Skip to Main Content Skip to Main Navigation
search this website

More

search this website

Give

Lehman College Logo Click Here to go back to Homepage

Department of Philosophy

Majors and Minors

Advising

The department offers two Philosophy majors, six Philosophy minors, and one minor in Disability Studies. To discuss the possibility of majoring or minoring in Philosophy, please make an appointment to speak with the Department Chair, Professor Julie Maybee. julie.maybee@lehman.cuny.edu To discuss the possibility of minoring in Disability Studies, please make an appointment to speak with Professor Julie Maybee. julie.maybee@lehman.cuny.edu

Philosophy, B.A. (27-Credit Major)

Effective: Fall 2019. Students whose major declaration for this program is effective beginning in the Fall of 2019 or thereafter must follow these requirements. Students whose declarations were for previous semesters follow the requirements that were in effect at the time of declaration. See link below for the most recent Philosophy, B.A. requirements prior to Fall 2019. Please refer to DegreeWorks or consult an advisor to review your requirements and track your progress.

Students who Major in Philosophy may choose either Option A: Knowledge and Reality or Option B: Ethics and Public Policy.

Option A: Knowledge and Reality

  1. One 3-credit course in Logic (Category 1)
  2. One 3-credit introductory course (Category 2)
    3. Of the remaining seven courses, at least three courses (9 credits) should be at the 300- or 400-level. 
  3. Two 3-credit courses in Knowledge, Language, and Mind (Category 3)
  4. Two 3-credit courses in Ethics, Politics, and Aesthetics (Category 4)
  5. Two 3-credit courses in Philosophical Traditions (Category 5), one of which must be either PHI 242 or PHI 243
  6. One additional 3-credit course from Categories 3 or 5, or PHI 365

Option B: Ethics and Public Policy (27 Credits)

  1. One 3-credit course in Logic (Category 1)
  2. One 3-credit introductory course (Category 2)
    3. Of the remaining seven courses, at least three courses (9 credits) should be at the 300- or 400-level.
  3. One 3-credit course in Knowledge, Language, and Mind (Category 3)
  4. Four 3-credit courses in Ethics, Politics, and Aesthetics (Category 4)
  5. One 3-credit course in Philosophical Traditions (Category 5)
  6. One additional 3-credit course from Categories 3 or 5, or PHI 365

Course Categories:

Category 1: Logic 1
Credits
PHI 170 Introduction to Logic 3
PHI 230 Intermediate Logic 3

Category 2: Introductory Courses
Credits
PHI 169 Critical Reasoning 3
PHI 171 Problems of Philosophy 3
PHI 172 Contemporary Moral Issues 3
PHI 173 Justice and Society 3
PHI 174 Theories of Human Nature 3
PHI 175 Philosophy of Religion 3
PHI 176 Philosophy of Freedom 3
PHI 177 Philosophy of Contemporary Music 3

Category 3: Knowledge, Language, and Mind
Credits
PHI 231 Philosophy of Language 3
PHI 237 Issues in the Philosophy of Religion 3
PHI 349 Philosophy of Mind 3
PHI 353 Philosophy of Science 3
PHI 354 Philosophy of the Social Sciences 3
PHI 355 Theory of Knowledge 3
PHI 356 Metaphysics 3
PHI 357 Educating Kings and Citizens 3

Category 4: Ethics, Politics, and Aesthetics
Credits
PHI 218 Fundamentals of Human Rights and Peace 3
PHI 221 Ethical Issues in Computing and Technology 3
PHI 232 Classical Ethical Theories 3
PHI 233 Aesthetics 3
PHI 234 Philosophy of Law 3
PHI 235 Political Philosophy 3
PHI 236 Social Philosophy 3
PHI 239 Philosophical Ideas in Literature 3
PHI 247 Environmental Ethics 3
PHI 248 Philosophy and Film 3
PHI 250 Contemporary Social Ethics 3
PHI 330 Business Ethics 3
PHI 336 Disability, Ethics & the Body 3
PHI 338 Race and Ethnicity in Society 3
PHI 339 Philosophy of Sport 3
PHI 341 Medical Ethics 3
PHI 358 Ethical Theory 3
PHI 364 Capitalism and Its Critics 3
PHI 369 Global Justice 3
PHI 370 Legal Reasoning 3
PHI 434 Neuroethics 3

Category 5: Philosophical Traditions
Credits
PHI 225 Philosophy and Gender 3
PHI 238 Asian Philosophies 3
PHI 241 Existentialism 3
PHI 242 History of Philosophy I: Ancient 3
PHI 243 History of Philosophy II: Modern 3
PHI 244 History of Philosophy III: Nineteenth Century 3
PHI 245 American Philosophy 3
PHI 251 History of Philosophy IV: 20th Century 3
PHI 269 Introduction to African Philosophy 3
PHI 305 African Philosophical Thought 3

Philosophy Major (Old Version)

Students who major in Philosophy may choose either
  • Option A: Knowledge and Reality
  • Option B: Ethics and Public Policy
Each major requires that a student take 8 courses (24 credits).

