The Department of Philosophy offers a comprehensive curriculum designed to provide students with a strong foundation in philosophy while allowing substantial flexibility for advanced and interdisciplinary study. Our courses cover major philosophical traditions and fields and encourage students to develop independent thought, critical reflection, creative thinking, and the ability to engage with philosophical questions in both historical and contemporary contexts.
Undergraduate Program
The undergraduate program normally requires four years of study and a total of 128 credits for graduation. The curriculum combines university-wide requirements, core courses in philosophy, and a broad range of departmental electives.
Core Curriculum
All philosophy majors complete nine core courses, totaling 27 credits:
First Year
- Introduction to Philosophy
- Logic
- Fundamental Problems of Logic
- Introduction to Chinese Philosophy
- History of Chinese Philosophy
- History of Western Philosophy
Second Year
- Ethics
- Epistemology
- Metaphysics
These courses are scheduled during the first two years of study, enabling students to establish a solid foundation in philosophy early in their undergraduate education. In their third and fourth years, students have greater flexibility to pursue advanced philosophical study, independent research, and interdisciplinary learning.
Elective Courses
Our elective curriculum reflects three broad areas of teaching and research:
Knowledge, Reasoning, and Reality
Courses in this area explore questions concerning knowledge, reasoning, mind, language, science, and the nature of reality. Areas of study include epistemology, logic, philosophy of language, philosophy of mind, philosophy of science, metaphysics, and related fields.
Culture, Aesthetics, and Practice
Courses in this area examine philosophical questions concerning culture, art, interpretation, value, and human practices. Areas of study include aesthetics, philosophy of art, philosophy of culture, semiotics, hermeneutics, and related approaches to cultural and practical questions.
Moral Order, Human Rights, and Virtue
Courses in this area explore questions concerning morality, rights, justice, virtue, and social and political life. Areas of study include political philosophy, the philosophy of rights, theories of virtue, virtue ethics, feminist philosophy, and related topics in moral and social philosophy.
Together, these areas expose students to diverse philosophical questions, traditions, and approaches while providing the flexibility to develop their own intellectual interests and pursue more specialized study.
Interdisciplinary Study
The curriculum is designed to give students substantial freedom to explore fields beyond philosophy. Of the 74 elective credits required by the Department, up to 37 may be earned through courses offered outside the Department.
Students may use this flexibility to pursue double majors, minors, teacher education programs, secondary specializations, or other interdisciplinary coursework. The curriculum thus enables students to maintain a strong foundation in philosophy while developing additional areas of expertise according to their academic interests and future career plans.
Master’s Program
The master’s program is designed to strengthen students’ ability to conduct independent philosophical research. It emphasizes advanced philosophical study, research methods, critical discussion, and the development of original research.
Students are required to complete 27 credits of coursework, including 6 credits of required courses and 21 credits of electives, as well as a master’s thesis. The required courses, Researches on Basic Philosophical Themes I and II, provide systematic training in philosophical research and prepare students to develop their master’s thesis projects.