Philosophy

The Department of Philosophy offers programs of study that lead to the Doctor of Philosophy, Master of Arts, and Bachelor of Arts.

Visit the Department for current offerings.

For information on advanced degrees, see graduate Philosophy.

Major in Philosophy

Students completing a Major in Philosophy must take at least 42 approved credits in Philosophy (or accepted equivalent courses), including at least 30 upper-level credits, subject to requirements below. Students may declare their Major in Philosophy upon attaining second year status (completion of 27 credits).

Preparatory Courses

The Department of Philosophy recommends, but does not require, that students considering study in philosophy complete one or more introductory courses in the discipline, selected from amongst PHIL_V 100, 101, 102, 120, 125, 211, 212, 235, 250, 260, or Arts One. Any preparatory courses completed may be applied to the Additional Philosophy at Any Level requirement, below.

Area Requirements

Students must complete courses in each of the following areas, as indicated:

Symbolic Logic: PHIL_V 220 or 222
Value Theory: at least one of PHIL_V 230¹ or 330¹
Epistemology/Metaphysics: at least one of PHIL_V 240¹ or 340¹
History of Philosophy: at least 6 credits from PHIL_V 310, 311, 313, 314, 315, 316, 371, 378, 388, or ASIA_V 372

¹Students considering graduate study in Philosophy are encouraged to complete all four of PHIL_V 230, 240, 330 and 340.

Research Requirement

Students must complete the following:

Research Seminar: at least one of PHIL_V 418, 426, 431, 432, 440, 450, 452, 455, 469, or 491

Additional Upper-level Philosophy

Students are required to complete a total of 30 upper-level credits in Philosophy^2,3 including any upper-level courses taken to meet the Area Requirements or the Research Requirement.

Additional Philosophy at Any Level

In addition to Area Requirement, Research Requirement, and Upper-level requirement courses, students must complete additional courses in Philosophy at any level^2,3 in order to meet the total number of credits (42) required for the Major. These credits may include preparatory courses.

²Credit for PHIL_V 400 and PHIL_V 401 is not permitted toward any specialization in Philosophy, including the Major. ³ASIA_V 372 is permitted toward either the upper-level Philosophy requirement or the Additional Philosophy at Any Level requirement.

Combined Major in Philosophy and Economics

Admission to the program is subject to the admission requirements, restrictions and application processes that pertain currently to the Major in Economics. In addition to faculty requirements, the program has Economics, Philosophy, and joint requirements.

Economics Requirements

In addition to the admission requirements for the Major in Economics, students must complete:

ECON_V 301 (or 304).
ECON_V 302 (or 305).
ECON_V 326.
6 ECON_V credits at the 300-level or higher.
ECON_V 490.

Note: Students who are exempt from specific required courses (e.g. ECON _V301, ECON_V 325, ECON_V 326) because they have received credit for a non-ECON_V approved equivalent may have to take additional ECON_V 3XX or 4XX level courses so that they satisfy the Combined Major requirement of 30 ECON_V credits.

Philosophy Requirements

Students take an 18-credit core plus 12 credits of electives at the 300-/400-level. The 18-credit core consists of PHIL_V 220 or 222 or 321, 230, 330, one of 240 or 340, one of PHIL_V 314, 315, 338, 360, 369, 461, and one research seminar from among the following: 431, 432, 469 and 491. Students may use any 300-/400-level philosophy courses to fulfill their elective requirements excluding PHIL_V 400 and 401.

Joint Requirements

Students must complete both ECON_V 318/PHIL_V 362 and ECON_V 319/PHIL_V 363 (6 credits). They may elect to take these under either the Philosophy or Economics course code. Credits obtained for ECON_V 318/PHIL_V 362 and ECON_V 319/PHIL_V 363 may be applied towards fulfilling the Economics or Philosophy elective credits requirements.

Combined Major in Philosophy and Political Science

Admission to the program is subject to the admission restrictions and application processes that pertain currently to the Major in Political Science. In addition to faculty requirements, the program has philosophy and political science requirements.

Philosophy Requirements: Students take an 18-credit core plus 12 credits of electives. Of these 30 credits, at least 18 must be at the 300 level or above. The 18-credit core consists of:

PHIL_V 230, 330,
one of PHIL_V 240 or 340,
3 credits of history of philosophy from among PHIL_V 310, 311, 313, 314, 315, 316, 371, 378, 388 or ASIA_V 372,
3 credits from one of PHIL_V 321, 332, 334, 335, 338, 362, 363, 461, and
3 research seminar credits from among PHIL_V 418, 426, 431, 432, 440, 450, 452, 455, 469, or 491.

