At which campus can I study this program?
Program Description
The Philosophy B.S. option is intended for students who wish to study philosophy as part of a multiple major program with other B.S. degree programs, especially those connected to the life sciences, the physical sciences, mathematics, engineering, or technology. It allows such students to study the philosophical, critical, and ethical dimensions of pure and applied sciences, including the areas of philosophy foundational for such study. The focus is, then, on analytic and normative reasoning connected to reasoning and explanation; theory and practice; the nature and limits of human understanding; and the structure and knowability of the world it seeks to understand.
What is Philosophy?
Philosophy is the oldest of the liberal arts, and is often defined simply as the love of wisdom. Philosophy is at the core of the liberal arts tradition and provided the foundation for the modern university, yet it remains highly relevant to life in technologically complex, diverse, global, information driven societies such as our own. The Philosophy major provides in-depth study of fundamental issues that inescapably confront all persons, such as ethics, social and political philosophy, aesthetics, metaphysics, philosophy of mind, philosophy of religion, epistemology, philosophy of science, and logic. These studies enhance imaginative, interpretive, analytical, critical, and communicative capacities. Majors thus may acquire intellectual abilities crucial for self-fulfillment, responsible participation in public life, and success in a wide range of careers—including law, business, education, journalism, medicine, and public service.
Entrance to Major
In order to be eligible for entrance to this major, a student must:
- attain at least a C (2.00) cumulative grade-point average for all courses taken at the University; and
- have at least third-semester classification.
READ SENATE POLICY 37-30: ENTRANCE TO AND CHANGES IN MAJOR PROGRAMS OF STUDY
Degree Requirements
For the Bachelor of Science degree in Philosophy, a minimum of 120 credits is required:
Requirement | Credits |
---|---|
General Education | 45 |
Electives | 36 |
Requirements for the Major | 39 |
Per Senate Policy 83-80.5, the college dean or campus chancellor and program faculty may require up to 24 credits of course work in the major to be taken at the location or in the college or program where the degree is earned. For more information, check the Suggested Academic Plan for your intended program.
Requirements for the Major
A grade of C or better is required for all courses in the major. To graduate, a student enrolled in the major must earn at least a C grade in each course designated by the major as a C-required course, as specified by Senate Policy 82-44.
Code | Title | Credits |
---|---|---|
Prescribed Courses | ||
Prescribed Courses: Require a grade of C or better | ||
PHIL 12 | Symbolic Logic | 3 |
Additional Courses | ||
Additional Courses: Require a grade of C or better | ||
Select 9 credits in Philosophical Foundations of Science: | 9 | |
Science and Truth | ||
Nature and Environment | ||
Philosophy of Science | ||
Theories of Knowledge | ||
or PHIL 125W | Theories of Knowledge | |
Metaphysics | ||
or PHIL 126W | Metaphysics | |
Philosophy of Mind | ||
Philosophy of Language | ||
Select 6 credits in Ethics and Science: | 6 | |
Philosophy of Technology | ||
Environmental Philosophy | ||
Bioethics | ||
Ethics of Climate Change | ||
Food, Values, and Health | ||
Select 6 credits in Advanced Topics: | 6 | |
Seminar in Environmental Ethics | ||
Seminar in Philosophy of Technology | ||
Seminar in Philosophy of Science | ||
Seminar in Epistemology | ||
Seminar in Metaphysics | ||
Seminar in Philosophy of Mind | ||
Medical and Health Care Ethics | ||
Select 6 credits in Formal Reasoning: | 6 | |
Logic for Computer Science | ||
Introduction to Programming Techniques | ||
Programming and Computation I: Fundamentals | ||
Discrete Mathematics for Computer Science | ||
Artificial Intelligence | ||
Artificial Intelligence | ||
Introduction to Econometrics | ||
Decision Making and Strategy in Economics | ||
Behavioral Economics | ||
ECON 414 | ||
Experimental and Behavioral Economics | ||
Language, Logic, and Discrete Mathematics | ||
Introduction to Computer Languages | ||
MATH 315 | ||
Foundations of Geometry | ||
Introduction to Mathematical Logic | ||
Number Theory | ||
History of Mathematics | ||
Mathematical Theory of Games | ||
Risk and Decisions | ||
BS: Identifying Bias and Falsehood | ||
Decision Theory and Analysis | ||
Elementary Probability | ||
Supporting Courses and Related Areas | ||
Supporting Courses and Related Areas: Require a grade of C or better | ||
Select 3 credits PHIL elective, unrestricted topic | 3 | |
Select 6 credits Advanced Topics supporting program, choose from: Advanced Topics, Formal Reasoning, or by approval | 6 |
General Education
Connecting career and curiosity, the General Education curriculum provides the opportunity for students to acquire transferable skills necessary to be successful in the future and to thrive while living in interconnected contexts. General Education aids students in developing intellectual curiosity, a strengthened ability to think, and a deeper sense of aesthetic appreciation. These are requirements for all baccalaureate students and are often partially incorporated into the requirements of a program. For additional information, see the General Education Requirements section of the Bulletin and consult your academic adviser.