Option A: Knowledge and Reality (8 Courses)

Take one of the following courses in logic:
  • PHI 170 Introduction to Logic
  • PHI 230 Symbolic Logic
Take one of the following courses in ethics:
  • PHI 232 Classical Ethical Theories
  • PHI 358 Ethical Theory
Take two of the following courses in the history of philosophy (one of which must be either PHI 242 or PHI 243):
  • PHI 242 History of Philosophy I: Ancient
  • PHI 243 History of Philosophy II: Modern
  • PHI 244 History of Philosophy III: Later Modern
  • PHI 251 History of Philosophy IV: Twentieth Century
Finally, take any four Philosophy courses at the 300-level or 400-level in an area.

Option B. Ethics and Public Policy Major (8 Courses)

Take one of the following courses in logic:
  • PHI 170 Introduction to Logic, or
  • PHI 230 Symbolic Logic
Take one of the following courses in the history of philosophy:
  • PHI 171 Problems of Philosophy
  • PHI 242 History of Philosophy I: Ancient
  • PHI 243 History of Philosophy II: Modern
  • PHI 244 History of Philosophy III: Later Modern
  • PHI 251 History of Philosophy IV: 20th Century
Take three of the following courses in ethics:
  • PHI 232 Classical Ethical Theories
  • PHI 234 Philosophy of Law
  • PHI 235 Political Philosophy
  • PHI 236 Social Philosophy
  • PHI 246 Philosophies of the Self
  • PHI 247 Environmental Ethics
  • PHI 250 Contemporary Social Ethics
Take two of the following courses in public policy:
  • PHI 301 Ethics and Science
  • PHI 330 Business Ethics
  • PHI 343 Philosophy of Technology
  • PHI (SOC) 354 Philosophy of the Social Sciences
  • PHI 358 Ethical Theory
  • PHI 359 Philosophical Problems in Legal Theory
  • PHI (POL) 369 Global Justice
  • PHI 462 Seminar in Philosophy and Social Policy
Finally, take one Philosophy course at the 300- or 400-level related to ethics and public policy.

Honors in Philosophy

To obtain Honors in Philosophy, students must have an overall GPA of 3.2 or higher, and a GPA in the major of 3.5 or higher, and must satisfy the College requirements for graduation.

Honors Thesis in Philosophy

Students may elect to do an Honors Thesis in Philosophy. To do an Honors Thesis, the student must be approved by the department to register for the PHI 482 Honors Tutorial, in the Fall or Spring Term of their junior or senior year. The Honors Tutorial involves writing an Honors Thesis on a philosophical topic selected in consultation with a member of the Philosophy Department. The thesis must also be presented to the assembled department faculty and fellow students.

 

Philosophy Minor

Students who minor in Philosophy may choose a general Philosophy minor or one of five specialized Philosophy minors. Each minor requires that a student take four courses (12 credits).

A. Philosophy (General)

  • 1 course (3 credits) can be at the 100-level
  • 1 course (3 credits) can be at the 200-level
  • 2 courses (6 credits) must be at the 300-level or 400-level

B. Business, Society, and Law

  • 1 course (3 credits) selected from PHI 169, 170, 173 or 176
  • 1 course (3 credits) selected from PHI 234, 235, 247 or 330, 354, 359, 364 or 369
  • 2 courses (6 credits) selected from PHI 330, 354, 359, 364, or 369

C. The Diverse World

  • 1 course (3 credits) selected from PHI 173, 174 or 176
  • 1 course (3 credits) selected from PHI 225, 236, 238, 250, 269, or 305, 336, 338 or 363
  • 2 courses (6 credits) selected from PHI 305, 336, 338 or 363

D. Language and Logic

  • 1 course (3 credits) selected from PHI 169 or 170
  • 1 course (3 credits) selected from PHI 230, 231, 251, or 301, 350, 351 or 362
  • 2 courses (6 credits) selected from PHI 301, 350, 351 or 362

E. Understanding Science

  • 1 course (3 credits) selected from PHI 169 or 170
  • 1 course (3 credits) selected from PHI 221, 230, 247, 251 or 301, 343, 350, 352, 353, 354 or 355
  • 2 courses (6 credits) selected from PHI 301, 343, 350, 352, 353, 354, or 355

F. Wellbeing and the Helping Professions

  • 1 course (3 credits) selected from PHI 169, 173, 174 or 176
  • 1 course (3 credits) selected from PHI 236, 241, 246, 247, 250 or 301, 336, 354, 360, 364 or 369
  • 2 courses (6 credits) selected from PHI 301, 336, 354, 360, 364 or 369

Minor in Disability Studies

  • DTS program and minor course page see here.

Advising

To discuss the possibility of majoring or minoring in Philosophy, please make an appointment to speak with the Department Chair, Professor Julie Maybee. E-mail: julie.maybee@lehman.cuny.edu