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Department of Philosophy

BA with a Major in Philosophy

• Degree Requirements—Major in Philosophy
• Degree Requirements—Major in Philosophy with Departmental Distinction
• Recommended Plan of Study

Minor in Philosophy

1421 University Hall (UH)
(312) 996–3022
http://www.uic.edu/depts/phil
Administration: Chair, Peter Hylton
Director of Undergraduate Studies, Neal Grossman, nealg@uic.edu

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Philosophy is the study of beliefs, values, and wisdom. It develops the skills that are fundamental to reasoning clearly and evaluating the cogency of arguments found in everyday contexts such as politics, religion, and morality. Philosophers identify and discuss our basic beliefs and practices. For example, what is the difference between real science and pseudoscience? How can we be free if we are the products of genes and environment? Is it ever permissible to break the law? Is a doctor ever justified in lying to a patient? Are we justified in claiming knowledge?

Many employers are looking for job candidates who can reason well, articulate a viewpoint, defend their beliefs in writing, and solve abstract problems. Philosophical education is important in preparing for careers in business, engineering, law, medicine, and the sciences.

BA with a Major in Philosophy

Students select from the Major in Philosophy or the Major in Philosophy with Departmental Distinction.

Degree Requirements—Major in Philosophy

To earn a Bachelor of Arts in Liberal Arts and Sciences degree from UIC, students must complete University, college, and department degree requirements. The Department of Philosophy degree requirements are outlined below. Students should consult the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences section for additional degree requirements and college academic policies.

BA with a Major in Philosophy
Degree Requirements	Hours
Major Requirements	31
General Education and Electives
to reach minimum total hours	89
Minimum Total Hours—BA with a Major in
Philosophy	120

General Education

See General Education and Writing-in-the-Discipline in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences section for information on meeting these requirements.

Major Requirements

Of the 31 semester hours required for the major, students must complete at least 12 semester hours at the 400-level, excluding the one hour of credit earned in PHIL 400.

Courses	Hours
Three philosophy courses, 1 from each of 3 of
these 5 groups:	9
Group 1:
PHIL 220—Ancient Philosophy I: Plato and His     Predecessors (3)
PHIL 420—Plato (3)
Group 2:
PHIL 221—Ancient Philosophy II: Aristotle and His     Successors (3)
PHIL 421—Aristotle (3)
Group 3:
PHIL 422—Medieval Philosophy (3)
Group 4:
PHIL 223—History of Modern Philosophy I: Descartes    and His Successors (3)
PHIL 423—Studies in Early Modern Philosophy (3)
Group 5:
PHIL 224—History of Modern Philosophy II: Kant and     His Predecessors (3)
PHIL 424—Kant (3)
PHIL 102—Introductory Logica	3
PHIL 210—Symbolic Logic	3
Two courses from the following list:	6
PHIL 201—Theory of Knowledge (3)
PHIL 202—Philosophy of Psychology (3)
PHIL 203—Metaphysics (3)
PHIL 204—Introduction to the Philosophy of     Science (3)
PHIL 211—Inductive Logic and Decision Making (3)
PHIL 226—Twentieth-Century Analytic Philosophy (3)
PHIL 227—Continental Philosophy I: Phenomenology
and Existentialism (3)
PHIL 241—Philosophy of Religion (3)
PHIL 401—Theory of Knowledge (3)
PHIL 403—Metaphysics (3)
PHIL 404—Philosophy of Science (3)
PHIL 406—Philosophy of Language (3)
PHIL 426—Analysis and Logical Empiricism (3)
PHIL 427—Continental Philosophy II:
European Thought Since 1960 (3)
PHIL 441—Topics in Philosophy of Religion (3)
One course from the following list:	3
PHIL 230—Topics in Ethics and Political Philosophy (3)
PHIL 232—Sex Roles: Moral and Political Issues (3)
PHIL 234—Philosophy and Film (3)
PHIL 430—Ethics (3)
PHIL 431—Social/Political Philosophy (3)
PHIL 432—Topics in Ethics (3)
PHIL 433—Topics in Social/Political Philosophy (3)
Two additional philosophy courses, at least
one of which must be above the 100-level	6
PHIL 400—Philosophical Writingb	1
Total Hours—Major Requirements	31

^a PHIL 102 also fulfills the LAS quantitative reasoning requirement.
^b PHIL 400 also fulfills the Writing-in-the-Discipline requirement. Must be taken in conjunction with 400-level courses as designated in the Schedule of Classes.

