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Philosophy B.A. Program with 4 Concentrations

The Philosophy Department offers four concentrations:  Pre-Law and Applied Ethics; The Good Life; Science, Technology and Ethics; and Social Justice.  All majors complete five core classes.  Each concentration requires four additional classes.  Electives can be taken from any concentration.  Some classes are three units, and others four units.  Consequently, the total number of units that students require for the major can vary between 35-36 units.

 

 
Degree Requirements Units
General education 48
Major Core requirements 20
Philosophy Concentration 16
University Electives 36
Total units needed for graduation 120

 

Philosophy Core

Philosophy courses from SSU catalog

Philosophy Core Classes (5 Classes)
Course Units
PHIL 120: Introduction to Philosophy 3
PHIL 202: Proseminar 4
PHIL 204: Applied Ethics 4
PHIL 302:  Ethics and Value Theory  3
PHIL 400: Senior Seminar 4

Choose a Concentration

Pre-Law & Applied Ethics (4 Classes)
Courses Units
PHIL 375: Philosophy Of Law: Drugs, Pornography, Punishment & Mor 4

Choose either:

  • PHIL 303: Social and Political Philosophy OR
  • PHIL 377: Legal Reasoning
4
Two Electives 8

 

The Good Life (4 Classes)
Courses Units

Choose one of the following:

  • PHIL 160B or PHIL 161A/B: Humanities Learning Community
  • PHIL 201: Buddhism, Philosophy & Culture
  • PHIL 212:The Good Life
3
PHIL 312: Philosophy of Love and Emotion 4
Two Electives 8

 

Science, Technology, and Ethics (4 Classes)
Courses Units
PHIL 102: Logic 3
PHIL 301: Philosophy of Science & Technology  4
PHIL 309: Roboethics 4
One Elective 4

 

Social Justice (4 Classes)
Courses Units

Select Three of the following:

  • PHIL 203:  Global Justice 
  • PHIL 275:  Race, Racism, Law and Society 
  • PHIL 376:  Gender and Social Justice 
  • PHIL 303:  Social and Political Philosophy 
10-12
One Elective 4

 

An elective is any philosophy course that is not required in a student’s chosen concentration.  Each semester students can select philosophy classes that are not listed under any concentration.  The department offers these classes to complement the regular class offerings. They count towards the major as elective offerings. PHIL 202 and PHIL 400 are service-informed classes.  Faculty incorporate varying hours of community engagement to help students apply philosophy to their own personal experiences and real-world problems.

A sample four-year B.A. in Philosophy is listed in the General Catalog as: https://catalog.sonoma.edu/preview_program.php?catoid=5&poid=1199&returnto=460