The mission of the philosophy program is to foster greater understanding and appreciation of the value of philosophical inquiry and the examination of perennial questions about the nature of human experience, the purpose of human endeavors individually and communally, and the value of knowledge. We create diverse educational experiences that develop ethical, intellectually curious students who are invested in their communities. By developing critical, logical, and creative thinking, sound judgment, and effective civil communication, we produce students who can engage their philosophical reasoning in the service of solving real-world problems, attending to the ethical issues and theoretical complexities of purpose, policy, and implementation.
A major in philosophy is ideal for students who plan to enter the field of philosophy, law, professional or medical ethics, the ministry, or other fields requiring a liberal arts background.
The major consists of 30 semester hours, including:
| COURSE | TITLE | S.H. |
|---|---|---|
| FIRST YEAR REQUIREMENT -STUDENT SUCCESS | ||
| YSU 1500 | Success Seminar | 1-2 |
| or YSU 1500S | Youngstown State University Success Seminar | |
| or HONR 1500 | Intro to Honors | |
| General Education Requirements | ||
| ENGL 1550 | Writing 1 | 3-4 |
| or ENGL 1549 | Writing 1 with Support | |
| ENGL 1551 | Writing 2 | 3 |
| Mathematics Requirement (PHIL 2619) | ||
| Arts and Humanities (6 s.h. met with PHIL 1560 and PHIL 3711 in major) | ||
| Natural Sciences (2 courses, 1 with lab) | 7 | |
| Social Science (2 courses) | 6 | |
| General Education Electives (Any 3 Gen Ed courses) | 9 | |
| Foreign Language Requirement | ||
| FNLG 1501 | Conversational Foreign Language 1 | 3 |
| FNLG 1502 | Conversational Foreign Language 2 | 3 |
| Major Requirements | ||
| PHIL 1560 | Introduction to Philosophy | 3 |
| PHIL 2619 | Introduction to Logic | 3 |
| PHIL 2612 | Ancient & Medieval Philosophy | 3 |
| PHIL 3702 | History of Modern Philosophy | 3 |
| PHIL 3711 | General Ethics | 3 |
| PHIL 4820 | Seminar in Philosophy | 3 |
| Philosophy Electives (Three additional courses in Philosophy, 2 of which must be at the 3700-level or 4800-level.) | 9 | |
| PHIL 4861 | Senior Capstone Project | 3 |
| or PHIL 4820 | Seminar in Philosophy | |
| Minor | 12 | |
| Electives Must complete a minimum number of electives to meet the 120sh total graduation requirement | 43 | |
| Total Semester Hours | 120-122 | |
| Year 1 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Fall | S.H. | |
| YSU 1500 | Success Seminar or Youngstown State University Success Seminar or Intro to Honors | 1-2 |
| PHIL 1560 | Introduction to Philosophy | 3 |
| ENGL 1550 or ENGL 1549 | Writing 1 or Writing 1 with Support | 3-4 |
| FNLG 1501 | Conversational Foreign Language 1 | 3 |
| Gen Ed Elective | 3 | |
| Semester Hours | 13-15 | |
| Spring | ||
| PHIL 2612 | Ancient & Medieval Philosophy | 3 |
| Social Science Gen Ed | 3 | |
| ENGL 1551 | Writing 2 | 3 |
| FNLG 1502 | Conversational Foreign Language 2 | 3 |
| Elective | 4 | |
| Semester Hours | 16 | |
| Year 2 | ||
| Fall | ||
| PHIL 2619 | Introduction to Logic | 3 |
| Natural Science Gen Ed | 3 | |
| Minor Course | 3 | |
| Elective | 3 | |
| Elective | 3 | |
| Semester Hours | 15 | |
| Spring | ||
| PHIL 3702 | History of Modern Philosophy | 3 |
| Social Science Gen Ed | 3 | |
| Minor 15XX/26XX course | 3 | |
| Natural Science plus lab 15XX/26XX | 4 | |
| Gen Ed Elective | 3 | |
| Semester Hours | 16 | |
| Year 3 | ||
| Fall | ||
| PHIL 3711 | General Ethics | 3 |
| PHIL Elective 37XX | 3 | |
| Minor course | 3 | |
| Gen Ed Elective | 3 | |
| Elective 37XX | 3 | |
| Semester Hours | 15 | |
| Spring | ||
| PHIL Elective 37XX | 3 | |
| Minor course | 3 | |
| Elective | 3 | |
| Elective 37XX | 3 | |
| Elective 37XX | 3 | |
| Semester Hours | 15 | |
| Year 4 | ||
| Fall | ||
| PHIL 4820 | Seminar in Philosophy | 3 |
| Minor 37XX course | 3 | |
| Elective | 3 | |
| Elective 37XX | 3 | |
| Elective 37XX | 3 | |
| Semester Hours | 15 | |
| Spring | ||
| PHIL 4861 | Senior Capstone Project | 3 |
| Minor 37XX course | 3 | |
| PHIL Elective | 3 | |
| Elective 37XX | 3 | |
| Elective 37XX | 3 | |
| Semester Hours | 15 | |
| Total Semester Hours | 120-122 | |
Learning Objectives
- Demonstrated reasoning ability (competently utilize principles of critical thinking, including assessment of definitions, recognition of fallacies, and application of the principles of good inductive and deductive reasoning).
- Demonstrated ability to articulate philosophical ideas and arguments (clarity, nuance, and sophistication of content) and knowledge of seminal figures in history who espouse them.
- Demonstrated ability to engage in charitable reading (willingness to consider alternative and plausible interpretations of an author’s work) and to consider arguments from the standpoint and experience of others (suspend one’s personal views).
- Master the basics of theoretical writing, including the development of precise definitions, effective analysis of texts, traditions, and theoretical positions, and effective development, defense, and critique of arguments.
- Demonstrated ability to revise beliefs, ideas, and arguments when presented with new sources, criticism, and evidence or to withhold judgment in the absence of reasons (reasonable disagreement and intellectual humility).