2026-2027

Philosophy, Bachelor of Arts

Department of Philosophy

College of Arts and Letters

Philosophy is the study and critical analysis of fundamental human concerns. It addresses questions ranging from metaphysics (e.g., what is free will?) to epistemology (e.g., what distinguishes genuine knowledge from accidentally true belief?) to ethics (e.g., what makes a society just?). Students in the Philosophy BA receive a broad philosophical education that includes coursework in all major philosophical subfields. Students will study a foreign language to understand primary texts in their original language and further hone their grammatical and writing skills. They will develop skills in critical thinking, argumentative writing, logical analysis, and effective communication. These skills prepare students for careers in law, government, business, public service, administrative work, or graduate school.

  • To receive a bachelor's degree at Northern Arizona University, you must complete at least 120 units of credit that minimally includes a major, the general studies requirements, and university requirements as listed below.

    • All of Northern Arizona University's general studies, junior-level writing, and capstone requirements.
    • All requirements for your specific academic plan(s).
    • At least 30 units of upper-division courses, which may include transfer work.
    • At least 30 units of coursework taken through Northern Arizona University, of which at least 18 must be upper-division courses (300-level or above). This requirement is not met by credit-by-exam, retro-credits, transfer coursework, etc.
    • A cumulative grade point average of at least 2.0 on all work attempted at Northern Arizona University.

     

    The full policy can be viewed here.

In addition to University Requirements:

  • 36 units of major requirements.

  • Fourth-semester proficiency in a modern language

  • Up to 9 units of major prefix courses may be used to satisfy General Studies Requirements; these same courses may also be used to satisfy major requirements.

  • Elective courses, if needed, to reach an overall total of at least 120 units.

Students may be able to use some courses to meet more than one requirement. Contact your advisor for details.

Minimum Units for Completion 120
Highest Mathematics Required MAT 114
Foreign Language Required
University Honors Program Optional
Progression Plan Link Not Available

Purpose Statement

Philosophy is the study and critical analysis of fundamental human concerns. It addresses questions ranging from metaphysics (e.g., what is free will?) to epistemology (e.g., what distinguishes genuine knowledge from accidentally true belief?) to ethics (e.g., what makes a society just?). Students in the Philosophy BA receive a broad philosophical education that includes coursework in all major philosophical subfields. Students will study a foreign language to understand primary texts in their original language and further hone their grammatical and writing skills. They will develop skills in critical thinking, argumentative writing, logical analysis, and effective communication. These skills prepare students for careers in law, government, business, public service, administrative work, or graduate school.

Student Learning Outcomes

  • Develop critical thinking and problem-solving competence in the following:
    • Formal Logic.
    • Examining and critiquing arguments expressed in formal logical systems and prose writing.
    • Constructing arguments.
  • Develop effective communication (exegetical and argumentative writing) competence in the following:
    • Rendering others' arguments in a way that showcases the arguments' strengths (i.e., not constructing a straw man).
    • Assessing the internal coherence of others' arguments.
    • Assessing the external validity of others' arguments (i.e., determining whether an internally coherent position conflicts with other well-established facts).
    • Creating new arguments that enhance internal coherence and external validity.
  • Understand philosophical concepts and their historical context through reading and class discussion.
    • Examine the impact of these concepts on past social, political, and intellectual developments.
    • Examine the impact of these concepts on contemporary social, political, and intellectual practices.
  • Develop the ability to read primary texts in their original language.
  • Increase competence in English-language grammar and writing through the study a different linguistic/grammatical system.
  • Identify, analyze, and critically evaluate ethical theories and moral arguments. 
    • Critically examine ethical arguments and theories in historical and/or contemporary philosophical texts.
    • Apply ethical theories to contemporary social and moral problems.
    • Articulate well-reasoned positions that demonstrate sensitivity to diverse perspectives and commitments to responsible citizenship.

Major Requirements

  • This major requires 52 units distributed as follows:

    • Philosophy Course Requirements: 36 units
    • Foreign Language: 16 units


    Take the following 36 units:

    • PHI 240, PHI 241 (6 units)
    • Select from the following (3 units):
    • Select from the following (3 units):
    • Select from the following (3 units):
    • Select from the following (3 units):
    • Select from the following which meet the junior-level writing requirement. (3 units)
    • PHI 414C which meets the senior capstone requirement (3 units)
    • Additional PHI coursework (12 units)
      • Courses must be selected in consultation with your advisor.
      • At least 6 must be at the 300-level or higher.
      • Students considering graduate studies in philosophy, should take as many upper-division electives as their schedule allows.

    • Advisors in the Department of Philosophy will work with you to prepare for any specific career you might have in mind. Where it is reasonable to do so and with the advisor's and chair's approval, it is possible to substitute or supplement courses from outside philosophy to count in the philosophy major. These substitutions may not exceed a total of 6 units.

Foreign Language Requirement

  • You must demonstrate proficiency in a language other than English that is equivalent to four terms of university coursework in the same language. You may satisfy this requirement by taking language courses or through credit by exam. (16 units)

  • Students enrolled in this plan may not enroll in or pursue the following:

General Electives

  • Additional coursework is required if, after you have met the previously described requirements, you have not yet completed a total of 120 units of credit.

    You may take these remaining courses from any of the academic areas, using these courses to pursue your specific interests and goals. You may also use prerequisites or transfer credits as electives if they weren't used to meet major, minor, or General Studies Requirements.

    We encourage you to consult with your advisor to select the courses that will be most advantageous to you.

  • Some courses may have prerequisites. For prerequisite information, click on the course or see your advisor.