Philosophy Major, Minor and Concentrations

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The Philosophy program at Marquette challenges you to develop precision and clarity in your thinking. It trains you to see issues from multiple and fresh points of view and equips you with the knowledge necessary to raise creative, critical questions. (For the Philosophy BA Learning Outcomes, go to Why Study Philosophy?) 

 

The Philosophy Major

 
  • Philosophy major (no concentration)
  • Philosophy major with concentration

The general Philosophy major (without a concentration) is a highly flexible program that allows students to be directed by their interests. Students taking a general Philosophy major complete ten Philosophy courses (30 credit hours):

PHIL 1001 or PHIL 1001H – Foundations in Philosophy 3
PHIL 2000 – Critical Reasoning (formerly PHIL 1000 – Logic) or PHIL 4000 – Modern Logic 3
CORE 4929 or CORE 4929H – The Service of Faith and Promotion of Justice 3
Any seven Philosophy electives 21
Total 30
 

With the approval of their Philosophy adviser, students may replace one Philosophy elective (either a general elective or an elective in a concentration) with an upper-level course outside Philosophy that is relevant to their philosophical interests.

The more structured Philosophy major with a concentration is an easily integrated complement to courses of study that are directed at specific careers, like pre-med and pre-law. Students who major in Philosophy with a concentration complete ten Philosophy courses (30 credit hours):

PHIL 1001 or PHIL 1001H – Foundations in Philosophy 3
PHIL 2000 – Critical Reasoning (formerly PHIL 1000 – Logic) or PHIL 4000 – Modern Logic 3
CORE 4929 or CORE 4929H – The Service of Faith and Promotion of Justice 3
Three Philosophy courses in area of concentration (see concentration-specific requirements) 9
Any four further Philosophy electives 12
Total 30
 

With the approval of their Philosophy adviser, students may replace one Philosophy elective (either a general elective or an elective in a concentration) with an upper-level course outside Philosophy that is relevant to their philosophical interests.

 

The Philosophy Minor

 
  • Philosophy Minor (no concentration)
  • Philosophy Minor with Concentration

The general Philosophy minor (without a concentration), like its counterpart major, is a highly flexible program that allows students to be directed by their interests. Students taking a general Philosophy minor complete seven Philosophy courses (21 credit hours):

PHIL 1001 or PHIL 1001H – Foundations in Philosophy 3
CORE 4929 or CORE 4929H – The Service of Faith and Promotion of Justice 3
Any five Philosophy electives 15
Total 21
 

Philosophy minors are advised but not required to take PHIL 4000 – Modern Logic (preferred) or PHIL 2000 – Critical Reasoning (formerly PHIL 1000 – Logic).

With the approval of their Philosophy adviser, students may replace one Philosophy elective (either a general elective or an elective in a concentration) with an upper-level course outside Philosophy that is relevant to their philosophical interests.

The more structured Philosophy major with a concentration is an easily integrated complement to courses of study that are directed at specific careers, like pre-med and pre-law. Students who minor in Philosophy with a concentration complete seven Philosophy courses (21 credit hours):

PHIL 1001 or PHIL 1001H – Foundations in Philosophy 3
CORE 4929 or CORE 4929H The Service of Faith and Promotion of Justice 3
Three Philosophy courses in area of concentration (see concentration-specific requirements) 9
Any two further Philosophy electives 6
Total 21
 

Philosophy minors are advised but not required to take PHIL 4000 – Modern Logic (preferred) or PHIL 2000 – Critical Reasoning (formerly PHIL 1000 – Logic).

With the approval of their Philosophy adviser, students may replace one Philosophy elective (either a general elective or an elective in a concentration) with an upper-level course outside Philosophy that is relevant to their philosophical interests.

 

Concentrations

From Fall 26 (pending final approval; for earlier years, go to Requirements for Philosophy Programs, 24-26).
 

Students completing a Philosophy major or minor can opt to concentrate in one of the following three areas: Ethics, Values, and Society, Philosophy for the Health Professions, and Philosophy for the Legal Professions.

From Fall 26, students can enroll in a standalone concentration in Philosophy for the Health Professions. This three-course program of study is designed specifically for students who are interested in pursuing an advanced degree in the health professions. 

