Bachelor of Science Degree in Philosophy

Transcription

1 Bachelor of Science Degree in Philosophy Department of Philosophy College of Liberal Arts Rochester Institute of Technology The Department of Philosophy offers a unique BS Degree in Philosophy consisting of: a thorough grounding in core areas of philosophy; a four-course specialization within philosophy; a focus or core competence in a discipline outside of philosophy (this could be a minor or other coherent set of courses in a non-philosophy discipline, including, for doublemajors, courses in the other discipline); a Senior Thesis integrating philosophy with a field of application (e.g., the nonphilosophy core competence); and general education courses and other miscellaneous requirements. Most of the skills required for student and career success how to learn, how to apply that learning in professional and personal environments, and how to communicate that knowledge are central to philosophical training. Philosophy students are taught to evaluate complex problems, identify and examine underlying principles, investigate issues from diverse perspectives, and communicate clearly in both written and oral forms. A student in this degree program will develop a unique combination of philosophy with a core competence (or even a double major) in another discipline. The reciprocal interaction between philosophy and another discipline will encourage students to creatively pursue cross-disciplinary relationships. Students will hone the traditional critical tools of rigor and clarity while appreciating the importance of traversing the boundaries of professional disciplines. Education after the baccalaureate degree can be useful in order to compete beyond the entry-level job market, and the Philosophy program is oriented toward making its students uniquely competitive for further graduate and professional education. Students could prepare for graduate programs by choosing an appropriate core competence outside of philosophy or by pursuing a double major or dual degree. The BS in Philosophy can therefore prepare students for further education by giving them a distinctive ability to think philosophically while drawing upon disciplinary and professional skills. BS in Philosophy 1 21 March 2016

2 Program Requirements: Program Credits 1. Philosophy Core (4 courses) Philosophy Specialization (4 courses) 12. Seminar in Philosophy 4. Senior Thesis in Philosophy 5. Program Electives Professional/Technical Core 15 Liberal Arts & Sciences Perspectives 24 Liberal Arts & Sciences Electives 12 General Education Immersion 9 Free (Institute-wide) Electives First Year Foundational: First Year Writing Seminar: Grand Total Credit Hours: 120 Requirements 1 through 6 in the table above are described in the following paragraphs. 1. Philosophy Core The Philosophy core consists of four required courses: PHIL 201 Ancient Philosophy PHIL 202 Foundations of Moral Philosophy (or PHIL 415 Ethical Theory) PHIL 20 Modern Philosophy PHIL 205 Symbolic Logic 2. Philosophy Specialization In addition to four courses in the philosophy core, each student will take four courses which will constitute an area of specialization within philosophy, usually related to the student s professional core (described further below). Seven such pre-approved specializations are given here. With faculty advising, students may also develop their own. BS in Philosophy 2 21 March 2016

3 Philosophy of Mind and Cognitive Science: covers the philosophical issues involved in studying intelligence, cognition, identity, consciousness, rationality, creativity and emotion, especially as such concepts and categories are invoked by computer and cognitive scientists, and as they are applied in relation to natural and artificial systems. A student with this specialization must take four of the following courses: PHIL 15 Responsible Knowing PHIL 404 Philosophy of Mind PHIL 407 Philosophy of Action PHIL 414 Philosophy of Language Appropriate sections of PHIL 401 Great Thinkers, PHIL 449 Special Topics, or PHIL Philosophy of Science and Technology: examines the concepts, methodologies, and philosophical implications of science and technology, and explores the underlying theories, practices, and consequences of science and technology and their role in shaping societies and their values. A student with this specialization must take four of the following courses: PHIL 07 Philosophy of Technology PHIL 10 Theories of Knowledge PHIL 14 Philosophy of Vision and Imaging PHIL 15 Responsible Knowing PHIL 402 Philosophy of Science Appropriate sections of PHIL 401 Great Thinkers, PHIL 449 Special Topics, or PHIL Applied Ethics: examines the ethical underpinnings of different professions as well as the ethical presuppositions and implications of technology, engineering, science, management and other disciplines. Attention is also given to ethics education within the professions and to the role which professional ethicists can play in different professional and organizational settings. A student with this specialization must take four of the following courses: PHIL 04 Philosophy of Law PHIL 05 Philosophy of Peace PHIL 06 Professional Ethics PHIL 08 Environmental Philosophy PHIL 15 Responsible Knowing Appropriate sections of PHIL 401 Great Thinkers, PHIL 449 Special Topics, or PHIL BS in Philosophy 21 March 2016

