Department of Philosophy
135 Park HallNorth Campus
Buffalo, NY 14260-4150
Professor Neil E. Williams
Chair
Associated Programs
Associated Subjects
Completing the Philosophy BA Program
Academic Requirements
Minimum GPA of 2.000 overall.
Academic Advice
Students interested in our honors program or with general questions about the philosophy major may contact the director of undergraduate studies, Professor Ryan Muldoon, to discuss their interests and receive additional information.
Transfer Credit Policy
Comparable transfer courses may count toward the philosophy major at the discretion of the director of undergraduate studies.
Prerequisite Courses
One philosophy course with a minimum grade of C.
Required Courses
Major
Ethics
One of:
- PHI 335 Contemporary Ethical Theory
- PHI 336 History of Ethics
- PHI 338 Law and Morality
- PHI 340 Law and Responsibility
- PHI 341 Social Philosophy
- PHI 342 Political Philosophy
- PHI 345 Aesthetics and the Philosophy of Art
Logic
One of:
- PHI 115 Critical Thinking
- PHI 185 Model-Based Reasoning
- PHI 175 Introduction to Deductive Logic
- PHI 215 Symbolic Logic
Metaphysics and Epistemology
One of:
- PHI 320 Philosophy of Mind
- PHI 321 Philosophy of Science
- PHI 328 Philosophy of Language
- PHI 329 Metaphysics
- PHI 333 Epistemology
History of Philosophy
Two of:
- PHI 360 Ancient Philosophy
- PHI 366 Medieval Philosophy
- PHI 370 Early Modern Philosophy
- PHI 376 Buddhist Philosophy
- PHI 380 Nineteenth-Century Philosophy from Kant to Freud
- PHI 388 Twentieth-Century Philosophy
Philosophy electives
Six additional courses, of which four must be at the 300/400 level
UB Seminar courses cannot count towards major requirements.
Departmental Honors Requirements
Senior philosophy majors may apply for the philosophy honors program if they have an overall GPA of 3.000 or higher, have a GPA of 3.250 or higher in their philosophy courses (including at least 2 advanced philosophy courses taken at UB), and have already completed at least 50% of the requirements for their major.
Philosophy majors complete their major “with distinction” if their final philosophy GPA is at least 3.250, “with high distinction” if their final philosophy GPA is at least 3.500, and “with highest distinction” if their final philosophy GPA is at least 3.750.
Total Credit Hours Required
| Credits Required for Major | 33 |
| Additional Credits Required for UB Curriculum | 40 |
| Additional Credits Required for Electives | 47 |
| Total Credits Required for Degree | 120 |
Students should consult with an academic advisor to determine how any transfer or exam credit might be utilized in meeting general education, prerequisite, or major requirements.
See Baccalaureate Degree Requirements for general education and remaining university requirements.
Total Credit Hours Required represents the minimum credits needed to complete this program, and may vary based on a number of circumstances. This chart should not be used for financial aid purposes.