- Degree Requirements—Major in Philosophy
- Degree Requirements—Major in Philosophy with Departmental Distinction
- Recommended Plan of Study
1421 University Hall (UH)
(312) 996–3022
http://www.uic.edu/depts/phil
Administration: Chair, Peter Hylton
Director of Undergraduate Studies, Jon Jarrett, jarrett@uic.edu
Philosophy is the study of beliefs, values, and wisdom. It develops the skills that are fundamental to reasoning clearly and evaluating the cogency of arguments found in everyday contexts such as politics, religion, and morality. Philosophers identify and discuss our basic beliefs and practices. For example, what is the difference between real science and pseudoscience? How can we be free if we are the products of genes and environment? Is it ever permissible to break the law? Is a doctor ever justified in lying to a patient? Are we justified in claiming knowledge?
Employers typically look for job candidates who can reason well, articulate a viewpoint, defend their beliefs in writing, and solve abstract problems. A philosophical education is thus excellent preparation for careers in business, engineering, law, medicine, and the sciences.
Degree Requirements—Major in Philosophy
To earn a Bachelor of Arts in Liberal Arts and Sciences degree from UIC, students must complete University, college, and department degree requirements. The Department of Philosophy degree requirements are outlined below. Students should consult the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences section for additional degree requirements and college academic policies.
| BA with a Major in Philosophy Degree Requirements | Hours |
| Major Requirements | 33 |
| General Education and Electives to reach Minimum Total Hours | 87 |
| Minimum Total Hours—BA with a Major in Philosophy | 120 |
General Education
See General Education and Writing-in-the-Discipline in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences section for information on meeting these requirements.
Major Requirements
Of the 33 semester hours required for the major, students must complete at least 12 semester hours at the 400-level. Courses must be distributed across several broad areas as follows:
| Courses | Hours |
| PHIL 102—Introductory Logica | 3 |
| PHIL 210—Symbolic Logic | 3 |
| PHIL 300—Fundamentals of Philosophical Discourseb | 3 |
| History of Philosophy: Three courses, each of which must come from a different group: | 9 |
| Group 1 | |
| PHIL 220—Ancient Philosophy I: Plato and His Predecessors (3) | |
| PHIL 221—Ancient Philosophy II: Aristotle and His Successors (3) | |
| PHIL 428—Topics in Ancient Philosophy (3) | |
| Group 2 | |
| PHIL 422—Medeival Philosophy (3) | |
| Group 3 | |
| PHIL 223—History of Modern Philosophy I: Descartes and His Successors (3) | |
| PHIL 423—Studies in Early Modern Philosophy (3) | |
| Group 4 | |
| PHIL 224—History of Modern Philosophy II: Kant and His Predecessors (3) | |
| PHIL 424—Kant (3) | |
| Group 5 | |
| PHIL 225—19th-Century Philosophy (3) | |
| PHIL 425—Studies in 19th-Century Philosophy (3) | |
| Two courses from the following list: | 6 |
| PHIL 201—Theory of Knowledge (3) | |
| PHIL 202—Philosophy of Psychology (3) | |
| PHIL 203—Metaphysics (3) | |
| PHIL 204—Introduction to the Philosophy of Science (3) | |
| PHIL 211—Inductive Logic and Decision Making (3) | |
| PHIL 226—Twentieth-Century Analytic Philosophy (3) | |
| PHIL 227—Continental Philosophy I: Phenomenology and Existentialism (3) | |
| PHIL 240—Philosophy and Revelation: Jewish and Christian Perspectives (3) | |
| PHIL 241—Philosophy of Religion (3) | |
| PHIL 401—Theory of Knowledge (3) | |
| PHIL 402—Topics in Philosophy of Mind (3) | |
| PHIL 403—Metaphysics (3) | |
| PHIL 404—Philosophy of Science (3) | |
| PHIL 406—Philosophy of Language (3) | |
| PHIL 426—Analysis and Logical Empiricism (3) | |
| PHIL 427—Continental Philosophy II: European Thought since 1960 (3) | |
| PHIL 441—Topics in Philosophy of Religion (3) | |
| One course from the following list: | 3 |
| PHIL 230—Topics in Ethics and Political Philosophy (3) | |
| PHIL 232—Sex Roles: Moral and Political Issues (3) | |
| PHIL 234—Philosophy and Film (3) | |
| PHIL 430—Ethics (3) | |
| PHIL 431—Social/Political Philosophy (3) | |
| PHIL 432—Topics in Ethics (3) | |
| PHIL 433—Topics in Social/Political Philosophy (3) | |
| Two additional philosophy courses, at least one of which must be above the 100-level | 6 |
| Total Hours—Major Requirements | 33 |
a PHIL 102 also fulfills the LAS quantitative reasoning requirement.
b PHIL 300 also fulfills the Writing-in-the-Discipline requirement.
Degree Requirements—Major in Philosophy with Departmental Distinction
The major with Departmental Distinction is designed for serious students who intend to continue studying philosophy in graduate school or who plan to enter law or other professional schools. Students may declare themselves as candidates after completion of 16 hours of philosophy. A GPA of 3.70/4.00 in the philosophy courses selected as satisfying the major with Departmental Distinction and a 3.50/4.00 overall GPA are required for granting the degree.
Departmental Distinction
In addition to satisfying the requirements for the Major in Philosophy, students must take one additional course at the 400-level, and have a GPA of 3.70/4.00 in all philosophy courses, including transferred courses.
High Departmental Distinction
In addition to satisfying the requirements for Departmental Distinction, students must take PHIL 390—Senior Thesis (3 hours). To select this option, students must have the approval of both the director of undergraduate studies as well as the professor with whom the student will be writing the thesis.
To view a recommended plan of study for the major in Philosophy and the major in Philosophy with Distinction, please visit the LAS Web site http://www.uic.edu/las/college/info/fygp.
Students from other disciplines who want to minor in Philosophy must complete 15 semester hours as outlined below:
| Required Courses—Philosophy Minor | Hours |
| PHIL 102—Introductory Logica | 3 |
| Two courses from the following: | 6 |
| PHIL 220—Ancient Philosophy I: Plato and His Predecessors (3) | |
| PHIL 221—Ancient Philosophy II: Aristotle and His Successors (3) | |
| PHIL 223—History of Modern Philosophy I: Descartes and His Successors (3) | |
| PHIL 224—History of Modern Philosophy II: Kant and His Predecessors (3) | |
| PHIL 225—19th-Century Philosophy (3) | |
| Two additional philosophy courses, at least one of which must be at the 400-level, excluding independent study courses | 6 |
| Total Hours—Philosophy Minor | 15 |
a PHIL 102 also fulfills the LAS Quantitative Reasoning requirement.