Ungraduate Program
General Information
Why Study Philosophy?
Philosophy is a fundamental academic discipline which is related to all areas of human concern. Philosophy courses will be helpful to students in each of the arts and sciences, as well as in professional fields of study. The major and minor programs in philosophy are designed to serve several different functions: 1) the central focus of a liberal arts degree program, 2) a key component in an interdisciplinary program, 3) preparation for graduate work in education, law, medicine, politics, social work, or theology, 4) preparation for graduate work in philosophy.
Students are invited to discuss with the departmental undergraduate advisor the role philosophy courses might play in specific programs of study. A departmental honors program is available at the undergraduate level. Dual master degree programs are available in conjunction with other departments.
Philosophy consists of reflection on some of the deepest issues of human life and existence and so by its nature relates to most of the disciplines within the university's curriculum. Courses which are directly relevant to other fields of study include Contemporary Moral Issues, Philosophy of Science, Reasoning and Critical Thinking, Philosophy of Mathematics, Philosophy and Literature, Philosophy of the Social Sciences, Philosophy of Religion, Philosophy of Art and Aesthetics, Philosophy of Law and Morals. Courses with a more general relevance include, Theory of Knowledge, Metaphysics, Humanities, Ethical Theory, and Logic.
Who Should Consider majoring in Philosophy?
Those students planning careers in Religious Studies, Foreign Service, Education (elementary, secondary, or college), Public Administration, or Social Work.
Those students who are concerned primarily with obtaining a broad liberal arts education at the undergraduate level.
Those preparing for business or professional school (e.g. law or medicine). Philosophy majors score high on such tests as the LSAT. The writing and thinking skills developed in Philosophy courses are increasingly valued by businesses.
Major in Philosophy
Major Study Requirements
Effective fall 2011, there will be changes to the requirements for both the general and Pre‑Law Philosophy majors. For further details, please consult the section of the Undergraduate Program FAQ entitled "I noticed that the requirements for the Philosophy major have changed."
31 hours distributed as follows:
- 211 Greek Philosophy (3 Credits)
- 202 Modern Philosophy (3 Credits)
- 352 Theory of Knowledge or 354 Metaphysics (3 Credits)
- 356 Symbolic Logic (4 Credits)
- 358 Ethical Theory (3 Credits)
- 441 Philosophical Movements or
442 Individual Philosophers or
one of the following:
402, 403, 404, 406, 409, 410, 412, 413, 421, 422
Plus, twelve hours of electives, 6 of which must be at the 300 level or above. (Normally 100 level Philosophy courses will count only if taken prior to any 200 level or higher courses.)
Work sheet for students who declared before Fall 2011.
Work sheet for students who declared during or after Fall 2011.
Minor in Philosophy
Minor Study Requirements
18 or 19 hours including either 156 or 356; at least 2 of the following: 101, 201, 202; and 9 additional hours at the 300 level or above. If 101 is included it must be taken before any 300 level or above course which is counted toward the minor.
Pre-Law Concentration
Philosophy Major, Pre-Law Concentration
Effective fall 2011, there will be changes to the requirements for both the general and Pre‑Law Philosophy majors. For further details, please consult the section of the Undergraduate Program FAQ entitled "I noticed that the requirements for the Philosophy major have changed."
For students considering law school, and those who wish a philosophy major with a concentration in ethics, legal, and social philosophy.
30-31 hours distributed as follows:
- 156 Reasoning and Critical Thinking (3 Credits) or
356 Symbolic Logic (4 Credits) - 202 Modern Philosophy (3 Credits)
- 211 Greek Philosophy (3 Credits)
- 352 Theory of Knowledge (3 Credits)
- 358 Ethical Theory (3 Credits)
- 371 Classical Social and Political Philosophy or
372 Modern Social and Political Philosophy - 381 Philosophy of Law and Morals (3 Credits)
Plus, 9 hours of Philosophy electives, 6 of which must be at the 300 level or above. (Normally 100 level Philosophy courses will only count if taken prior to any 200 level or higher courses.)
Outside the department, the following courses are recommended: Pol Sc 315 or 316 (Constitutional Law).
Work sheet for students who declared before Fall 2011.
Work sheet for students who declared during or after Fall 2011.
