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Minor in Philosophy
Overview
You go into [philosophy] to pursure your intellectual passion, and it just so happens as a byproduct that you emerge as a desired commodity for industry.
It seems almost too good to be true, but studying philosophy allows you to explore life’s toughest questions while acquiring some of the most desirable traits sought by employers. Here’s why. As a philosophy student you learn skills in critical thinking, written and verbal communication, moral and ethical reasoning and will learn how to analyze and understand arguments better that just about any other area of study. Because of these traits, more and more employers look for philosophy graduates. Additionally, philosophy graduates promote faster in the workplace.
The minor in philosophy is a low-credit option to add these skills to your portfolio, and a philosophy minor complements almost any other program of study. Requirements for the minor are summarized below, and can be reviewed in the Undergraduate Catalog.
To learn more about minoring in philosophy, get in touch with our department chair or visit us in CHBS 4202.
This program fulfills the REAL Curriculum "E" area in Humanistic or Artistic Expression.
Curriculum
The Philosophy Minor consists of 15 semester hours of philosophy courses as outlined below:
Required Courses (6 credits)
Choose two of the following courses:
- PHIL 213 - Critical Reasoning and Argumentation
- PHIL 216 - History of Philosophy: Ancient to Medieval
- PHIL 217 - Modern Philosophy: Renaissance to the Present
Electives (9 credits)
Choose three additional PHIL courses, one of which must be an E / Humanistic or Artistic Expression designated course at the 300-level or above :
- PHIL 111 - Introduction to Philosophy
- PHIL 112 - Introduction: Ethics and Society
- PHIL 115 - Wicked Problems
- PHIL 215 - Healthcare Ethics
- PHIL 218 - Film and Philosophy
- PHIL 219 - Environmental Ethics
- PHIL 290 - Selected Issues in Philosophy
- PHIL 310 - Professional Ethics (Writing Intensive)
- PHIL 320 - Philosophy of Mind and Metaphysics
- PHIL 330 - Theories of Knowledge
- PHIL 342 - Philosophy, Science, and Values
- PHIL 350 - Philosophy of Religion
- PHIL 366 - Philosophy Travel Course
- PHIL 375 - Philosophy of Law
- PHIL 385 - Social and Political Philosophy
- PHIL 390 - Ethical Theory
- PHIL 421 - Topics in Philosophy (Writing Intensive)
- PHIL 430 - Advanced Healthcare Ethics
- PHIL 488 - Final Honors Project
- PHIL 490 - Philosophy Internship
- PHIL 498 - Independent Study
Faculty
Our philosophy faculty come from diverse backgrounds, have diverse interests, and are internationally recognized in their areas of specialization.
- Dr. Guy Axtell is a widely recognized expert on virtue theory and objectivity.
- Dr. Steven Fesmire is an internationally known scholar of ethics, education, and politics.
- Dr. Gilburt Goffstein is an expert in philosophies of human liberation, focusing on thinkers like Freud, Marx, G. H. Mead, and Habermas.
- Dr. Heather Keith publishes widely on ethics, intellectual disability, and environmental philosophy.
- Nickolas Montgomery researches game theory and the philosophy of language.
- David Parks specializes in offering introductory courses in philosophy.
- Katy Shepard is a philosopher and artist, and studies the role of artists in building identity and fostering liberation.
- Mr. Darrell Shomaker holds expertise in healthcare ethics.
- Michael Zarella specializes in offering courses about the fundamental questions of human existence.