College: Arts and Sciences
Degree: BA
Specialized Admission: No
Address: 151 Dodd Hall, Tallahassee, FL 32306-1500
Phone: (850) 644-1483
Email: philoadvising@fsu.edu
*Please Note: Face-to-face/in-person instruction of this program is available ONLY at the main campus in Tallahassee, FL. This program is NOT available via Online/Distance Learning.*
The undergraduate program in philosophy is designed to enable students to gain an understanding of the substantive issues philosophers have struggled with through the ages, and to develop their abilities to engage in critical examination and evaluation. The program serves as a basis for professional training in other fields, such as education, law, politics, religion or journalism; or as preparation for future professional training in philosophy. The department participates in the Honors Program as well as in the undergraduate and graduate programs in African American Studies, Asian Studies, Humanities, Political Science, International Affairs, and Religion. The student’s program is planned in consultation with the department’s Director of Undergraduate Studies, taking into account the student’s academic and career interests and goals.
Prerequisite Coursework: none
Although not required for admission into this program, students are encouraged to take several philosophy courses with PHH, PHI, PHM, or PHP prefixes during their freshman and sophomore years.
Note: State-wide common prerequisites are always under review. For the most current information and for acceptable alternative courses, visit the “Common Prerequisites Manual.” This is available from the “Student Services” section of http://www.flvc.org .
Requirements for graduation in the College of Arts and Sciences include:
The College of Arts and Science requires proficiency in a foreign language through the intermediate (2220 or equivalent) level or sign language through the advanced (2614 or equivalent) level.
Requirements for Progression to the Upper-Division Major
To be admitted to the program students must complete at least 52 hours of credit with a minimum grade point average of 2.00, at least half the required General Education hours, including English composition and mathematics, or an A.A. Degree. In order to graduate, students must earn a minimum grade of C minus in major coursework, with a minimum GPA of 2.00 within the major.
Major Program of Studies at FSU: (30 hours)
Grades below C minus will not be accepted for major or minor credit. To graduate, students must have a minimum GPA of 2.00 within the major.
Required coursework includes:
1. Logic (3 hours) One of:
PHI 2100 (3) Reasoning and Critical Thinking
PHI 3130 (3) Introduction to Symbolic Logic or IDS 3358 (3) Making the Argument
2. History of Philosophy (6 hours)
PHH 3400 (3) Modern Philosophy
PHH 3130 (3) Plato and His Predecessors or PHH 3140 (3) Aristotle to Augustine
3. Ethics (3 hours)
PHI 3670 (3) Ethical Theory
4. Contemporary Metaphysics and Epistemology (3 hours) One of:
PHI 3220 (3) Introduction to Philosophy of Language
PHI 3300 (3) Knowledge and Belief
PHI 3320 (3) Philosophy of Mind
PHI 3330 (3) Freewill
PHI 3331 (3) Philosophy of Action
PHI 3400 (3) History and Philosophy of Science
PHI 4500 (3) Metaphysics
PHH 4600 (3) Contemporary Philosophy
5. Seminar for Majors (3 hours)
PHI 4938 (3) Seminar for Majors
6. Elective courses in Philosophy (12 hours)
Additional requirements:
1) At least 21 hours in the major must be at the 3000 level or above.
2) At least 15 hours must be completed in the Philosophy Department at Florida State University.
Minor Coursework: At least 12 hours in an approved minor. Specific requirements are determined by the minor area.
Digital Literacy: (3 hours)
CGS 2060 (3) or CGS 2100 (3) will fulfill the requirement for this major.
Oral Communication Competency: (0-3 hours)
Students must demonstrate the ability to orally transmit ideas and information clearly. This requirement may be met an approved college-level course.
Minimum Program Requirements - Summary
Total Hrs. Required 120
General Education 36*
Major Coursework 30
Minor Coursework 12
Foreign Language 0-12 (depending on placement)
Digital Literacy 3
Oral Competency 0-3
Electives to bring total credit to 120
*NOTE: Three hours of major coursework may also be used to satisfy General Education (Humanities) requirements.
Mapping is FSU’s academic advising and monitoring system. Academic progress is monitored each Fall and Spring semester to ensure that students are on course to earn their degree in a timely fashion. Transfer students must meet mapping guidelines to be accepted into their majors. You may view the map for this major at www.academic-guide.fsu.edu/.
1. A minimum of 45 hours at the 3000 level or above, 30 of which must be taken at this University.
2. Half of the major course semester hours must be completed in residence at this University.
3. The final 30 hours must be completed in residence at this University.
Salary Information: For more information go to: National Association of Colleges and Employers (www.naceweb.org) or the Occupational Outlook Handbook (www.bls.gov/ooh/home.htm) provided by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Representative Job Titles Related to this Major(Baccalaureate level): Policy Analyst, Teacher, Curriculum Specialist(Secondary School), Writer, Researcher, Administrative Assistant, Editorial Assistant/Editor, Information Specialist, Management Trainee/Manager. With further study: Attorney, Data Analyst, Management Consultant, Programmer, Professor(Community College, 4-year College, University).