The keystone symbol appears next to the title of any course that is designated as a General Education course. Program requirements may also satisfy General Education requirements and vary for each program.
Foundations (grade of C or better is required and Inter-Domain courses do not meet this requirement.)
- Quantification (GQ): 6 credits
- Writing and Speaking (GWS): 9 credits
Breadth in the Knowledge Domains (Inter-Domain courses do not meet this requirement.)
- Arts (GA): 3 credits
- Health and Wellness (GHW): 3 credits
- Humanities (GH): 3 credits
- Social and Behavioral Sciences (GS): 3 credits
- Natural Sciences (GN): 3 credits
Integrative Studies
- Inter-Domain Courses (Inter-Domain): 6 credits
Exploration
- GN, may be completed with Inter-Domain courses: 3 credits
- GA, GH, GN, GS, Inter-Domain courses. This may include 3 credits of World Language course work beyond the 12th credit level or the requirements for the student’s degree program, whichever is higher: 6 credits
University Degree Requirements
First Year Engagement
All students enrolled in a college or the Division of Undergraduate Studies at University Park, and the World Campus are required to take 1 to 3 credits of the First-Year Seminar, as specified by their college First-Year Engagement Plan.
Other Penn State colleges and campuses may require the First-Year Seminar; colleges and campuses that do not require a First-Year Seminar provide students with a first-year engagement experience.
First-year baccalaureate students entering Penn State should consult their academic adviser for these requirements.
Cultures Requirement
6 credits are required and may satisfy other requirements
- United States Cultures: 3 credits
- International Cultures: 3 credits
Writing Across the Curriculum
3 credits required from the college of graduation and likely prescribed as part of major requirements.
Total Minimum Credits
A minimum of 120 degree credits must be earned for a baccalaureate degree. The requirements for some programs may exceed 120 credits. Students should consult with their college or department adviser for information on specific credit requirements.
Quality of Work
Candidates must complete the degree requirements for their major and earn at least a 2.00 grade-point average for all courses completed within their degree program.
Limitations on Source and Time for Credit Acquisition
The college dean or campus chancellor and program faculty may require up to 24 credits of course work in the major to be taken at the location or in the college or program where the degree is earned. Credit used toward degree programs may need to be earned from a particular source or within time constraints (see Senate Policy 83-80). For more information, check the Suggested Academic Plan for your intended program.
Program Learning Objectives
- Learning about major philosophical figures, issues, traditions, methods, and trends.
- Understanding the relevance of the philosophical ideas and approaches for contemporary life, including in theoretical, scientific, existential, religious, cultural, ethical, social, and political contexts.
- Developing critical writing, reading, and speaking skills with an eye towards understanding, constructing, and assessing abstract, complex, or controversial philosophical arguments.
- Acquiring an inquisitive disposition toward philosophical questions and a willingness to justify and modify one’s views about those questions through respectful conversation.
Academic Advising
The objectives of the university's academic advising program are to help advisees identify and achieve their academic goals, to promote their intellectual discovery, and to encourage students to take advantage of both in-and out-of class educational opportunities in order that they become self-directed learners and decision makers.