  • Ethics, Values, and Society
  • Philosophy for the Health Professions
  • Philosophy for the Legal Professions

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Ethical Theory requirement: 3 credits

Choose one
PHIL 2310 – Ethical Reasoning: Theory and Dialogue in Real-World Contexts
PHIL 4310 – History and Theory of Ethics

Philosophical Approaches to Society and Social Practices requirement: 3 credits

Choose one
PHIL 2900 – Philosophy of Sport
PHIL 3370 – Philosophy of Art
PHIL 3460 – Philosophy of Language
PHIL 3470 – Philosophy of Technology
PHIL 3505 – Philosophy and Film
PHIL 4510 – Philosophy of Religion
PHIL 4540 – Philosophy of Education

Values and Social Justice requirement: 3 credits

Choose one
PHIL 2720 – Philosophical Perspectives on Equality
PHIL 3350 – Philosophy of the Environment
PHIL 3501 – Philosophy of War and Peace
PHIL 3506 – Philosophy of Race
PHIL 3507 – Global Justice
PHIL 3660 – Marx and Marxism
PHIL 3770 – Feminist Philosophy
PHIL 4320 – Contemporary Ethical Problems
                               (section-specific, with consent of DUS)
PHIL 4330 – Business Ethics

 

At least one of the three courses taken to satisfy concentration requirements must be an upper-level (3000- or 4000-level) course.

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Logic and Reasoning requirement: 3 credits

Choose one
PHIL 2000 – Critical Reasoning: Informal Logic in Real-World Contexts
PHIL 2310 – Ethical Reasoning: Theory and Dialogue in Real-World Contexts

Ethics requirement: 3 credits

Choose one
PHIL 2310 – Ethical Reasoning: Theory and Dialogue in Real-World Contexts
PHIL 4310 – History and Theory of Ethics
PHIL 4335 – Biomedical Ethics

Select Topics requirement: 3 credits

Choose one
PHIL 2010 – Introduction to Cognitive Science
PHIL 2420 – Philosophical Perspectives on Persons
PHIL 2460 – Philosophical Perspectives on Free Will
PHIL 3503 – The Ethics of Intimacy
PHIL 3509 – Philosophy of Disability
PHIL 3550 – Moral Psychology
PHIL 4320 – Contemporary Ethical Problems
                               (section-specific, with consent of DUS)
PHIL 4335 – Biomedical Ethics
PHIL 4470 – Philosophy of Science

 

At least one of the three courses taken to satisfy concentration requirements must be an upper-level (3000- or 4000-level) course.

Three different courses must be taken to satisfy the three concentration requirements. For example, PHIL 2310 can be taken to satisfy the Logic and Reasoning requirement or the Ethics requirement but not both. 

For students completing the Philosophy major with a concentration in Philosophy for the Health Professions, PHIL 2000 satisfies the logic requirement for the Philosophy major and for the concentration.  

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Logic and Reasoning requirement: 3 credits

Choose one
PHIL 2000 – Critical Reasoning: Informal Logic in Real-World Contexts
PHIL 2310 – Ethical Reasoning: Theory and Dialogue in Real-World Contexts

Political and Legal Theory requirement: 3 credits

Choose one
PHIL 3710 – Political Philosophy
PHIL 4750 – Philosophy of Law

Select Topics requirement: 3 credits

Choose one
PHIL 2420 – Philosophical Perspectives on Persons
PHIL 2460 – Philosophical Perspectives on Free Will
PHIL 2720 – Philosophical Perspectives on Equality
PHIL 3501 – Philosophy of War and Peace
PHIL 3502 – Narrating Freedom: Gender, Race and Mass Incarceration
PHIL 3506 – Philosophy of Race
PHIL 3751 – Philosophy and History of Crime and Punishment
PHIL 3770 – Feminist Philosophy
PHIL 4320 – Contemporary Ethical Problems
                               (section-specific, with consent of DUS)

 

At least one of the three courses taken to satisfy concentration requirements must be an upper-level (3000- or 4000-level) course.

For students completing the Philosophy major with a concentration in Philosophy for the Legal Professions, PHIL 2000 satisfies the logic requirement for the Philosophy major and for the concentration.

 

Archive

Requirements for Philosophy Programs, 24-26:

Ready to declare a major or minor in Philosophy?