If you are interested in declaring a Philosophy Major, please see the Declaring the Major page for more information.
Students may choose either a 50-credit major or a 60-credit major. In order to graduate, a student who completes the 50-credit major must also have a minor or second major in another discipline. A student who completes the 60-credit major is not required to have a minor or second major.
Departmental Honors in Philosophy
The honors program in Philosophy recognizes the exceptional scholarship of qualified students in the Philosophy major. To qualify, students must have completed at least 25 credits in their major and have a minimum GPA of 3.0 overall and 3.5 in their major coursework.
In addition to their normal coursework, students seeking departmental honors must take one additional upper division course in their program, complete a superior thesis (PHIL 497: Honors Thesis) to be evaluated by a second reader from the departmental faculty, and make an oral presentation. Students graduating with honors will have that accomplishment recorded on their transcripts.
Philosophy Major (50 or 60 Credits)
In order to graduate, a student who completes the 50-credit major (small plan) must also have a minor or second major in another discipline. A student who completes the 60-credit major (large plan) is not required to have a minor or second major.
Critical Thinking – credits: 5
Select one of the following courses:
☐ PHIL 151: Arguments about Life and Death (5)
☐ PHIL 152: Arguments about Healthcare (5)
☐ PHIL 153: Arguments about Social Issues (5)
☐ PHIL 251: Introduction to Formal Logic (5)
Thesis Sequence – credits: 5
☐ PHIL 494: Undergraduate Thesis Preparation (2)
Select one of the following courses:
☐ PHIL 495: Undergraduate Thesis (3)
☐ PHIL 497: Honors Thesis (3)
History of Western Philosophy – credits: 10
Students may either take both courses, or one course twice under different topics.
☐ PHIL 352: Topics in Ancient Philosophy (5)
☐ PHIL 353: Topics in Modern Philosophy (5)
Value Theory – credits: 5
Select one of the following courses:
☐ PHIL 302: Ethical Theory (5)
☐ PHIL 304: Business Ethics (5)
☐ PHIL 306: Environmental Ethics (5)
☐ PHIL 308: Medical Ethics (5)
☐ PHIL 347: Philosophy of Law (5)
☐ PHIL 348: Social and Political Philosophy (5)
☐ PHIL 403: Philosophy of Art (5)
Contemporary Analytic and Continental Philosophy – credits: 5
Select one of the following courses:
☐ PHIL 324: Philosophy and Science Fiction (5)
☐ PHIL 358: Existentialism (5)
☐ PHIL 359: Contemporary European Philosophy (5)
☐ PHIL 361: Theory of Knowledge
☐ PHIL 364: Philosophy of Mind
Asian Philosophy – credits: 5
Select one of the following courses:
☐ PHIL 345: Chinese Philosophy (5)
☐ RELS 350: Korean Religion and Philosophy (5)
☐ RELS 403: Buddhist Thought and Practice (5)
Noncanonical Philosophy – credits: 5
Select one of the following courses:
☐ PHIL 310: Sexual and Reproductive Ethics (5)
☐ PHIL 325: Women and Philosophy (5)
☐ PHIL 357: Philosophy of Race (5)
Department-approved electives – credits: 10-20
Small majors (50 credits) require 10 elective credits; large majors (60 credits) require 20 elective credits. At most 5 credits at the 100- or 200-level.
☐ Lower- or upper-division PHIL course
☐ Upper-division PHIL course
☐ Upper-division PHIL course
☐ Upper-division PHIL course
TOTAL: 50 or 60
View major requirements and current curriculum in CWU's Online Electronic Catalog.
The Online Electronic Catalog (OEC) is the official University´s compilation for all curriculum. The OEC will serve as the basis for major, minor and program requirements for the academic year.
For current policy and curriculum requirements refer to CWU online catalog. When a printed catalog is produced, its publication will take place immediately following the freezing of the OEC for that year. Undergraduate catalogs are valid for five years.
Students must follow that catalog for major and program requirements that are in effect at the time they are admitted to the major. Please contact your academic department if you have questions. For current policy and curriculum requirements refer to CWU online catalo
