Program of Study
Philosophy investigates basic questions of knowledge, reality, self, and society. It provides concepts and methods that help us organize our thinking, ask clearer questions, and broaden our understanding, as we study the basic features of our lives, the world, and our experience of things. Philosophy is a humanistic field of inquiry, concerned with how we define ourselves as human beings, find meaning and value in life, and work out the beliefs we hold true.
Philosophy combines various fields of study:
Metaphysics takes up basic questions of being and existence: What is there, and what is its basic nature?
Epistemology is the study of knowledge, investigating the origins of knowledge, problems of certainty, and different forms of knowledge.
Aesthetics inquiries into the bases of our likes, dislikes, and judgments of taste and beauty.
Ethics is the broader study of values—the good, the right, and the just—in the context of human action and interaction. In applied or practical ethics, we confront concrete problems in fields like environmental ethics, bioethics, and professional ethics.
Logic articulates the nature of reasoning, evidence and inference, guiding us as we exercise various forms of judgment.
Across such concerns, philosophy investigates the concepts, methods, and basic orientations of other human enterprises, academic disciplines, and creative pursuits. It also extends to various fields and activities: philosophy of science, philosophy of language, philosophy of art, philosophy of religion, and so on.
The Bachelor of Arts in Philosophy at CSUSM provides a comprehensive survey of the main questions of philosophy, delivered through a historical approach to the study of philosophy. Students follow the course of philosophical thought as it develops in the west and across global traditions of thought. The major features courses that follow the development of Western philosophy from its origins in ancient Greek and Roman philosophy, on through the ages, up through the latest currents in postmodern thought. Further coursework provides a survey of non-Western philosophy, and numerous applied ethics courses address issues of social justice, equity, and inclusion in global contexts. As students gain knowledge of the history of philosophy, additional courses support their study of logic, the philosophy of mind, ethical theory, practical ethics, and other branches of philosophy.
Philosophy majors may also declare a concentration in Ethics, Law, and Society (ELS). This concentration focuses on philosophical issues at the intersection of ethics, law, and social issues of government, justice, and the dissemination of power, particularly in the context of U.S history, government, and political life. The ELS concentration broadens the scope of the Philosophy major with complementary coursework in history, political science, sociology, and other fields. Students who complete the ELS option gain strong foundations in philosophical thought and methods of reasoning, as well as a supplementary background in the history of American law and government, the U.S. Constitution and legal system, and social issues that collide with ideals of ethics and law in contemporary American society. They are encouraged in capstone courses to address matters of applied ethics, jurisprudence, and philosophy of law, and they garner research skills that prepare them for the study of law and careers in public policy, regulatory compliance, civil service, and institutional ethics across profit and non-profit industrial sectors.
Program Student Learning Outcomes
Graduates with a Bachelor of Arts in Philosophy will be able to …
- Articulate the basic subject areas of philosophy.
- Present well-developed research within the discipline of philosophy.
- Communicate philosophical positions, concepts, and arguments.
- Recognize conceptual, logical, and epistemological problems that relate philosophical theory to practice.
- Articulate relationships between ethics, legal systems, and social structures.
Special Conditions for the Bachelor of Arts in Philosophy
All courses counted toward the Major, including Preparation for the Major courses, must be completed with a grade of C (2.0) or better. Community college transfer students may transfer a maximum of nine (9) lower-division units toward requirements of the Philosophy B.A., and a maximum of eighteen (18) lower-division units for the Concentration in Ethics, Law, and Society. Students interested in more directed studies should consider the Ethics, Law, and Society Concentration.
Career Opportunities
The study of philosophy provides knowledge and skills that apply to diverse fields, including education, higher education, law, publishing, civil service, nonprofit organizations, human services, human resources, ethics compliance, regulatory compliance, basic management, etc. With additional undergraduate preparation and/or postbaccalaureate study, philosophy majors often pursue careers in medicine, nursing, allied health fields, business administration, public administration, and more. The optional concentration in Ethics, Law, and Society is specifically geared to prepare students for legal careers, the study of law, and careers in fields like ethics/regulatory compliance, civil service, risk management, and organizational administration in various settings, public, private and non-profit. The Philosophy major also prepares students for the graduate-level study of philosophy, in pursuit of careers in higher education, publishing, consulting, and research.
Interdisciplinary Social Science Requirement (3 Units)
All Philosophy majors must meet an Interdisciplinary Social Science (IDSS) requirement. This is satisfied with an approved lower-division interdisciplinary social science course from the following departments or programs: American Indian Studies, Border Studies, Environmental Studies, Ethnic Studies, Geography, Global Studies, Linguistics, Social Sciences, and Women’s, Gender and Sexuality Studies. The course taken to satisfy this requirement cannot double-count with other major requirements and must be outside the student’s major discipline.
Breadth Requirements (3 Units)
Additional course in upper-division Arts and Humanities (UD3 designated) outside the major. This requirement can also count as the UD3 requirement in Upper-Division General Education, but it must be taken in a program other than Philosophy. Any course carrying the UD3 designation outside of Philosophy can be used to fulfill this requirement.
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