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Philosophy Major, Bachelor of Arts (BA)


Note: two years of a single high school world language or one year of a single college-level world language is required.

The 49-50 credit major requires completion of a minor.

Required Courses
PHIL 215INTRODUCTION TO FORMAL LOGIC5
PHIL/HONS 320HISTORY OF ANCIENT WESTERN PHILOSOPHY5
PHIL/HONS 321HISTORY OF MODERN WESTERN PHILOSOPHY5
PHIL/HONS 322HISTORY OF CONTEMPORARY WESTERN PHILOSOPHY5
Required Philosophy Electives–choose in consultation with a departmental advisor25
Note: no more than 15 credits may be taken in 200-level PHIL and HUMN courses.
Capstone Requirement–choose one of the following or any Senior Capstone with advisor's approval.4-5
Note: for students who select PHIL as a second major, the capstone requirement will be met by the completion of the primary major capstone.
PHILOSOPHY SENIOR CAPSTONE
INTERDISCIPLINARY SR CAPSTONE
Total Credits49-50

Plan of Study 

The following plan of study is for a student with zero credits. Individual students may have different factors such as: credit through transfer work, Advanced Placement, Running Start, or any other type of college-level coursework that requires an individual plan.

Courses may be offered in different terms and not all courses are offered every term, checking the academic schedule is paramount in keeping an individual plan current. There may be some courses that have required prerequisites not listed in the plan, review the course descriptions for information. Students should connect with an advisor to ensure they are on track to graduate.

All Undergraduate students are required to meet the Undergraduate Degree Requirements.

This major requires the completion of the World Language requirement.  Students pursuing a Bachelor of Arts (BA) degree must complete two years of a single language in high school or one year of a single language in college.

First Year
Fall QuarterCreditsWinter QuarterCreditsSpring QuarterCredits
ENGL 1015ENGL 2015MATH 1075
Humanities & Arts BACR 115Social Science BACR 215Diversity - graduation requirement15
Social Science BACR 115Elective - certificate, minor, or general elective5Elective - certificate, minor, or general elective5
 15 15 15
Second Year
Fall QuarterCreditsWinter QuarterCreditsSpring QuarterCredits
PHIL 215 (Humanities & Arts BACR 2)5Global Studies - graduation requirement15Philosophy Elective25
Natural Science BACR 115Natural Science BACR 215Elective - certificate, minor, or general elective5
Elective - certificate, minor, or general elective5Elective - certificate, minor, or general elective5Elective - certificate, minor, or general elective5
 15 15 15
Third Year
Fall QuarterCreditsWinter QuarterCreditsSpring QuarterCredits
PHIL 3205PHIL 3215PHIL 3225
Philosophy Elective25Philosophy Elective25Philosophy Elective25
Elective - certificate, minor, or general elective5Elective - certificate, minor, or general elective5Elective - certificate, minor, or general elective5
 15 15 15
Fourth Year
Fall QuarterCreditsWinter QuarterCreditsSpring QuarterCredits
Philosophy Elective25PHIL 490 or ITDS 490 (Senior Capstone - graduation requirement)4-5Elective - certificate, minor, or general elective5
Elective - certificate, minor, or general elective5Elective - certificate, minor, or general elective5Elective - certificate, minor, or general elective5
Elective - certificate, minor, or general elective5Elective - certificate, minor, or general elective5Elective - certificate, minor, or general elective5
 Elective - certificate, minor, or general elective1 
 15 15-16 15
Total Credits 180-181
1

University Graduation Requirements (UGR) and Breadth Area Course Requirements (BACR) courses may be less than 5 credits and additional credits may be required to reach the required 180 total credits needed to graduate.  Students should connect with an advisor to ensure they are on track to graduate.

2

Required Philosophy Electives–choose 25 credits in consultation with a departmental advisor. No more than 15 credits may be taken in 200-level PHIL or HUMN courses.

University Competencies and Proficiencies

English 
Quantitative and Symbolic Reasoning
Placement and Clearance 
Prior Learning/Sources of Credit AP, CLEP, IB


General Education Requirements (GER)
  • Minimum Credits—180 cumulative credit hours 
    • 60 upper-division credits (300 level or above)
    • 45 credits in residence (attendance) at Eastern, with at least 15 upper-division credits in major in residence at Eastern
  • Minimum Cumulative GPA ≥2.0

Breadth Area Core Requirements (BACR)

Humanities and Arts 
Natural Sciences 
Social Sciences


University Graduation Requirements (UGR)

Diversity Course List
World Language (for Bachelor of Arts)
Global Studies Course List
Minor or Certificate
Senior Capstone Course List


Application for Graduation (use EagleNET) must be made at least two terms in advance of the term you expect to graduate (undergraduate and post-baccalaureate).

Use the Catalog Archives to determine two important catalog years.
Requirements in Degree Works are based on these two catalog years:

  1. The catalog in effect at the student's first term of current matriculation is used to determine BACR (Breadth Area Credit Requirements) and UGR (Undergraduate Graduation Requirements).
  2. The catalog in effect at the time the student declares a major or minor is used to determine the program requirements.

Students who earn a BA in Philosophy from EWU should be able to:

  • apply methods for philosophical problem solving by (a) relating theory to practice, (b) evaluating ideas in terms of both generic or universal humanity and perspectival pluralism, and (c) applying normative standards of truth, value and beauty;
  • apply philosophical writing styles in writing assignments and research projects that are aimed at extending philosophical inquiry through argumentation and/or comparative studies;
  • critically analyze, using logic and other tools, the consistency and verifiability of their own beliefs and the beliefs of others, as well as engage in reasoned public deliberation challenging those beliefs;
  • offer interpretations of the ideas of major philosophers by showing how they relate to perennial philosophical themes such as: visions of the good life, reality versus appearance, the roles of reason and experience, freedom and morality, etc;
  • understand the main doctrines and evaluate the arguments that underpin the ancient, modern, and contemporary periods of thought.