Requires 27 hours. These must include:
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| One course from each of the following groups | 15 | |
No more than six hours of 100-level courses may be counted towards the major.
No more than 3 hours of independent study may be counted towards the major.
Only one of PHI 220 or PHI 221 (Logic and Symbolic Logic) may be counted towards the major.
No senior philosophy major may take a 100-level course.
At least 21 hours of the major must be completed at Wake Forest; exceptions require approval by the department chair. A minimum GPA of 2.0 in all courses completed in philosophy at Wake Forest is required for graduation with the major.
Students who plan to major in philosophy are strongly encouraged to complete their courses in ancient Greek philosophy and modern philosophy prior to their senior year.
Majors intending to do graduate study in philosophy are strongly advised to take the following courses:
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| PHI 221 | Symbolic Logic | 3 |
| PHI 360 | Ethics | 3 |
| At least one of the following: | ||
| PHI 376 | Epistemology | 3 |
| or PHI 377 | Metaphysics | |
Such majors should work closely with their major advisor as they consider their additional course choices.
I. Ancient Greek Philosophy
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| PHI 232 | Ancient Greek Philosophy | 3 |
| PHI 331 | Plato | 3 |
| PHI 332 | Aristotle | 3 |
| PHI 333 | Hellenistic Philosophy | 3 |
II. Modern Philosophy
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| PHI 241 | Modern Philosophy | 3 |
| PHI 341 | Kant: Theoretical Philosophy | 3 |
| PHI 342 | Topics in Modern Philosophy | 3 |
| PHI 343 | Kant: Practical Philosophy | 3 |
III. Value Theory
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| PHI 359 | Environmental Ethics | 3 |
| PHI 360 | Ethics | 3 |
| PHI 361 | Topics in Ethics | 3 |
| PHI 362 | Social and Political Philosophy | 3 |
| PHI 364 | Freedom, Action, and Responsibility | 3 |
| PHI 366 | Global Justice | 3 |
| PHI 367 | Philosophical Theories in Bioethics | 3 |
IV. Metaphysics and Epistemology
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| PHI 373 | Philosophy of Science | 3 |
| PHI 374 | Philosophy of Mind | 3 |
| PHI 375 | Philosophy of Language | 3 |
| PHI 376 | Epistemology | 3 |
| PHI 377 | Metaphysics | 3 |
| PHI 378 | Philosophy of Space and Time | 3 |
V. Electives
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| PHI 221 | Symbolic Logic | 3 |
| PHI 235 | Main Streams of Chinese Philosophy | 3 |
| PHI 237 | Medieval Philosophy | 3 |
| PHI 239 | Latin American & Latinx Philosophy | 3 |
| PHI 337 | Thomas Aquinas | 3 |
| PHI 352 | 19th-Century European Philosophy | 3 |
| PHI 353 | Heidegger | 3 |
| PHI 354 | Wittgenstein | 3 |
| PHI 355 | Contemporary Philosophy | 3 |
| PHI 356 | 20th-Century European Philosophy | 3 |
| PHI 363 | Philosophy of Law | 3 |
| PHI 365 | Philosophy of Love and Friendship | 3 |
| PHI 368 | Concepts of Health & Disease | 3 |
| PHI 369 | Philosophy and Psychology | 3 |
| PHI 370 | Philosophy and Christianity | 3 |
| PHI 371 | Aesthetics and the Philosophy of Art | 3 |
| PHI 372 | Philosophy of Religion | 3 |
| PHI 379 | Feminist Philosophy | 3 |
| PHI 380 | Philosophy of Emotion | 3 |
| PHI 382 | Seminar in Public Philosophy | 3 |
Majors with a GPA of at least 3.3 overall and at least 3.7 in philosophy are eligible to apply for entrance into the honors program in philosophy. Majors interested in applying should consult with the department chair in the second semester of their junior year. The departmental honors committee will consider all applications and notify successful candidates during the summer prior to their senior year. Completion of 15 hours in philosophy courses is prerequisite to beginning work in the honors program. Graduation with “Honors in Philosophy” requires successful completion of PHI 391 and PHI 392, a GPA at the time of graduation of at least 3.7 in philosophy and 3.3 overall, and completion and successful defense of an honors thesis in an oral examination conducted by at least two members of the department. The hours earned in PHI 391 and PHI 392 do not count towards the 27 hours required of all majors.