Philosophy Major

Requirements for the Major

A major in Philosophy requires a minimum of 10 courses including a senior thesis. The course requirements and examples of courses that satisfy those requirements are as follows (Course numbers may differ amongst the Claremont Colleges philosophy department offerings):

• Two courses in the history of philosophy, from two different time periods ( PHIL109 SC *, PHIL112 SC *, PHIL113 SC *, PHIL118 SC *, PHIL179 SC *). Note that 109, 113, 118, and 197 are from the same time period.
• One course in logic ( PHIL144 SC *)
• One course in ethical theory or the history of ethics ( PHIL160 SC *, PHIL179 SC *)
• Two courses in two different core analytic areas of philosophy. Core analytic areas include philosophy of language, philosophy of mind, philosophy of science, metaphysics, topics in Neurophilosophy, and epistemology. ( PHIL130 SC *, PHIL137 SC *, PHIL146 SC *, PHIL149 JT *, PHIL154 SC *, PHIL168 SC *, PHIL185N JT *.)  Note: If there is very significant subject area overlap between two classes, e.g. two classes both focus on topics in philosophy of mind, only one class can count towards this requirement.
• Two additional courses.
• Senior seminar.
• Senior thesis.

*Equivalent courses offered at the Claremont Colleges may satisfy this requirement. Confer with your major adviser to identify appropriate courses.

Honors Requirements

A student who wishes to pursue honors in philosophy must apply in writing to the department by the end of junior year, specifying the intended courses used to fulfill the following requirements:

• Two additional philosophy classes.
• An oral defense of the senior thesis.
• A GPA of 11.0 (A-) or higher within the major.
• A grade of at least A- on the senior thesis.

Philosophy Major - Bioethics Track

What is Bioethics?

“In virtue of being embodied creatures, and the specific kind of biological creatures we are, we face particular kinds of moral challenges: we are vulnerable to disease, we give birth, we die. All of these facets of the embodied human experience generate ethical questions, and the attempt to grapple with these questions is what we call bioethics.”
-Maggie Little, Kennedy Institute of Ethics, Georgetown.

Requirements for the Major

A major in Philosophy the bioethics track requires a minimum of 11 courses including a senior thesis.

• Logic and Argumentation (PHIL144 SC*)  
• Ethical Theory (PHIL160 SC*)  
• Political Philosophy (PHIL162 SC*)  
• 1 course in the History of Philosophy ( PHIL109 SC *, PHIL112 SC *, PHIL113 SC *, PHIL118 SC *, PHIL179 SC *)
• 1 course in a core area of Philosophy. Core analytic areas include Philosophy of Mind, Philosophy of Science, Metaphysics, Neurophilosophy, Epistemology, and Philosophy of Language, among others.
  • Metaphysics, Mind, Neurophilosophy, Philosophy Science, and Philosophy Biology can count as electives if not used to satisfy the core requirement (no double counting of core and elective classes).
• Ethics of the Beginning and End of Life (PHIL155 SC*)  
• Senior Seminar  
• Senior Thesis  
• 3 electives from the following list (or equivalents, by permission from the department chair):
  • Medical Anthropology (ANTH107 PO)  
  • Concepts in Biology (BIOL057L KS)  
  • Foundations of Neuroscience (BIOL095L JT)  
  • Genetics (BIOL143 KS)  
  • Health Economics (ECON129 PO)  
  • Organization of Healthcare and Public Policy (GOVT105 CM)  
  • Bioethics (PHIL038 PO)  
  • Science and Values (PHIL102 PO)  - depending on topic
  • Philosophy of Science: Historical Survey (PHIL103 PO)  
  • Philosophy of Science: Topical Survey (PHIL104 PO)  
  • Philosophy of Biology (PHIL106 PO)  
  • Metaphysics (PHIL126 CM)  
  • The Metaphysics of Persons (PHIL128 CM)  
  • Philosophy of Mind (PHIL130 SC)  
  • Temptation and the Will (PHIL146 SC)  
  • Health, Measurement, and Justice (PHIL171 CM)  
  • Philosophy of Law (PHIL176 CM)  
  • Topics in Neurophilosophy (PHIL185N JT)  
  • Introduction to Public Policy Analysis (PPA 001 PO)  
  • Freedom, Markets, and Well-Being (PPE 160 PO)  
  • Health Psychology (PSYC118 PZ)  
  • The Psychology of Health and Medicine (PSYC176 PO)  
  • Sociology of Health and Medicine (SOC 122 PZ)  
  • Internship: Sociology of Health and Medicine (SOC 170 PZ)  

*Equivalent courses offered at the Claremont Colleges may satisfy this requirement. Confer with your major adviser to identify appropriate courses.

Honors Requirements (Bioethics track):

• One additional bioethics elective
• An oral defense of the senior thesis
• A GPA of 11.0 (A-) or higher within the major
• A grade of at least A- on the senior thesis