Philosophy-Humanities
Through interdisciplinary study, students develop an awareness and understanding of the major events and ideas that have shaped the civilization in which they live.
Philosophy-Humanities Major
People have always had questions about the world in which they live. Whether these questions are about truth, beauty, and goodness, or about whether life has any meaning, people find questions to ask. Over the centuries, many minds have addressed these questions. By means of dialogue, intuition, logic, and critical thought, philosophers have created pathways to wisdom and an understanding of the human condition.
North Dakota State University offers students a Philosophy curriculum that may be approached either as a Philosophy-Humanities major or minor.
The Philosophy-Humanities major consists of 30 semester credits. Of these, 21 credits must be taken from the required courses. Nine elective credits, which can be independent studies, complete the major. Each degree has additional university and College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences requirements that must be fulfilled. For example, a B.A. requires two years or the equivalent of a foreign language, while the B.S. requires a minor in another field. Please check the university and college pages addressing additional requirements that must be fulfilled.
Philosophy-Humanities Minor
The Philosophy-Humanities minor consists of 21 semester credits: the major required courses plus six elective credits from the elective philosophy courses, including independent studies.
Major Requirements
Major: Philosophy/Humanities
Degree Type: B.A. or B.S.
Required Degree Credits to Graduate: 122
Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences
Degree Requirements
Bachelor of Science (B.S.) Degree – The completion of a minor program of study, a second major, or a second degree is required.
Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) Degree – Second year language proficiency at college level required.
General Education Requirements
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| First Year Experience (F): | ||
| UNIV 189 | Skills For Academic Success (Students transferring in 24 or more credits do not need to take UNIV 189.) | 1 |
| Communication (C): | ||
| ENGL 110 | College Composition I | 3 |
| ENGL 120 | College Composition II | 3 |
| PHIL 450 | Metaphysics | 3 |
| or PHIL 451 | Epistemology | |
| COMM 110 | Fundamentals of Public Speaking | 3 |
| Quantitative Reasoning (R): Select from current general education list | 3 | |
| Science & Technology (S): | 10 | |
| A one-credit lab must be taken as a co-requisite with a general education science/technology course unless the course includes an embedded lab experience equivalent to a one-credit course. Select from current general education list. | ||
| Humanities & Fine Arts (A): Select from current general education list | 6 | |
| Social & Behavioral Sciences (B): Select from current general education list | 6 | |
| Wellness (W): Select from current general education list | 2 | |
| Cultural Diversity (D): Select from current general education list | ||
| Global Perspectives (G): Select from current general education list | ||
| Total Credits | 40 | |
Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences College Requirements
An additional 9 credits are required by the College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences for all Bachelor of Science and Bachelor of Arts degree programs of study, except the Bachelor of Fine Arts degree, the Bachelor of Music degree, Bachelor of Landscape Architecture degree, and the Bachelor of Science in Architecture degree:
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| AH&SS College Requirements | ||
Courses used to satisfy any general education requirement cannot be used to also count toward the AH&SS College Requirements. A minimum of three credits is required in each of the 3 following areas for a total of 9 credits. Choose only those courses with the prefixes listed for each area. A course with the WGS prefix can only be used in one area. | ||
| Area One: Humanities | 3 | |
ARB, ENGL, FREN, GERM, HIST, HUM, PHIL, RELS, SPAN, or WGS | ||
| Area Two: Social Sciences | 3 | |
ANTH, CJ, COMM, EMGT, POLS, SOC, or WGS | ||
| Area Three: Fine Arts | 3 | |
ARCH, ART, ENVD, LA, MUSC, or THEA | ||
| Total Credits | 9 | |
Major Requirements
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| General Education Requirements | 40 | |
| AH&SS College Requirement | 9 | |
| Philosophy/Humanities Major Requirements | ||
| PHIL 101 | Introduction to Philosophy | 3 |
| PHIL 210 | Ethics | 3 |
| or PHIL 215 | Contemporary Moral Issues | |
| PHIL 257 | Traditional Logic | 3 |
| PHIL 321 | Ancient Philosophy | 3 |
| or PHIL 322 | Medieval Philosophy | |
| PHIL 323 | Modern Philosophy | 3 |
| or PHIL 324 | Contemporary Philosophy | |
| PHIL 451 | Epistemology | 3 |
| Capstone Experience: Select one of the following: | ||
| PHIL 450 | Metaphysics | 3 |
| or PHIL 486 | Philosophy & Literature | |
| or PHIL 494 | Individual Study | |
| Philosophy Major Electives | 9 | |
| Degree Requirements: Potential of 43 credits to reach 122 | 43 | |
| Total Credits | 122 | |
Minor Requirements
Philosophy-Humanities Minor
Minor Requirements
Required Credits: 21
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Required Minor Courses | ||
| PHIL 101 | Introduction to Philosophy | 3 |
| PHIL 210 | Ethics | 3 |
| or PHIL 215 | Contemporary Moral Issues | |
| PHIL 257 | Traditional Logic | 3 |
| PHIL 450 | Metaphysics | 3 |
| or PHIL 451 | Epistemology | |
| PHIL 486 | Philosophy & Literature | 3 |
| or PHIL 494 | Individual Study | |
| Philosophy Electives | 6 | |
| Total Credits | 21 | |
| * | May take as an elective if not taken as a required course. |
Minor Requirements and Notes
- A minimum of 8 credits must be taken at NDSU.
