About the Program
About the Government, Planning, and Philosophy Department
Cassety Hall 202
1300 Elmwood Ave.
Buffalo, NY 14222
Phone: (716) 878-6116
gpp.buffalostate.edu
The Philosophy Major at Buffalo State provides students with the skills and competencies needed to succeed professionally, personally, and communally in the twenty-first century. The study of philosophy complements many different disciplines and will help you with any career path.
Major Requirements
The major is 30 credits in total. Each of the skills listed above is a component of every Philosophy course the department offers, but different courses emphasize different skills. The specific requirements of the major are designed to ensure you have ample opportunity to develop all of them.
For each, you must successfully complete a course or set of courses that puts special emphasis on that skill. Since logical reasoning is at the core of everything we do, you are also required to successfully complete one of the logic courses.
Learning Outcomes
As a philosophy major, you’ll learn to:
-Communicate, comprehend, and summarize conceptually difficult material.
-Understand and clearly articulate “fundamental and powerful concepts” (e.g., truth, knowledge, justification, evidence, respect, justice, good, right, value, argument, reason, validity, soundness).
-Form, evaluate, justify, defend, and apply your own views on complicated, everyday issues in written and in oral form.
-Recognize the conceptions and perspectives of multiple intellectual traditions.
-Accept and productively apply critical feedback on your work.
Program Requirements
General Education 23 Requirements (33 credit hours)
Philosophy Major Requirements (30 credit hours)
I. Critical thinking and Logical Reasoning (3 credit hours)
Select one from the following:
Complete at least 1 of the following Courses:
PHI103 INTRODUCTION TO LOGIC | 3 - Credit Hours
PHI107 INTRODUCTION TO MATHEMATICAL LOGIC | 3 - Credit Hours
II. Communication and Comprehension (6 credit hours)
Select one from each of the groups:
Complete at least 2 of the following Courses:
PHI101 INTRODUCTION TO PHILOSOPHY | 3 - Credit Hours
OR PHI110 THE MEANING OF LIFE | 3 - Credit Hours
PHI300 PROBLEMS OF PHILOSOPHY | 3 - Credit Hours
OR PHI312 PHILOSOPHY OF MIND | 3 - Credit Hours
OR PHI336 PHILOSOPHY OF EMOTION | 3 - Credit Hours
III. Problem Solving and Concept Clarity (6 credit hours)
Earn at least 6 credits from the following:
PHI102 INTRODUCTION TO ETHICS | 3 - Credit Hours
PHI308 PHILOSOPHY OF LOVE AND SEX | 3 - Credit Hours
OR PHI361 RACE AND PROGRESS | 3 - Credit Hours
Complete PHI102 AND either PHI308 OR PHI361
IV. Analysis, Inquiry, and Application (6 credit hours)
Select one course from each of the groups:
Earn at least 6 credits from the following:
PHI111 ETHICS FOR SCIENTISTS | 3 - Credit Hours
OR PHI112 PROFESSIONAL ETHICS | 3 - Credit Hours
OR PHI113 ENVIRONMENTAL ETHICS | 3 - Credit Hours
OR PHI115 MINDS AND MACHINES | 3 - Credit Hours
PHI301 JUSTICE: LIBERTY VS. EQUALITY | 3 - Credit Hours
OR PHI304 PHILOSOPHY OF LAW | 3 - Credit Hours
OR PHI314 RIGHTS AND RESPECT | 3 - Credit Hours
OR PHI333 PHILOSOPHY OF NATURAL SCIENCES | 3 - Credit Hours
V. Appreciation of Diverse Perspectives (3 credit hours)
Select one from the following:
Complete at least 1 of the following Courses:
PHI324 ZEN BUDDHISM | 3 - Credit Hours
PHI360 AFRICANA PHILOSOPHY | 3 - Credit Hours
Philosophy Electives (6 credit hours)
Customize your major with electives, select two additional courses from the following:
Earn at least 6 credits from the following:
PHI101 INTRODUCTION TO PHILOSOPHY | 3 - Credit Hours
PHI103 INTRODUCTION TO LOGIC | 3 - Credit Hours
PHI107 INTRODUCTION TO MATHEMATICAL LOGIC | 3 - Credit Hours
PHI110 THE MEANING OF LIFE | 3 - Credit Hours
PHI111 ETHICS FOR SCIENTISTS | 3 - Credit Hours
PHI112 PROFESSIONAL ETHICS | 3 - Credit Hours
PHI113 ENVIRONMENTAL ETHICS | 3 - Credit Hours
PHI115 MINDS AND MACHINES | 3 - Credit Hours
PHI221 PHILOSOPHY AND YOGA | 3 - Credit Hours
PHI300 PROBLEMS OF PHILOSOPHY | 3 - Credit Hours
PHI301 JUSTICE: LIBERTY VS. EQUALITY | 3 - Credit Hours
PHI304 PHILOSOPHY OF LAW | 3 - Credit Hours
PHI308 PHILOSOPHY OF LOVE AND SEX | 3 - Credit Hours
PHI312 PHILOSOPHY OF MIND | 3 - Credit Hours
PHI314 RIGHTS AND RESPECT | 3 - Credit Hours
PHI324 ZEN BUDDHISM | 3 - Credit Hours
PHI333 PHILOSOPHY OF NATURAL SCIENCES | 3 - Credit Hours
PHI336 PHILOSOPHY OF EMOTION | 3 - Credit Hours
PHI360 AFRICANA PHILOSOPHY | 3 - Credit Hours
PHI361 RACE AND PROGRESS | 3 - Credit Hours
PHI189 TOPIC COURSE | 1 - 3 Credit Hours
PHI295 SPECIAL PROJECT | 1 - 3 Credit Hours
PHI389 TOPIC COURSE | 3 - Credit Hours
PHI495 SPECIAL PROJECT | 1 - 3 Credit Hours
PHI498 HONORS RESEARCH | 1 - 3 Credit Hours
PHI499 INDEPENDENT STUDY | 3 - 12 Credit Hours
All College Electives (57 credit hours)
Completion requirement
120 Total Credit Hours