4 Philosophy of the Social Sciences and Political Philosophy: examines philosophical issues arising from social and political life as well as the disciplines that study them. A student with this specialization must take four of the following courses: PHIL 04 Philosophy of Law PHIL 05 Philosophy of Peace PHIL 08 Environmental Philosophy PHIL 09 Feminist Theory PHIL 15 Responsible Knowing PHIL 40 Social and Political Philosophy PHIL 405 Philosophy of the Social Sciences Appropriate sections of PHIL 401 Great Thinkers, PHIL 449 Special Topics, or PHIL Philosophy of Art and Aesthetics: examines how different philosophical frameworks conceive of the various arts and crafts and the forms of creative experience and production with which they are engaged; explores the relationship between aesthetic perception and other forms of experience and judgment, between art and society, between art and ethics, and between art and technology. A student with this specialization must take four of the following courses: PHIL 0 Philosophy of Art/Aesthetics PHIL 1 Philosophy of Film PHIL 14 Philosophy of Vision and Imaging PHIL 41 Philosophy and Literary Theory PHIL 417 Continental European Philosophy Appropriate sections of PHIL 401 Great Thinkers, PHIL 449 Special Topics, or PHIL History of Philosophy: explores the development and connection of philosophical ideas, concepts, and movements throughout time through an in-depth analysis of major transformative moments and figures, and examines how philosophical positions result from an ongoing conversation with previous thinkers. A student with this specialization must take four of the following courses: PHIL 01 Philosophy of Religion PHIL 11 East Asian Philosophy PHIL 12 American Philosophy PHIL 406 Contemporary Philosophy PHIL 408 Critical Social Theory PHIL 409 Existentialism PHIL 410 Medieval Philosophy PHIL 412 Nineteenth Century Philosophy PHIL 417 Continental Philosophy Appropriate sections of PHIL 401 Great Thinkers, PHIL 449 Special Topics, or PHIL BS in Philosophy 4 21 March 2016

5 Philosophy and Law: helps prepare students for law school and other advanced studies by focusing on the skills and topics important to the study of the law. The courses in this specialization provide, first, an examination of the theoretical and ethical foundations of the law and, second, an understanding of the logical and epistemological skills useful in evaluating and constructing legal arguments. In addition, a grounding in these topics and skills is valuable in a range of professions outside the legal field. A student with this specialization must take four of the following courses: PHIL 04 Philosophy of Law PHIL 06 Professional Ethics PHIL 10 Theories of Knowledge PHIL 40 Social and Political Philosophy Appropriate sections of PHIL 401 Great Thinkers, PHIL 449 Special Topics, or PHIL. Seminar in Philosophy (PHIL 416) This required course is an examination of a selected area or topic of philosophy at an advanced undergraduate level. 4. Senior Thesis in Philosophy (PHIL 595) This course is required of Philosophy majors during their senior year. A student will choose a faculty member to serve as a primary advisor. With the advisor s guidance, a student will research and write a substantial paper on a specific philosophical topic. Students will be encouraged to investigate a particular question in depth, likely building on their philosophy specialization and their professional core. The finished thesis will be discussed and examined by a committee including two other faculty members. 5. Program electives (15 credit hours) These can be one or the other (or a combination) of: any philosophy courses not used to satisfy program requirements. complementary courses outside of the department of philosophy. (Students are free, with proper advising, to seek out non-philosophy courses which complement their Philosophy specializations.) 6. Professional/Technical Core (15 credit hours) Each student must complete a series of courses designed to provide foundational knowledge in a professional/technical discipline outside of Philosophy which complements the student s studies in Philosophy. Such a professional core will be at least 15 credit hours and can be satisfied in any of the following ways: completing an existing minor (outside of philosophy); completing an individually designed professional core (subject to the approval of the student s philosophy advisor and the external department); or for double-majors, completing the major in the other discipline. Please note that for transfer students, some (or even all) of the professional core requirements might be satisfied by courses already taken in the former department. BS in Philosophy 5 21 March 2016

