College of Humanities and Social Sciences

Department of Communication Studies and Philosophy

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For more information about Philosophy, please see the Languages, Philosophy and Communication Studies website.
Following is a sample four-year plan. Please note that this plan is only a general guideline and that student-specific plans may differ. Please make sure to consult regularly with your departmental advisor to confirm what courses will be available and to work out your plan of study.
Admitted students must meet with an academic advisor. Current students should also meet with an academic advisor and log on to Degree Works to check student-specific program progress.

Minimum University Requirements
Total Credits	120	Grade Point Average (most majors require higher GPA)	2.00 GPA
Credits of C- or better	100	Credits of upper-division courses (#3000 or above)	40
Total USU Credits	30	Upper-division USU Credits	20
USU Credits within the Major	10	Credits in Minor (if required)	12
Credits in Major	see below	Credits in American Institutions	3
General Education Requirements	see link	University Studies Depth Requirements	see link
NOTES: The highest math requirement for this degree is Quantitative Literacy (QL) course of the student’s choice.

Admissions Requirements for this Program
New freshmen	Admitted to USU in Good Standing			Transfer students from other institutions or other programs at USU	2.50 GPA

First Year
_{Fall Semester}	_Credits	_{General Education Info and Notes:}	_{Spring Semester}	_Credits	_{General Education Info and Notes:}
ENGL 1010: Introduction to Writing: Academic Prose (CL1)	3		ENGL 2010: Intermediate Writing: Research Writing in a Persuasive Mode (CL2)	3
PHIL 1000: Introduction to Philosophy (BHU)	3		Breadth Requirement	3
Breadth Requirement	3		Breadth Requirement	3
Breadth Requirement	3		Breadth Requirement	3
BS Science Course	3	as approved by advisor	BS Science Course	3	as approved by advisor
TOTAL CREDITS:	15		TOTAL CREDITS:	15
Comments			Comments

Second Year
_{Fall Semester}	_Credits	_{General Education Info and Notes:}	_{Spring Semester}	_Credits	_{General Education Info and Notes:}
PHIL 1120: Social Ethics (BHU) or PHIL 2400: Ethics (BHU)	3 or 3		PHIL 1250: Practical Logic (BHU) or PHIL 2200: Deductive Logic (QI)	3 or 3
PHIL 3100: Ancient Philosophy (CI) or PHIL 3110: Medieval Philosophy	3 or 3		PHIL 3120: Early Modern Philosophy (CI) or PHIL 3150: Kant and the Nineteenth Century (CI)	3 or 3
Quantitative Literacy (QL) Course	3		Depth Life and Physical Sciences (DSC) Course or PHIL 4530: Ethics and Biotechnology (DSC)	3 or 3
Depth Social Sciences (DSS) Course	3		Elective Course	3
BS Science Course	3	as approved by advisor	BS Science Course	3	as approved by advisor
TOTAL CREDITS:	15		TOTAL CREDITS:	15
Comments			Comments

Third Year
_{Fall Semester}	_Credits	_{General Education Info and Notes:}	_{Spring Semester}	_Credits	_{General Education Info and Notes:}
PHIL 2200: Deductive Logic (QI) or Quantitative Intensive (QI) Course	3 or 3		PHIL 4300: Epistemology (DHA) or PHIL 4400: Metaphysics or PHIL 4310: Philosophy of Science (DHA) or PHIL 4410: Philosophy of Mind (DHA)	3 or 3 or 3 or 3
PHIL Upper-Division Elective Course	3		Upper-Division Elective Course	3
Elective Course	3		Upper-Division Elective Course	3
Elective Course	3		Elective Course	3
Elective Course	3		Elective Course	3
TOTAL CREDITS:	15		TOTAL CREDITS:	15
Comments			Comments

Fourth Year
_{Fall Semester}	_Credits	_{General Education Info and Notes:}	_{Spring Semester}	_Credits	_{General Education Info and Notes:}
PHIL 4910: Readings and Research (This course cannot count more than twice toward major or minor)	1-4		PHIL 4990: Philosophy Capstone Seminar or PHIL 4910: Readings and Research	3 or 1-4	Philosophy Senior Project Options
Upper-Division Elective Course	3		Upper-Division Elective Course	3
Upper-Division Elective Course	3		Upper-Division Elective Course	3
Elective Course	3		Elective Course	3
Elective Course	3		Elective Course	3
TOTAL CREDITS:	13-16		TOTAL CREDITS:	15
Comments			Comments

Students must complete the General Education Requirements .

Bachelor of Science in Philosophy Major Requirements (30 credits)

Total Credits: 30
Minimum Grade Point Average to declare Philosophy Major: 2.5 Overall GPA
Minimum Grade Point Average to graduate with Philosophy Major: 2.5 GPA within major coursework
Credits in Residence: At least half (50 percent) of the credits earned for this degree must be completed in upper-division USU courses offered by the Department of Languages, Philosophy, and Communication Studies. All other credits (including transfer and study abroad credits) must be approved by the Philosophy faculty in order to be counted toward these degrees.
Minimum Grade Requirement: All courses taken for the major require a minimum grade of C- or better. Up to 6 pass/fail credits in philosophy courses may be applied toward the Philosophy major.

Meeting University Studies Requirements:

Several philosophy courses meet USU’s University Studies requirements:

• PHIL 1000 , PHIL 1120 , PHIL 1320 , or PHIL 2400 will fulfill the Breadth Humanities (BHU) requirement.

• PHIL 3100 , PHIL 3120 , PHIL 3150 , and PHIL 3180 will fulfill the Communications Intensive (CI) requirement (two CIs must be taken).

• PHIL 2200 will fulfill the Quantitative Intensive (QI) requirement.

• PHIL 4530 will fulfill the Depth Life and Physical Sciences (DSC) requirement for students with majors in Philosophy.

A student who takes PHIL 1000 , PHIL 2200 , PHIL 3100 , PHIL 3120 , PHIL 3820 , and PHIL 4530 has met the BHU, QI, CI, DHA, and DSC requirements.

Students must also be sure to meet the requirements for Communications Literacy (CL) , Quantitative Literacy (QL) , and for Breadth (BAI , BCA , BLS , BPS , and BSS ), as well as the Depth Social Sciences (DSS) requirement. Students should meet with an advisor for further details.

A. Required Courses (15 credits)

B. Elective Courses (15 credits)

Choose five additional philosophy courses not already taken above. Four of the courses must be at the upper-division level (3000 or higher).

C. Philosophy Senior Thesis (Optional)

Philosophy majors are strongly encouraged, but not required, to write a thesis in their senior year. Writing a thesis develops skills of great value for graduate school or professional work. It also provides an excellent “capstone experience”, pulling together all of the skills learned. For further details, students should meet with their faculty advisor. This option will be included in the “Elective Courses” area of the major.

D. Bachelor of Science Requirement (12 credits)

To receive a Bachelor of Science (BS) degree, students must take an additional 12 credits in math, science or social science beyond the University Studies Requirements, as approved by their advisor. An additional science or social science major or minor will also complete the BS requirement for the BS Philosophy major. Students should see their academic advisor for details.

Related Programs

Philosophy Major BA: 30 credits
Philosophy Major, Ethics Concentration BA/BS: 30 credits
Philosophy Minor: 18 credits

Philosophy - BS

College of Humanities and Social Sciences

Department of Communication Studies and Philosophy

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Minimum University Requirements

Admissions Requirements for this Program

First Year

Second Year

Third Year