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Philosophy Honours
This program is for students who are capable of self-direction who wish to pursue advanced work in philosophy with the benefit of individual attention.
間眅埶AV Requirements
Submit an honours program application (available in the department office), and consult the advisor.
Entering students must first complete 60 units including 12 upper division philosophy units, and must fulfil lower division requirements as listed below.
Normally a 3.5 grade point average (GPA) or higher in upper division philosophy courses is expected for entrance and continuance but does not by itself guarantee either.
Program Requirements
Students complete 132 units, as specified below.
Lower Division Requirements
Students complete a total of at least 15 units, including one of
An introduction to some of the central problems of philosophy. Topics to be discussed include the different theories of reality; the nature and sources of knowledge, truth, evidence, and reason; the justification of belief and knowledge about the universe. These topics and problems will be considered as they arise in the context of issues such as: relativism versus absolutism; the existence of God; personal identity; the nature of the mind and its relation to the body; free will and determinism; the possibility of moral knowledge. Open to all students. Students with credit for PHIL 100 may not take this course for further credit. Writing/Breadth-Humanities.
An introduction to the central problems of ethics: for example, the nature of right and wrong, the objectivity or subjectivity of moral judgments, the relativity or absolutism of values, the nature of human freedom and responsibility. The course will also consider general moral views such as utilitarianism, theories of rights and specific obligations, and the ethics of virtue. These theories will be applied to particular moral problems such as abortion, punishment, distributive justice, freedom of speech, and racial and sexual equality. Sometimes the course will also focus on important historical figures such as Plato, Aristotle, Kant and Mill. Open to all students. Students with credit for PHIL 120 may not take this course for further credit. Writing/Breadth-Humanities.
and one of
A survey of philosophic thought from late antiquity to the Renaissance. Special attention will be given to the works of Socrates, Plato, Aristotle, Augustine, and Aquinas. The views of these great thinkers have helped to shape the ways in which we see the world. This course is therefore recommended to everyone with an interest in our intellectual heritage. Open to all students. Breadth-Humanities.
A survey of philosophic thought from the Renaissance to the 20th Century. Special attention will be given to the works of Descartes, Leibniz, Spinoza, Locke, Berkeley, Hume, Kant, Hegel and Mill. The views of these great thinkers have helped to shape the ways in which we see the world. This course is therefore recommended to everyone with an interest in our intellectual heritage. Open to all students. Breadth-Humanities.
and all of
A critical overview of recent accounts of the nature and scope of human knowledge and of justified or rational belief, and of philosophical issues that these accounts are intended to address. Prerequisite: one of PHIL 100W, 144, 150, or 151, or COGS 100. Students who have taken PHIL 301 cannot take this course for further credit.
An examination of central problems of metaphysics such as space and time, universals and particulars, substance, identity and individuation and personal identity. Prerequisite: One of PHIL 100, 150, 151, or COGS 100.
This course studies a natural deductive system of propositional and quantificational logic, the first-order theory of identity and the first-order theory of relations. Topics include the metatheory of propositional logic and the application of formal theory to the assessment of natural language arguments. Quantitative.
Upper Division Requirements
Students complete at least 50 units, including one course at the 400 division, and at least one of
An examination of an issue or selection of issues in social and political philosophy. Contemporary or historical readings or a mixture of these will be used. Possible topics include: justice, the law and legal systems, sovereignty, power and authority, democracy, liberty and equality. Sometimes the course will focus on the views of historically important political philosophers, such as Plato, Aristotle, Hobbes, Locke, Rousseau, Burke, Bentham, Mill and Marx. Prerequisite: one of PHIL 120W, 220, or ENV 320.
An advanced investigation of central issues and theories in moral philosophy. In any given term, the course may focus on a general theory or concept or concern, for example meta-ethics, utilitarianism, or theories of rights. Sometimes it will focus on a particular problem or problems, such as medical ethics, moral personhood, or free will and moral responsibility. Prerequisite: one of PHIL 120W, 220, or ENV 320.
An examination of an issue or selection of issues in the history of moral or political philosophy. Historical readings will be the primary focus and may include important figures such as Aristotle, Hobbes, Locke, Hume, and Kant. Prerequisite: One of PHIL 120, 150, 151, 220.
A highly focused, advanced examination of a selection of topics in normative or meta-ethics. Prerequisite: two 300 level PHIL courses; it is strongly recommended that students have taken some prior course in moral theory. Writing.
and at least one of
An exploration of philosophical issues concerning, e.g.: causation, time, modality, or the self; the realism/nominalism or realism/idealism debate; relativism; the concept of truth; naturalized epistemology; global epistemological skepticism or perhaps a 'local' form of skepticism such as skepticism about induction or about sensory belief. Prerequisite: PHIL 201 or 203.
