| Arts and Sciences Program Listing | Catalog Table of Contents | Index |

USF 2008-2009 Undergraduate Catalog - Page 109

Philosophy (PHI)

Course Descriptions - Faculty

Recommended Prerequisites (State Mandated Prerequisites)
Students wishing to transfer to USF should complete the A.A. degree at the community college. Some courses required for the major may also meet General Education Requirements thereby transferring maximum hours to the university. If students transfer with fewer than 60 semester hours of acceptable credit, the students must meet the university’s entering freshman requirements including ACT or SAT test scores, GPA, and course requirements.

There are no State Mandated Common Prerequisites for this degree program.

The transfer student should also be aware of the immunization, foreign language, and continuous enrollment policies of the university.

Students are encouraged to complete the following courses if available during the program of study at the community college and when feasible in General Education/Gordon Rule courses. Unless stated otherwise, a grade of “C” is the minimum acceptable grade.

Mathematics (any courses).
Foreign Languages (Beginning and Intermediate German, French, or Latin) (1120-1121 level and 2200-2201 level)
Classics (CLT, CLA for example)

Requirements for the Major in Philosophy

Majors in philosophy must complete at least 33 credit hours comprised of the following:

  1. PHH 3062 History of Western Philosophy: Ancient Philosophy

  2. Two of the following three courses
    PHH 3280 Medieval and Renaissance Philosophy
    PHH 3420 Early Modern Philosophy
    PHH 3442 Late Modern Philosophy

  3. PHI 2101 Introduction to Formal Logic

  4. PHI 4670 Contemporary Ethical Theory

  5. Two of the following three courses
    PHI 4300 Theory of Knowledge
    PHI 3404 Philosophy of Science
    PHI 4320 Philosophy of MInd

  6. 9 credit hours of Philosophy electives, of which 6 must be at the 4000 or 5000 level

  7. PHI 4938 Philosophy Capstone Seminar

Two additional stipulations apply:

  1. Minimum passing grade requirement. No grade below C- in any required philosophy course or philosophy elective may count toward the major;

  2. Beginning Fall 2010: Residency Requirement. No more than six hours of philosophy electives and three hours of required philosophy coursework taken at institutions other than USF may count toward the major.

Requirements for the Minor in Philosophy

A minor in philosophy consists of the completion of at least 18 credit hours, which includes the following courses or an approved substitute for one only:

  1. PHH 3062 History of Western Philosophy: Ancient Philosophy

  2. One of the following three courses:
    PHH 3280 Medieval and Renaissance Philosophy
    PHH 3420 Early Modern Philosophy
    PHH 3442 Late Modern Philosophy

  3. PHI 4670 Contemporary Ethical Theory
    or
    PHP 3786 Existentialism
    or
    PHI 4320 Philosophy of Mind

  4. PHI 2101 Introduction to Formal Logic
    or
    PHI 3404 Philosophy of Science

  5. 6 credit hours of Philosophy electives

No credit taken on an “S/U” basis may be applied toward the minor.

Honors Program

The Honors Program in Philosophy allows superior students to pursue philosophical studies at a more advanced level than is customary in undergraduate philosophy programs. Students in the Honors Program will be required to do independent research and to write and defend an undergraduate thesis.

Admission Criteria:

  1. Students must already have declared a major in Philosophy.

  2. Students must complete 9 hours in Philosophy at the 3000 level or higher (PHI 2101 may count toward the 9 hours).

  3. Students must have an overall grade point average of 3.0, and their grade point average in Philosophy must be at least 3.5.

  4. Students who wish to be considered for the Honors Program must request to be nominated by a member of the faculty. Once nominated by a faculty member, a majority of the faculty who have taught the student must approve the student's admission to the Honors Program.

Program Requirements:
In addtion to completing the requirements for the Major in Philosophy, students must meet the following requirements.

  1. Students cannot receive a grade lower than a "B" in any Philosophy course, and their grade point average in Philosophy must be at least 3.5 to remain in, or be graduated from, the Honors Program.

  2. PHH 4440 Continental Philosophy
    or
    PHP 4784 Analytical Philosophy
    or
    PHP 3786 Existentialism
    or
    PHH 4700 American Philosophy

  3. Students must write a senior thesis and undergo an oral examination on the thesis before a committee of two Philosophy faculty members. Students will register for 3 hours in directed study in Philosophy (PHI 4905) for work on their thesis. Students who are in the Honors College may use the same project to count for both Philosophy Honors and an Honors College thesis. In such cases, the student shall not register for directed study in Philosophy (PHI 4905) as part of completing the thesis.

  4. Students must complete 36 credit hours in Philosophy.

| Top | Arts and Sciences Program Listing | Catalog Table of Contents | Index |

Please send questions or comments to:
Office of Undergraduate Studies-

http://www.ugs.usf.edu/catalogs/0809/phil.htm