Philosophy

Faculty

View faculty details

Chair

Susan Dwyer

Professors

Stephen E. Braude

Associate Professors

John M. Titchener
Steven Yalowitz

Assistant Professors

Zena Hitz
Jessica Pfeifer

Instructor

Roye S. Templeton
Richard L. Wilson

Courses in this program are listed under PHIL.

The philosophy major and minor emphasize critical analysis, problem-solving and the formulation and evaluation of arguments in oral and written contexts. Philosophy students learn to think logically and critically. The major also introduces students to a range of traditional philosophical issues and provides an opportunity to read carefully the works of some of the greatest thinkers in history.

Career and Academic Paths

The discipline provides a solid foundation for graduate study and work in professions requiring analytic, conceptual and expository skills. Philosophy majors tend to do very well in these areas and to perform substantially better than average on graduate admissions tests, including those for law, business and medicine. In recent years, graduates of the philosophy program have been admitted for graduate study in a variety of disciplines, including law, medicine and philosophy.

Academic Advising

All students in the department are advised by full-time members of the philosophy faculty. Normally, the advising coordinator assists the student in the selection of a faculty advisor whose interests are similar to those of the student.

Major Program

The philosophy major consists of at least 36 credits, including the following requirements:

One course in logic:

PHIL 346
Deductive Systems

One course in ethics from the following:

PHIL 350
Ethical Theory
PHIL 355
Political Philosophy
PHIL 356
Philosophy of Law
PHIL 358
Bioethics
PHIL 452
Advanced Topics in Ethics
PHIL 454
Animals and the Environment: Moral Theory and Its Application
PHIL 455
Applied Ethics

Two courses in the history of philosophy:

PHIL 321
History of Ancient Philosophy
PHIL 322
History of Modern Philosophy

One course in metaphysics and epistemology from the following:

PHIL 371
Epistemology
PHIL 372
Philosophy of Science
PHIL 373
Metaphysics
PHIL 394
Philosophy of Biology
PHIL 395
Philosophy of Physics
PHIL 445
Philosophy of Language
PHIL 470
Philosophy of Mind
PHIL 472
Advanced Topics in Philosophy of Science

At least six credits at the 400 level and an additional six credits at the 300 or 400 level

Prerequisites for all philosophy courses must be satisfied with no less than the grade of “C.”
In fulfilling the major requirements in philosophy, students may submit no course in which they earn less than the grade of “C.”

Minor Program

The philosophy minor consists of at least six courses, including the following requirements:

One course in logic from the following:

PHIL 248
Scientific Reasoning
PHIL 346
Deductive Systems

One course in ethics from the following:

PHIL 150
Contemporary Moral Issues
PHIL 152
Introduction to Moral Theory
PHIL 350
Ethical Theory
PHIL 355
Political Philosophy
PHIL 356
Philosophy of Law
PHIL 358
Bioethics
PHIL 452
Advanced Topics in Ethics
PHIL 454
Animals and the Environment: Moral Theory and its Application

Two courses in the history of philosophy:

PHIL 321
History of Ancient Philosophy
PHIL 322
History of Modern Philosophy

Students may select two other courses from any area of philosophy. At least four of the six courses required for the minor must be 300- or 400-level classes. In fulfillment of the minor requirements in philosophy, students may submit no course in which they earn less than the grade of “C.”

Honors Program

The honors program in philosophy allows philosophy majors to receive the B.A. in Philosophy with honors. Students applying for admission to the program must have completed at least 45 credits of university work and have earned a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher.

Applicants also must have completed at least four upper-level philosophy classes (classes numbered 300 or higher) with a GPA in those courses of 3.5 or higher.
Transfer students must have completed four advanced courses in philosophy and must provide evidence that their performance in philosophy classes is comparable to that of non-transfer students eligible for admission to the honors program.
Students interested in applying for admission to the honors program should contact the department chair no later than the second semester of their junior year. The admission of seniors into the honors program is possible but unusual and requires an extremely heavy load in the senior year.

To graduate with the B.A. in Philosophy with honors, students must complete 14 courses (42 credits) in philosophy, each with a grade of “C” or better. Of these courses, at least eight (24 credits) must be at the 300 or 400 level; of these eight courses (24 credits), at least two (6 credits) must be at the 400 level.

In consultation with his or her honors advisor, each candidate for honors shall designate two upper-level courses to be honors courses in which additional work shall be required. The student and the honors class instructor shall prepare a contract indicating requirements to meet for the receipt of honors credit.

Those conditions being met, the department will notify the Honors College, and the student’s transcript will show the successful completion of the honors course. The honors candidate also will take PHIL 405: Honors Independent Study in Philosophy, normally in the first semester of the senior year. This course is devoted to the honors project, normally an honors paper, prepared in consultation with the student’s honors advisor and submitted for the approval of the department. The honors project must be completed by the end of the 11th week of class in the candidate’s final semester. PHIL 405 may be repeated with permission of the department for credit.

Applicants satisfying the course requirements, having an overall GPA of 3.0 or higher and a GPA of 3.5 or higher in philosophy and submitting an honors project found to
be acceptable by the departmental faculty, shall be recommended for the Bachelor of Arts in Philosophy with Honors.

Special Opportunities

Independent studies at the 400 level, taught by faculty in their areas of expertise and research, are available to students with appropriate interests and preparation.

Student Organizations

Philosophers Anonymous Council of Majors
Philosophers Anonymous is the undergraduate philosophy
society that is organized as a student club with the support of the Student Government Association and the Department of Philosophy.

The group encourages membership from all those interested in philosophy and supports student receptions, lectures by philosophers from UMBC and other institutions, as well as student discussion groups and debates between and among students and members of the faculty on various topics of contemporary interest. Philosophers Anonymous acts as a council of majors and represents the interests of the students to the department.