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

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

Research Requirement

Students must complete the following:

  • Research Seminar: at least one of PHIL 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 Philosophy2,3 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 level2,3 in order to meet the total number of credits (42) required for the Major. These credits may include preparatory courses.

2Credit for PHIL 400 and PHIL 401 is not permitted toward any specialization in Philosophy, including the Major. 3ASIA 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 301 (or 304).
  • ECON 302 (or 305).
  • ECON 326.
  • 6 ECON credits at the 300-level or higher.
  • ECON 490.

Note: Students who are exempt from specific required courses (e.g. ECON 301, ECON 325, ECON 326) because they have received credit for a non-ECON approved equivalent may have to take additional ECON 3XX or 4XX level courses so that they satisfy the Combined Major requirement of 30 ECON 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 220 or 222 or 321, 230, 330, one of 240 or 340, one of PHIL 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 400 and 401. 

Joint Requirements

Students must complete both ECON 318/PHIL 362 and ECON 319/PHIL 363 (6 credits). They may elect to take these under either the Philosophy or Economics course code. Credits obtained for ECON 318/PHIL 362 and ECON 319/PHIL 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 230, 330,
  • one of PHIL 240 or 340,
  • 3 credits of history of philosophy from among PHIL 310, 311, 313, 314, 315, 316, 371, 378, 388 or ASIA 372,
  • 3 credits from one of PHIL 321, 332, 334, 335, 338, 362, 363, 461, and
  • 3 research seminar credits from among PHIL 418, 426, 431, 432, 440, 450, 452, 455, 469, or 491.

Students are encouraged to take PHIL 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 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 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 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 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 220 or 222, 230, 240, 330, 340
  • 6 credits of 300-level history of Philosophy from PHIL 310, 311, 314, 315
  • 12 credits from: PHIL 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 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/PHIL 260, and at least 9 credits of first and second year HIST or PHIL courses. The following are recommended: HIST 104, 105, 106, 240, 241, 259; PHIL 125, 220, 230, 240.

Upper-level Requirements (30 credits)

Students must complete HIST 393/PHIL 360, and one (3 credits) of HIST 403, 466, 468, 490 or PHIL 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 and 6 credits in HIST: HIST 392, 394, 395, 396, 398, 440, 487, 491, 493, 494, 495; PHIL 321, 337, 362, 363, 364, 369, 419, 427, 461, 462, 464, 469.

The remaining 9 credits will normally be taken from upper-level HIST or PHIL courses (excluding PHIL 400, 401). Students may substitute any of the following: BIOL 446; CLST 306; ENGL 309; GEOG 345; MATH 446; PHYS 340; PSYC 312.

Major in Cognitive Systems: Mind, Language, and Computation

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

Lower-level requirements

  • PSYC 100 (or 101 and 102)
  • CPSC 110 (or 103 and 107)1, 121
  • LING 100 or LING 201
  • COGS 200
  • PHIL 220 or PHIL 222 or PHIL 3202
  • PHIL 240
  • One of STAT 200, 201, 241, PSYC 218, or 2783

Upper-level requirements

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

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

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

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

 

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