Students are encouraged to take PHIL_V 220. Students are encouraged to fulfill the research seminar requirement by taking 431, 432 or a topically relevant section of 491 (please see instructor). Students may use any philosophy courses to fulfill their elective requirements excluding PHIL_V 400 and 401, so long as they earn 18 or more credits at the 300 level or above.

Political Science Requirements: Students take an 18-credit core plus 12 credits of electives. Of these 30 credits, at least 18 must be at the 300 level or above. The 18-credit core consists of POLI_V 100, 101, 110, 240, 380, and 3 credits selected from courses numbered 340-349.

Honours in Philosophy

Students are encouraged to apply to the Department for admission to the Honours program by the end of their second year. Applicants are normally expected to have obtained a grade of at least 80% in at least two of PHIL_V 220 (or 222), 230 or 240. A recommendation from a philosophy instructor is also required.

For an Honours degree a student must complete at least 60 credits (and no more than 72 credits) in Philosophy, subject to the following requirements.

First Year

3 credits from PHIL_V 100 (6), 101 (3), 102 (3), 150 (3), 120 (3), 125 (3), 211 (3), 212 (3), 260 (3) or Arts One are recommended.

Second, Third and Fourth Years

Second, third, and fourth years of the program require that students complete:

15 credits from: PHIL_V 220 or 222, 230, 240, 330, 340
6 credits of 300-level history of Philosophy from PHIL_V 310, 311, 314, 315
12 credits from: PHIL_V 390, 490; and
an additional 24 credits from third- and fourth-year Philosophy courses (excluding 400, 401) to provide a total of at least 48 third- and fourth-year credits (including the third- and fourth-year credits required above).

Minor in Philosophy

Students must take at least 30 credits (and no more than 42 credits) in Philosophy. At least 18 of these credits must be in courses numbered 300 or above (excluding PHIL_V 400, 401).

Major in History and Philosophy of Science

The only requirement for admission is consultation with the advisor. In addition to Bachelor of Arts requirements, the program requires the following:

Lower-level Requirements (12 credits)

Students must complete HIST_V/PHIL_V 260, and at least 9 credits of first and second year HIST_V or PHIL_V courses. The following are recommended: HIST_V 104, 105, 106, 240, 241, 259; PHIL_V 125, 220, 230, 240.

Upper-level Requirements (30 credits)

Students must complete HIST_V 393/PHIL_V 360, and one (3 credits) of HIST_V 403, 466, 468, 490 or PHIL_V 418, 426, 431, 432, 440, 450, 452, 455, 469, or 491. They must take an additional 15 credits from the following list, with no fewer than 6 credits in PHIL_V and 6 credits in HIST_V: HIST_V 392, 394, 395, 396, 398, 440, 487, 491, 493, 494, 495; PHIL_V 321, 337, 362, 363, 364, 369, 419, 427, 461, 462, 464, 469.

The remaining 9 credits will normally be taken from upper-level HIST_V or PHIL_V courses (excluding PHIL_V 400, 401). Students may substitute any of the following: BIOL_V 446; CLST_V 306; ENGL_V 309; GEOG_V 345; MATH_V 446; PHYS_V 340; PSYC_V 312.

Major in Cognitive Systems: Mind, Language, and Computation

For a program description and admission requirements, see Cognitive Systems (Arts).

Lower-level requirements

PSYC_V 100 (or 101 and 102)
CPSC_V 110 (or 103 and 107)¹, 121
LING_V 100 or LING_V 201
COGS_V 200
PHIL_V 220 or PHIL_V 222 or PHIL_V 320²
PHIL_V 240
One of STAT_V 200, 201, 241, PSYC_V 218, or 278³

Upper-level requirements

COGS_V 300, 303, 401, 402
PSYC_V 304 or PSYC_V 309
PSYC_V 365
Nine credits of philosophy courses taken from this list: PHIL_V 351, PHIL_V 326, PHIL_V 441, PHIL_V 451, PHIL_V 455
15 credits of additional Cognitive Systems module courses numbered 300 or higher (chosen from this list)

¹While CPSC_V 110 is the recommended route for students pursuing a program in Cognitive Systems, CPSC_V 103 and 107 may be taken in its place.

²The prerequisite of PHIL_V 220 may be waived for PHIL_V 320 with the consent of the instructor.

³PSYC_V 278 registration is limited to BSc students. BA students without prior credit for this course should plan to register in PSYC_V 218. Students intending to enroll in the Minor in Data Science should satisfy this requirement by taking STAT_V 201.