Both advisers and advisees share responsibility for making the advising relationship succeed. By encouraging their advisees to become engaged in their education, to meet their educational goals, and to develop the habit of learning, advisers assume a significant educational role. The advisee's unit of enrollment will provide each advisee with a primary academic adviser, the information needed to plan the chosen program of study, and referrals to other specialized resources.
READ SENATE POLICY 32-00: ADVISING POLICY
University Park
Liberal Arts Academic Advising
814-865-2545
Use the Liberal Arts Meet the Academic Advisers web page to see the contact information for the specific adviser(s) of this program
Suggested Academic Plan
The suggested academic plan(s) listed on this page are the plan(s) that are in effect during the 2024-25 academic year. To access previous years' suggested academic plans, please visit the archive to view the appropriate Undergraduate Bulletin edition.
Philosophy, B.S. at University Park Campus
The course series listed below provides only one of the many possible ways to move through this curriculum. The University may make changes in policies, procedures, educational offerings, and requirements at any time. This plan should be used in conjunction with your degree audit (accessible in LionPATH as either an Academic Requirements or What If report). Please consult with a Penn State academic adviser on a regular basis to develop and refine an academic plan that is appropriate for you.
First Year | |||
---|---|---|---|
Fall | Credits | Spring | Credits |
GWS | 3 | GWS | 3 |
First-Year Seminar | 3 | Philosophy (Foundation Course) | 3 |
Philosophy (Any Course) | 3 | General Quantification | 3 |
General Education Course | 3 | General Education Course | 3 |
General Quantification | 3 | General Education Course | 3 |
15 | 15 | ||
Second Year | |||
Fall | Credits | Spring | Credits |
Philosophy (Foundation Course) | 3 | Philosophy (Foundation Course) | 3 |
Philosophy Ethics and Science Course | 3 | Formal Reasoning Course | 3 |
General Education Course | 3 | General Education Course | 3 |
Elective | 3 | Elective | 3 |
Elective | 3 | Elective | 3 |
15 | 15 | ||
Third Year | |||
Fall | Credits | Spring | Credits |
Formal Reasoning Course | 3 | GWS | 3 |
Philosophy Ethics and Science Course | 3 | PHIL 12 | 3 |
General Education Course | 3 | General Education Course | 3 |
Elective | 3 | Elective | 3 |
Elective | 3 | Elective | 3 |
15 | 15 | ||
Fourth Year | |||
Fall | Credits | Spring | Credits |
Advanced PHIL Topics | 3 | Advanced PHIL Topics | 3 |
Supporting Advanced PHIL | 3 | Supporting Advanced PHIL | 3 |
General Education Course | 3 | General Education Course | 3 |
Elective | 4.5 | Elective | 4.5 |
General Health and Wellness | 1.5 | General Health and Wellness | 1.5 |
15 | 15 | ||
Total Credits 120 |
- *
Course requires a grade of C or better for the major
- ‡
Course requires a grade of C or better for General Education
- #
Course is an Entrance to Major requirement
- †
Course satisfies General Education and degree requirement
University Requirements and General Education Notes:
US and IL are abbreviations used to designate courses that satisfy Cultural Diversity Requirements (United States and International Cultures).
W, M, X, and Y are the suffixes at the end of a course number used to designate courses that satisfy University Writing Across the Curriculum requirement.
General Education includes Foundations (GWS and GQ), Knowledge Domains (GHW, GN, GA, GH, GS) and Integrative Studies (Inter-domain) requirements. N or Q (Honors) is the suffix at the end of a course number used to help identify an Inter-domain course, but the inter-domain attribute is used to fill audit requirements. Foundations courses (GWS and GQ) require a grade of 'C' or better.
All incoming Schreyer Honors College first-year students at University Park will take ENGL 137H/CAS 137H in the fall semester and ENGL 138T/CAS 138T in the spring semester. These courses carry the GWS designation and satisfy a portion of that General Education requirement. If the student’s program prescribes GWS these courses will replace both ENGL 15/ENGL 30H and CAS 100A/CAS 100B/CAS 100C. Each course is 3 credits.
Contact
University Park
DEPARTMENT OF PHILOSOPHY
234 Sparks Building
University Park, PA 16802
814-865-6397
npr109@psu.edu