Representative Employers: Law Firms, Schools, Colleges, Universities, State and Federal Government Agencies, Publishing Companies, Newspapers and Magazines, Private Business and Industry, Charitable Organizations, Management Consultants.
ACADEMIC MAP (Effective Summer 2024 and after)
*Please Note: Face-to-face/in-person instruction of this program is available ONLY at the main campus in Tallahassee, FL. This program is NOT available via Online/Distance Learning.*
This map is a term-by-term sample course schedule. The milestones listed to the right of each term are designed to keep you on course to graduate in four years. The Sample Schedule serves as a general guideline to help you build a full schedule each term. The General Education and Elective courses must be selected to satisfy all area and diversity requirements unless your program meets these requirements with major courses. Milestones are courses and special requirements necessary for timely progress to complete a major. Missing milestones will result in one of two types of map registration stops. The first level (Degree Map Off-track) is placed following grade posting if the student has missed a milestone (course and/or GPA) for the first time in the major. If a student is in non-compliance with milestones for two (2) consecutive semesters (excluding summers), a Major Change Required stop is placed on the student's registration.
To complete a major in Philosophy, a student will need 30 hours of coursework with grades of C minus or better, 21 of which must be at the 3000-level or above. Additional requirements include a minor, completion of a classical or modern foreign language through the 2200-level, and a minimum GPA of 2.00 within the major.
Mapping Coordinator: Shellie Camp
Email: scamp@fsu.edu
Sample Schedule and Required Milestones by Term
| Sample Schedule: Term 1 hrs |
| ENC1101 Freshman Composition3 |
| 1st GE Mathematics3 |
| GE History3 |
| Digital Literacy course3 |
| Foreign Language4 |
| Required Milestones: Term 1 |
| Complete ENC1101 ( ≥ C minus ) |
| Sample Schedule: Term 2 hrs |
| ENC2135 Research, Genre, and Context 3 |
| PHI 2010 Introduction to Philosophy 3 |
| 2nd GE Mathematics or Statistics3 |
| Foreign Language4 |
| GE Natural Science3 |
| Required Milestones: Term 2 |
| Complete ENC2135 ( ≥ C minus ) |
| Complete 1st GE Mathematics course ( ≥ C minus ) |
| Sample Schedule: Term 3 hrs |
| GE Core Social Science3 |
| Oral Communication Competency3 |
| Reasoning and Critical Thinking3 |
| GE Core Humanities/Cultural Practice3 |
| Foreign Language4 |
| Required Milestones: Term 3 |
| Complete 2nd GE Mathematics or Statistics Course ( ≥ C minus ) |
| Sample Schedule: Term 4 hrs |
| GE Humanities/ Cultural Practice3 |
| GE Ethics3 |
| GE Social Science3 |
| GE Core Natural Science w/Lab4 |
| Minor3 |
| Required Milestones: Term 4 |
| Oral Communication Competency |
| Sample Schedule: Term 5 hrs |
| PHI 3670 Ethical Theory3 |
| PHI 2100 Reasoning and Critical Thinking or PHI 3130 Introduction to Symbolic Logic or IDS 3358 Making the Argument3 |
| Philosophy Major Elective3 |
| Minor3 |
| Minor3 |
| Required Milestones: Term 5 |
| Complete PHI3670 ( ≥ C minus ) |
| Complete PHI2100 or PHI3130 or IDS3358 ( ≥ C minus ) |
| Civic Literacy requirement |
| Sample Schedule: Term 6 hrs |
| PHH 3400 Modern Philosophy3 |
| Philosophy Major Elective3 |
| Minor3 |
| Minor3 |
| Elective3 |
| Required Milestones: Term 6 |
| Complete PHH3400 ( ≥ C minus ) |
| Sample Schedule: Term 7 hrs |
| PHH3130 Plato and His Predecessors or PHH3140 Aristotle to Augustine (Ancient Philosophy)3 |
| Philosophy Major Elective3 |
| Minor3 |
| Elective3 |
| Elective3 |
| Required Milestones: Term 7 |
| Complete PHH3130 or PHH3140 ( ≥ C minus ) |
| Pre-Graduation Check |
| Sample Schedule: Term 8 hrs |
| PHI4938r Senior Seminar for Majors3 |
| Metaphysics & Epistemology3 |
| Philosophy Major Elective3 |
| Elective3 |
| Required Milestones: Term 8 |
| Complete PHI4938r ( ≥ C minus ) |
| Complete Metaphysics & Epistemology course from approved list |
| Apply for Graduation in 1st two weeks |