A study of the nature of scientific enquiry, classificatory systems, laws and theories, the role of observation in science, the demarcation between science and non-science, causality, the status of theoretical constructs, and teleological explanation. Prerequisite: PHIL 100; PHIL 210 or 214; and one of PHIL 201 or 203, or COGS 200.
A study of theories of the mind, consciousness, and human action. Prerequisite: PHIL 100; and one of PHIL 201 or 203, or COGS 200.
An introduction to the major philosophic theories of language. Topics to be considered include the relationship between language and mind, language and the world, language and society. Prerequisite: PHIL 100; and one of PHIL 201 or 203, or COGS 200.
and at least two of
An examination of an issue or selection of issues in the history of moral or political philosophy. Historical readings will be the primary focus and may include important figures such as Aristotle, Hobbes, Locke, Hume, and Kant. Prerequisite: One of PHIL 120, 150, 151, 220.
Prerequisite: PHIL 100 or 150.
An examination of some central issues in 17th century philosophy. Themes may include: changing theories of causation, of the mind, and of the relation between mind and world. Historical readings will be the primary focus and may include important figures such as Descartes, Elisabeth of Bohemia, Malebranche, Spinoza, Leibniz, and Locke. Prerequisite: PHIL 100 or 151. Students who have completed PHIL 353 or PHIL 354 prior to Fall 2006 may not take this course for further credit.
An examination of some central issues of 18th century philosophy. Themes may include the development of the theory of ideas and epistemology associated with it. The primary focus may include important figures such as Locke, Berkeley, Hume, and Condillac. Prerequisite: PHIL 100 or 151. Students with credit for PHIL 355 prior to Fall 2006 may not take this course for further credit.
Prerequisite: one of PHIL 100W, 150, or 151.
Prerequisite: two 300 level PHIL courses. Writing.
In addition, honours students complete the following two honours tutorial courses in the last, or last two terms of the program. Tutorials offer sufficient time to examine in-depth several philosophical topics in a general area such as ethics, metaphysics, philosophy of mind, etc. The honours candidate must achieve a grade of B or higher in each honours tutorial to receive the honours degree.
At least eight weeks prior to the term in which they wish to enrol in PHIL 477, honors students should obtain departmental approval of a proposed syllabus and arrange for faculty supervision of the course. Open only to honors students. Prerequisite: PHIL 477 is a requisite for all honors students, and must be taken in one of the last two terms of the student's philosophy program. It must be taken concurrently with or prior to PHIL 478.
At least eight weeks prior to the term in which they wish to enrol in PHIL 478, honors students should obtain departmental approval of a proposed syllabus and arrange for faculty supervision of the course. Open only to honors students. Prerequisite: PHIL 478 is a requisite for all honors students, and must be taken in one of the last two terms of the student's philosophy program. It must be taken concurrently with or consecutively to PHIL 477.
* unless counted as a history stream requirement
Seminars and Special Topics Courses
A student may not enrol in a philosophy seminar or selected topics course which duplicates work for which the student has received credit in another philosophy seminar or special topics course.
Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences Major Requirements
For all bachelor of arts (BA) programs (except the honours program), students complete 120 units, which includes
- at least 60 units that must be completed at 間眅埶AV
- at least 45 upper division units, of which at least 30 upper division units must be completed at 間眅埶AV
- at least 65 units (including 21 upper division units) in Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences courses
- satisfaction of the writing, quantitative, and breadth requirements
- an overall cumulative grade point average (CGPA) and upper division CGPA of at least 2.0, and a program (major, joint major, extended minor, minor) CGPA and upper division CGPA of at least 2.0
Writing, Quantitative, and Breadth Requirements
Students admitted to 間眅埶AV beginning in the fall 2006 term must meet writing, quantitative and breadth requirements as part of any degree program they may undertake. See for university-wide information.
WQB Graduation Requirements
A grade of C- or better is required to earn W, Q or B credit
Requirement |
Units |
Notes | |
W - Writing |
6 |
Must include at least one upper division course, taken at 間眅埶AV within the student’s major subject | |
Q - Quantitative |
6 |
Q courses may be lower or upper division | |
B - Breadth |
18 |
Designated Breadth | Must be outside the student’s major subject, and may be lower or upper division 6 units Social Sciences: B-Soc 6 units Humanities: B-Hum 6 units Sciences: B-Sci |
6 |
Additional Breadth | 6 units outside the student’s major subject (may or may not be B-designated courses, and will likely help fulfil individual degree program requirements) |
Residency Requirements and Transfer Credit
The University’s residency requirement stipulates that, in most cases, total transfer and course challenge credit may not exceed 60 units, and may not include more than 15 as upper division work.
Elective Courses
In addition to the courses listed above, students should consult an academic advisor to plan the remaining required elective courses.
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