosophy: Ancient | 3 |
| PHIL 261/361 | History of Philosophy: Early Modern | 3 |
| PHIL 275 | Techniques of Philosophical Research | 3 |
| Required Courses Subtotal | 12 | |
| Elective Courses | ||
| Select two courses (with one at the 300 level) in two of the following three areas: 1 | 12 | |
| Ethics, Value Theory and Political Thought | ||
| Introduction to Ethics | ||
| Classical Political Philosophy | ||
| Aesthetics | ||
| Contemporary Moral Problems | ||
| Modern Political Philosophy | ||
| Contemporary Political Thought | ||
| Value Theory | ||
| Politics, Law, and Society | ||
| Ethics in the Criminal Justice System | ||
| Bioethics | ||
| Business Ethics | ||
| Environmental Ethics | ||
| Metaphysics and Philosophy of Mind | ||
| Reason and Reality | ||
| Philosophy of Religion | ||
| Topics in Continental Thought | ||
| Philosophical Analysis | ||
| Metaphysics | ||
| Topics in Continental Thought | ||
| Epistemology and Philosophy of Science | ||
| Science and Pseudoscience | ||
| Truth, Knowledge and Belief | ||
| Philosophy of Science | ||
| Set Theory, Logic and Proof | ||
| Philosophical Analysis | ||
| Elective Courses Subtotal | 12 | |
| Additional Elective Courses | ||
| Select twelve additional credits of PHIL courses | 12 | |
| Additional Elective Courses Subtotal | 12 | |
| Total Credits | 36 | |
- 1
No course may be used to cover two areas at once. This requirement is a total of four courses with a minimum of two at the 300 level. The department will sometimes assign courses to different areas depending on their topics, and majors will be informed of such assignments in advance.
Degree Requirements (Bachelor's Degree)
In addition to individual program requirements, students must also fulfill the following requirements.
- Complete 120 credits of college work. This must include 36 credits in courses numbered 300 or above. Certain elementary courses are identified in the catalog and/or course schedule as not counting toward the 120 credits required for graduation. In addition, only the first 8 credits of physical education activity courses (100-level) may be counted toward graduation or grade point averages (GPA).
- Earn a minimum of 30 credits toward their undergraduate degree at UW-Parkside. Individual departments and programs may require that certain courses must be taken at UW-Parkside. Students must complete all course work to be counted toward graduation by the end of the semester/subscription period in which they graduate.
- Attain a minimum cumulative grade point average (GPA) of 2.00 on a 4.00 scale. Some programs have higher GPA requirements. Transfer students must also have a cumulative 2.00 GPA on the combination of transfer credits accepted and credits attempted at UW-Parkside.
- Complete an approved major program of study with the minimum major GPA as specified by the program or department. Usually, the minimum GPA is 2.00 on a 4.00 scale, but some majors require a higher GPA. Students who apply transfer credits to their majors must also meet the minimum major GPA requirement on the combination of transfer credits and UW-Parkside credits. At least 15 credits of upper level course work (courses numbered 300 or higher) must be completed at UW-Parkside. A student may not graduate with an incomplete grade in major course work if failure in that course would reduce the GPA in the major below the minimum GPA.
| Requirement | Credits |
|---|---|
| Minimum Total Credits | 120 |
| Upper Level Credits (300 level or above) | 36 |
| Residency | 30 |
Cumulative Degree GPA: 2.0 minimum
| Requirement | Credits |
|---|---|
| Skills | 7-8 |
| General Education | 36 |
| Foreign Language** | 6-8 |
| Ethnic Diversity | 3 |
| Total | 52-55 |
** Transfer students in sustainable management, and health information management and technology collaborative, online degree-completion programs, the business management online degree-completion program, and the flexible option degree-completion program will be exempt from the university’s foreign language requirement. See appropriate academic section for further information.
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Reading and Writing | ||
| ENGL 101 | Composition and Reading | 3 |
| Computational Skills | ||
| Select one of the following: | 4-5 | |
| Quantitative Reasoning | ||
| Elementary Statistics | ||
| College Mathematics with Applications | ||
| College Algebra I | ||
| Total Credits | 7-8 | |