HOFSTRA UNIVERSITY THE PHILOSOPHY BA MAJOR AN 8-SEMESTER STUDY GRID
This is simply a sample of what 8 semesters might look like for incoming First Year students who are interested in majoring in philosophy. If you declare your major later, or are a Transfer Student, your grid will look considerably different. Your choices may vary. Some PHI courses fulfill more than one requirement, such as a Cross-Cultural or History/Philosophy (HP) distribution requirement, opening up more space in the grid. Up to 6 credits of Core Distribution credits may be taken during Study Abroad. PHI 141, PHI 143, PHI 180a or PHI 180b must be taken at Hofstra. Philosophy majors are required to meet with a Philosophy Department advisor at least once every semester. BA majors may take up to 45 credits in a major; must have 94 liberal arts credits out of a total of 124 credits to graduate. BA in Philosophy: 30 credits in Philosophy (see Bulletin for specific course requirements)
Philosophy only FIRST YEAR Fall 1 PHI 10 Introduction to Philosophy SECOND YEAR Fall 2 PHI 141 Ancient & Medieval Philosophy PHI 154 Introduction to Symbolic Logic THIRD YEAR Fall 3 PHI elective 1
Spring 1 PHI 14 Introduction to Ethics
Notes
Spring 2 PHI 143 Modern Philosophy
Notes
Spring 3 PHI 180a Epistemology or PHI 180b Metaphysics
Notes If Study Abroad for Semester/Year -- > take PHI 180a or PHI 180b in 4th year; take philosophy elective abroad
PHI elective 2 FOURTH YEAR Fall 4 PHI elective 3 (100-level)
Spring 4 PHI elective 4 (100-level)
Notes
Philosophy and other Courses (Distribution, Language, Electives, courses for a Double Major) FIRST YEAR Fall 1 PHI 10 (HP) Introduction to Philosophy WSC 1 LT/AA/CP NS/MA/CS Foreign Language SECOND YEAR Fall 2 PHI 141 Ancient & Medieval Philosophy PHI 154 Introduction to Symbolic Logic BH (Soc/Anth/Eco/Psc) NS/MA/CS Foreign Language THIRD YEAR Fall 3 PHI elective 1 Liberal Arts Elective, or Minor, or double major Liberal Arts Elective, or Minor, or double major Liberal Arts Elective, or Minor, or double major Distribution (LT/AA/CP) Liberal Arts Elective, or Minor, or double major FOURTH YEAR Fall 4 PHI elective 3 (100-level) Liberal Arts Elective, or Minor, or double major Liberal Arts Elective, or Minor, or double major Liberal Arts Elective, or Minor, or double major Liberal Arts Elective, or Minor, or double major Liberal Arts Elective, or Minor, or double major
Spring 1 PHI 14 (HP) Introduction to Ethics WSC 2 LT/AA/CP NS/MA/CS Foreign Language
Notes
Spring 2 PHI 143 Modern Philosophy
Notes BA majors in HCLAS must take two writing intensive courses (WI) after completing 30 cr. and WSC 1 & 2, and QR courses. Some PHI courses will be designated WI or QR courses.
Cross-Cultural (CC) Interdisciplinary (IS) NS/MA/CS (or elective, or Minor) Foreign Language or Minor Spring 3 PHI 180a Epistemology or PHI 180b Metaphysics PHI elective 2 Liberal Arts Elective, or Minor, or double major Liberal Arts Elective, or Minor, or double major Liberal Arts Elective, or Minor, or double major Liberal Arts Elective, or Minor, or double major Spring 4 PHI elective 4 (100-level) Liberal Arts Elective, or Minor, or double major Liberal Arts Elective, or Minor, or double major Liberal Arts Elective, or Minor, or double major Liberal Arts Elective, or Minor, or double major Liberal Arts Elective, or Minor, or double major
Notes If Study Abroad for Semester/Year -- > take PHI 180a or PHI 180b in 4th year; take philosophy elective abroad NOTE: Study abroad courses do not satisfy WI and QR requirement.
Notes If you haven’t take Writing Proficiency Exam, sign up to take it. You must pass it in order to graduate t. File for graduation by October 1 for a May graduation in order to avoid fee for filing. Check Hofstra Academic Records for fees and other dates.
For more information and to meet your faculty, visit our Department website at https://www.hofstra.edu/academics/colleges/hclas/phi/index.html WHY STUDY PHILOSOPHY? https://www.apaonline.org/page/undergrad_resources NOTES You are not required to take Summer or January courses (for which there is no financial aid). You can complete your 124 credits with 5 3-credit courses every semester, a 4-credit natural science course and 4-credit math course, and two 1-credit philosophy courses. Note that you can take up to 17 credits per semester without paying additional tuition. We encourage all Philosophy students to participate in internships, independent research, or other forms of experiential learning. For philosophy students interested in pursuing graduate study in philosophy, the philosophy department strongly encourages study of a foreign language beyond Level 3. For philosophy students interested in law, the philosophy department recommends taking some philosophy of law courses among your philosophy electives. Students may find it beneficial to double-major in philosophy and another area of study. Almost any other major benefits from the critical thinking and problem-solving skills acquired by studying philosophy, and most other majors can be an excellent complement to philosophy. Students can go on study abroad for either semester in their third year, or for the entire academic year in their third year, for a semester in their second or fourth years, or for a short term program in the summer or during January break (additional tuition and program fees). This grid shows a student completing a BA degree with all liberal arts credits. It is also possible to substitute 30 credits of non-liberal arts credits, for example, for students majoring in Education, or who wish to do a minor in General Business or in another nonliberal arts area.