Degree Requirements—Major in Philosophy with Departmental Distinction

The major with departmental distinction is designed for serious students who intend to continue studying philosophy in graduate school or who plan to enter law or other professional schools. Students may declare themselves as candidates after completion of 16 hours of philosophy. A GPA of 3.70/4.00 in the philosophy courses selected as satisfying the major with departmental distinction and a 3.50/4.00 overall GPA are required for granting the degree.

To earn a Bachelor of Arts in Liberal Arts and Sciences degree from UIC, students must complete University, college, and department degree requirements. The Department of Philosophy degree requirements are outlined below. Students should consult the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences section for additional degree requirements and college academic policies.

BA with a Major in Philosophy with
Departmental Distinction Degree Requirements	Hours
Major Requirements	34
General Education and Electives
to reach minimum total hours	86
Minimum Total Hours—BA with a Major in
Philosophy with Departmental Distinction	120

General Education

See General Education and Writing-in-the-Discipline in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences section for information on meeting these requirements.

Major Requirements

Of the 34 semester hours required for the major with distinction, students must complete at least 15 semester hours at the 400-level, excluding the one hour of credit earned in PHIL 400.

Courses	Hours
Four philosophy courses, 1 from each of 4 of
these 5 groups:	12
Group 1:
PHIL 220—Ancient Philosophy I: Plato and His     Predecessors (3)
PHIL 420—Plato (3)
Group 2:
PHIL 221—Ancient Philosophy II: Aristotle and His     Successors (3)
PHIL 421—Aristotle (3)
Group 3:
PHIL 422—Medieval Philosophy (3)
Group 4:
PHIL 223—History of Modern Philosophy I: Descartes     and His Successors (3)
PHIL 423—Studies in Early Modern Philosophy (3)
Group 5:
PHIL 224—History of Modern Philosophy II: Kant and
His Predecessors (3)
PHIL 424—Kant (3)
The first two courses or the second or third course
listed below:	3–6
PHIL 102—Introductory Logic (3)a
PHIL 210—Symbolic Logic (3)
OR
PHIL 410—Introduction to Formal Logic (3)
OR
PHIL 416—Metalogic I (3)
Two courses from the following list:	6
PHIL 201—Theory of Knowledge (3)
PHIL 202—Philosophy of Psychology (3)
PHIL 203—Metaphysics (3)
PHIL 204—Introduction to the Philosophy of     Science (3)
PHIL 211—Inductive Logic and Decision Making (3)
PHIL 226—Twentieth-Century Analytic Philosophy (3)
PHIL 227—Continental Philosophy I: Phenomenology
and Existentialism (3)
PHIL 241—Philosophy of Religion (3)
PHIL 401—Theory of Knowledge (3)
PHIL 403—Metaphysics (3)
PHIL 404—Philosophy of Science (3)
PHIL 406—Philosophy of Language (3)
PHIL 426—Analysis and Logical Empiricism (3)
PHIL 427—Continental Philosophy II:
European Thought Since 1960 (3)
PHIL 441—Topics in Philosophy of Religion (3)
Two courses from the following list:	6
PHIL 230—Topics in Ethics and Political Philosophy (3)
PHIL 232—Sex Roles: Moral and Political Issues (3)
PHIL 234—Philosophy and Film (3)
PHIL 430—Ethics (3)
PHIL 431—Social/Political Philosophy (3)
PHIL 432—Topics in Ethics (3)
PHIL 433—Topics in Social/Political Philosophy (3)
PHIL 400—Philosophical Writingb	1
Electives	3–6
Total Hours—Major Requirements	34

a PHIL 102 also fulfills the LAS Quantitative Reasoning requirement.
b PHIL 400 also fulfills the Writing-in-the-Discipline requirement. Must be taken in conjunction with 400-level courses as designated in the Schedule of Classes.

Recommended Plan of Study

To view a recommended plan of study for the major in Philosophy and the major in Philosophy with Distinction, please visit the LAS Web site http://www.uic.edu/las/college/info/fygp.

Minor in Philosophy

Students from other disciplines who want to minor in Philosophy must complete 15 semester hours as outlined below:

Required Courses—Philosophy Minor	Hours
PHIL 102—Introductory Logica	3
Two courses from the following:	6
PHIL 220—Ancient Philosophy I: Plato and
His Predecessors (3)
PHIL 221—Ancient Philosophy II: Aristotle and
His Successors (3)
PHIL 223—History of Modern Philosophy I:
Descartes and His Successors (3)
PHIL 224—History of Modern Philosophy II: Kant and
His Predecessors (3)
Two additional philosophy courses, as least one of
which must be at the 400-level, excluding PHIL 400
and independent study courses	6
Total hours—Philosophy Minor	15

^a PHIL 102 also fulfills the LAS Quantitative Reasoning requirement.