6 Example of a possible four year schedule First Year Fall Semester Credits Spring Semester Credits PHIL 201 Ancient Philosophy PHIL 20 Modern Philosophy Prof/Tech core #1 PHIL 205 Symbolic Logic First Year Foundational Elective Prof/Tech core #2 LAS perspective #1 First Year Writing Seminar LAS perspective #2 LAS perspective # Second Year Fall Semester Credits Spring Semester Credits PHIL 202 Foundations of Moral Philosophy LAS elective #1 Prof/Tech core # Program elective # Program elective #1 Prof/Tech core #4 LAS perspective #4 LAS perspective #5 Program elective #2 LAS perspective # Third Year Fall Semester Credits Spring Semester Credits Program elective #4 Program elective #5 Free Elective #1 Free elective #2 Prof/Tech core #5 Philosophy specialization #1 LAS elective #2 Immersion #1 LAS perspective #7 LAS perspective # Fourth Year Fall Semester Credits Spring Semester Credits Philosophy specialization #2 Philosophy specialization #4 Philosophy specialization # Free elective # PHIL 416 Seminar in Philosophy PHIL 595 Senior Thesis in Philosophy Immersion #2 Immersion # LAS elective # LAS elective # Advising Each student is assigned a faculty advisor who will help in planning course schedules, professional/technical core requirements, and a philosophy specialization area. Students will profit from frequent consultations with their advisors, especially before registration for classes each quarter. Faculty The Philosophy Department faculty are outstanding teachers; most have won teaching awards, and many have won multiple teaching awards. They are also active scholars, publishing regularly in journals, editing and authoring books, and organizing and delivering papers at conferences at RIT and elsewhere both in the United States and abroad. BS in Philosophy 6 21 March 2016

7 Admission Entering first year students or external transfer students Requirements: SAT scores of at least 1200, high school grades of B or higher, and ranking in the top half of the graduating class. Contact: Office of Undergraduate Admissions Bausch & Lomb Center 60 Lomb Memorial Drive Rochester Institute of Technology Rochester, New York Phone: (585) admissions@rit.edu Web: Internal transfer students (RIT students wishing to change majors) Requirements: Cumulative GPA of 2.5 or higher, with at least two philosophy courses with a grade of B or higher. Contact: Student Services College of Liberal Arts Liberal Arts (building 06) 2210 Phone: Web: For more information about the Department of Philosophy and the Philosophy degree program, please see our web site, or contact Professor John T. Sanders, Undergraduate Program Director Department of Philosophy Rochester Institute of Technology Rochester NY (585) jtsgsh@rit.edu BS in Philosophy 7 21 March 2016

8 Philosophy Degree Curriculum Checklist Name: Student ID#: Academic Advisor: Senior Thesis Advisor: Entry Term: Anticipated Graduation: Actual: Philosophy Core Cr Term Gr PHIL 201 Ancient Philosophy PHIL 20 Modern Philosophy PHIL 202 Foundations of Moral Phil. (or PHIL 415 Ethical Theory) PHIL 205 Symbolic Logic 12 Philosophy Specialization PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL 12 PHIL 416 Seminar in Philosophy PHIL 595 Senior Thesis 6 Program Electives Liberal Arts and Sciences * Cr Term Gr LAS Perspective 1: Ethical LAS Perspective 2: Artistic LAS Perspective : Global LAS Perspective 4: Social LAS Perspective 5: Natural Science LAS Perspective 6: Scientific Princ. LAS Perspective 7A: Mathematical LAS Perspective 7B: Mathematical General Education Immersion * Lib Arts & Sciences Electives Professional/Technical Core 12 Free Electives 15 Miscellaneous First Year Foundational Elective First Year Writing Seminar Discovery & Pathways 0 Wellness Activity 1 0 Wellness Activity Grand Total Credit Hours: 120 * One writing intensive course is required in either a Perspective category or an Immersion. 21 March 2016