Economics & English Philosophy Majors
Please note the Economics & Philosophy Major is no longer accepting new students.
The Department of Philosophy cooperates with the Department of Economics in administering an interdepartmental Economics-Philosophy major, and with the Department of English in administering an interdepartmental English-Philosophy major.
Economics Philosophy Major
Students completing an economics-Philosophy major are not required to have a minor. The minimum requirement is 45 hours, including:
Econ 105, 106, 300,303, 315, and 360 or 450, and 3 hours to be selected from 320, 332, 350 or 424;
Philosophy, 21 hours selected from courses chosen in consultation with your advisor; and Ec-Ph 485.
English-Philosophy Major
English-Philosophy Major Study Requirements
The minimum requirement is 45 hours, including:
- 18 hours in English courses, 12 of which are to be numbered 300 or above. Recommended courses: 250, and 410.
- 18 hours in Philosophy courses, 12 of which are to be numbered 300 or above. Recommended courses: 156 and at least one of 201 or 202, at least one of 352, 354, or 358.
- 6 hours additional of English or Philosophy numbered 300 or above.
- Eng-Ph 480.
Work sheet for students.
Interdisciplinary Majors and Minors
The Philosophy department participates fully in the following interdisciplinary programs which offer undergraduate minors and/or majors within the College of Arts and Sciences: Asian Studies (see International Studies); European Studies (see International Studies); Latin American Studies, Period Minor (see Comparative Literature), Peace Studies, Religious Studies; and Science Technology and Society (see University Honors Program).
Honors in Philosophy
Purpose
The Honors Program is designed to enable superior students to do independent study and research. The program culminates in the writing of a senior thesis.
Eligibility Requirements
To be eligible for the Honors Program, a student must:
- Be a Philosophy Major
- Have an overall GPA of 3.30 or better
- Have a GPA of 3.70 or better in his/her Philosophy coursework taken at UNM
- Submit an application to the Department of Philosophy by the beginning of the senior year
- Print Application Form
Application Procedures
Students interested in the Honors in Philosophy program should submit an aplication to the Department of philosophy during their junior year (But by the beginning of their senior year at the latest. Admission to Departmental Honors candidacy cannot be granted later than the beginning of the student's senior year). Once a student's application has been approved, a meeting with the Philosophy Honors Advisor should be scheduled to secure a thesis committee and obtain information on completing the Honors Program.
The Honors Sequence: 497 (Honors Seminar) & 499 (Honors Thesis)
Students approved for Honors in Philosophy must complete Philosophy 497 an 499. Philosophy 497 is a reading and research course normally taken in the fall semester of the senior year. Before enrolling in this course, the student selects one faculty member to serve as his or her thesis advisor and then registers for Philosophy 497 with that instructor. By the end of the course, the student will have developed a 750-1500 word thesis proposal and a preliminary bibliography. Philosophy 499 is ordinarily taken during the spring semester of the senior year with the same faculty member who supervised Philosophy 497. (With the permission of the Honors Advisor, the two courses may be taken in the same semester.) Building on the work of the previous semester in Philosophy 497, the honors candidate should complete the necessary research and writing of the honors thesis in close consultation with their thesis advisor. The thesis is due no later than the Monday of the 12th week of the semester.
Grading the Thesis
Each honors thesis will be read and graded by a thesis committee, composed of the thesis advisor and a second reader (or readers) chosen by the department. The thesis grade will be the average of the grades assigned by the readers. Students receiving a grade of B or better on the thesis will be awarded Honors in Philosophy (either cum laude, magna cum laude or summa cum laude). If the student fails to earn a grade of B or higher on the senior thesis or fails to meet the GPA requirements for honors at the time of graduation, the student may still receive credit for Philosophy 499 and graduate, albeit without honors.
Phi Sigma Tau
Phi Sigma Tau is a philosophy honorary society whose purpose is to be a means for developing and honoring academic excellence as well as philosophical interest. Phi Sigma Tau stands for Filountwn Sofian Timhn (Of those who love wisdom, honor). For more information please visit the Phi Sigma Tau webpage.
Advanced Study
The Philosophy Department offers both the M.A. and Ph D. degrees. More information on the graduate programs can be found at the Graduate Programs Page.
