Dec 05, 2025

University Catalog 2019-2020

University Catalog 2019-2020 [ARCHIVED CATALOG]

Philosophy, B.A.

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The Bachelor of Arts degree in Philosophy is suited to the needs of many groups of students including: those seeking a broad and integrated liberal education; those preparing for law school; those interested in careers in business, government, education, publishing, or theology, and those planning to do graduate work in philosophy with an aim of teaching at the college level. In general, an education in philosophy helps students develop the analytic and communication skills and capacity for independent thinking necessary to succeed at almost any career.

For Major Specific Admissions Criteria go to http://www.calstatela.edu/admissions/major-specific-criteria

This program offers two options:

General Option (39 units)

Pre-Law Option (48 units)

Requirements for the Major (39-48 units)

The total number of units required for the Bachelor of Arts degree in Philosophy is 120 units, of which 39-48 are in the major, depending on the option selected.

Core Courses for the major (24 units)

Lower Division Required Core (3 units)

PHIL 1510 - Introduction to Philosophy (3)

Upper Division Required Core (21 units)

PHIL 3000 - Philosophical Research and Writing (3)
Must pass PHIL 3000 with a grade of C or better to satisfy the Graduation Writing Assessment Requirement (GWAR)
PHIL 3040 - Ethics I (3)
PHIL 4960 - Senior Seminar (3)

History Requirement I:

Select one from the following:

Metaphysics/Epistemology Requirement I:

Select one from the following:

Metaphysics/Epistemology Requirement II:

Select one from the following that has not been used to satisfy M&E Requirement I.

Values Requirement I:

Select one from the following:

Directed Electives for the major (9 units)

Select one from following Diversity courses in Philosophy - double counts for General Education (3 units) :

Select two 4000-level courses from the following that has not be used to satisfy any History, M&E, or Values requirement (6 units):

General Option (6 units)

Formal Reasoning Requirement (3 units)

Select one from following :

Upper Division (3 units)

History Requirement II: Select one from the following that has not been used for History Requirement I

Pre-Law Option (15 units)

Formal Reasoning Requirement (3 units)

Select one from the following;

Upper Division (3 units)

Values Requirement II: Select one from the following that was not taken to satisfy Values Requirement I:

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University Catalog

Philosophy, B.A.

Requirements for the Major (39-48 units)

Core Courses for the major (24 units)

Lower Division Required Core (3 units)

Upper Division Required Core (21 units)

History Requirement I:

Metaphysics/Epistemology Requirement I:

Metaphysics/Epistemology Requirement II:

Values Requirement I:

Directed Electives for the major (9 units)

Select two 4000-level courses from the following that has not be used to satisfy any History, M&E, or Values requirement (6 units):

General Option (6 units)

Formal Reasoning Requirement (3 units)

Upper Division (3 units)

Pre-Law Option (15 units)

Formal Reasoning Requirement (3 units)

Upper Division (3 units)

Select three Upper Division courses outside of PHIL with advisor approval (9 units)