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DEPARTMENT OFFICE
Engineering and Technology A432
Phone: (323) 343-4180
Fax: (323) 343-4193
E-mail: dbalder@cslanet.calstatela.edu
Website: http://www.calstatela.edu/dept/phil/

E-mail Addresses: Requests for information or advising can be e-mailed to philba@calstatela.edu or philma@calstatela.edu. In addition, every faculty member has an e-mail address composed of the initial of the first name plus last name (or the first six letters of a longer last name) @calstatela.edu, for example, mbalagu@calstatela.edu or dpitt@calstatela.edu.

Philosophy engages students in thinking about the fundamental questions of human life—life’s meaning and the ways in which we understand the world and our place in it. Philosophy students read and discuss writings of the world’s great thinkers, both in the history of philosophy and in the contemporary arena. Studies include, for example, ethics, political and social thought, logic, theory of knowledge, philosophy of science, philosophy of art and film, philosophy of law, philosophy of religions, metaphysics, feminist philosophy, philosophy and race, biomedical ethics, existentialism, postmodern thought, the philosophers of China, Japan, India, and Latin America.

Those who study philosophy are valued by employers, graduate schools and professional schools in a wide range of fields for their analytic skills, their clear thinking and writing, their creative imagination, and the broad base of their background and knowledge. Philosophy is an appropriate field of study for students hoping to attend law school.

An undergraduate major can be taken in Philosophy with either of two options: General and Prelaw. An undergraduate minor in Philosophy with General and Prelaw options is available for students majoring in other fields.

An interdisciplinary minor in Classics is administered by the Department of Philosophy. The faculty is drawn from cooperating departments of the College of Arts and Letters and the College of Natural and Social Sciences.

The Master of Arts degree in Philosophy offers students a broad background in both the history of philosophy and contemporary thought. The program is designed to accommodate various student goals; for example, preparation for further graduate study or for community college teaching as well as self-enrichment. In some specific areas of philosophy, career opportunities are available in institutions engaged in basic research.

A postbaccalaureate certificate program in Teaching Critical Thinking is available for those with an interest in the theory and techniques of teaching critical thinking at either the college or secondary school level.

Philosophy students have many opportunities to interact informally with faculty members and to work with each other. There is a student Philosophy Club and a student journal, Philosophy in Practice.

The Faculty

Professors: Mark Balaguer, Jennifer Faust, Ricardo J. Gómez, Henry R. Mendell, Kayley Vernallis (Chair).
Associate Professors: Talia Bettcher, David Pitt.
Assistant Professors: Mohammed Abed, Anna Carastathis, Richard Dean, Michael Shim.
Emeriti: Sidney P. Albert, Thomas Annese, Sharon Bishop, Donald R. Burrill, Ann Garry, Joseph B. Prabhu, George R. Vick.

Programs for this Department

Undergraduate Major

• Philosophy, B.A. 
Undergraduate Minor

• Classics Minor 
• Philosophy General Minor 
• Philosophy Prelaw Minor 
Graduate Major

• Philosophy, M.A. 
Graduate Certificate

• Graduate Certificate Program in Teaching Critical Thinking 
 

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