This program applies to students who enroll at Gettysburg in fall 2017 and after (other students see below).
Students should begin by enrolling in a 100-level Philosophy course or a First-Year Seminar taught by a Philosophy faculty member. Completion of one such course is normally required for enrollment in any Philosophy course at the 200-level or above (rare exceptions are noted in course descriptions).
THE PHILOSOPHY MAJOR consists of a minimum of ten (10) courses, including:
- A 100-level PHIL course or FYS taught by a philosophy instructor (taken first as prerequisite to 200- and 300-level courses.)
- Three courses from our “texts in context” series including:
- One course in the history of traditions commonly taught in the US: PHIL 205, 206, 207, 208), or other designated courses; and
- One course in the history of traditions less commonly taught in the US: PHIL 240, 215, 216, or other designated courses; and
- One additional course from either category
- A 300-level course that satisfies the “texts in context” requirement cannot also be used to fulfill the 300-level major requirement
- Logic (PHIL 211) or Philosophical Methods (PHIL 212)
- Ethics or Justice (PHIL 230 or 222)
- At least two PHIL courses at the 300-level or above; plus
- Senior Seminar (PHIL 400)
- An additional elective (No more than two 100-level courses may be counted toward the major.)
(Note: PHIL 466: Senior Thesis is recommended but not required and is taken as an Individualized Study in either the fall or spring term. Students work closely with the entire Philosophy faculty on a subject of their choice.)
Note: Students who enrolled prior to 2017 are required to take two “texts in context” courses from the first category, unless they opt to take the three-course “text in context” requirement above, and are encouraged but not required to take Ethics or Justice (PHIL 230 or 222.
THE MINOR IN PHILOSOPHY consists of a minimum of six (6) courses, structured as follows:
- A 100-level PHIL course or FYS taught by a philosophy instructor
- At least one course from our “texts in contexts” listings (205, 206, 207, 208, 215, 240 or other specially designated courses).
- Ethics: (PHIL 230 or 222)
- At least one PHIL course at the 300-level
- Two additional PHIL electives above the 100-level.
The following program applies to all students who enrolled at Gettysburg prior to fall 2017.
Major
Students must begin by enrolling in any 100-level philosophy course or in a First-Year Seminar taught by a member of the Philosophy faculty. Those courses require no prior experience, but completion of one of them is required for enrollment in a 200- or 300-level philosophy course. (The rare exceptions are noted in the course descriptions.)
A philosophy major consists of a minimum of nine courses in philosophy. No more than two 100-level courses may be counted toward the major. For the major, students must complete:
- a 100-level course or FYS taught by a philosophy instructor;
- at least two courses from our history of philosophy sequence: PHIL 205, 206, 207, and 208;
- Philosophy 211: Logic;
- one or more advanced 300-level courses; and
- PHIL 400: Senior Seminar. (PHIL 466: Senior Thesis is also recommended for all majors and is taken as an individualized study in either the fall or spring term. Students work closely with faculty on a subject of their choice.)
Minor
A philosophy minor consists of six philosophy courses in the department, including at least one 100-level course but not more than two.