Philosophy majors should enjoy thinking abstractly and deeply about those questions that Bertrand Russell called “ultimate questions” — questions about the coherence or reasonableness of concepts and presuppositions that most take for granted. The ultimate questions addressed in philosophy classes include the following questions: Are humans purely physical beings, or does consciousness involve nonphysical phenomena? Do humans have free will? Does God exist? Are there objective moral facts, or is morality relative to one’s culture? What moral obligations, if any, does one have to oneself and to others? Is there any justification for government? If so, to what extent is governmental power justified?
Admission into the Major
Students are expected to formally declare a major no later than the fourth semester of full-time enrollment (or at 61 semester hours for transfer students). Students can declare a major by completing the Change of Major/Minor Application online under the Student tab of myBama.
Special Opportunities
The philosophy department honors program is designed for students who wish to pursue a philosophical topic further than the seminar format permits. It also provides recognition for both having done a greater proportion of classes at the advanced level and for sustained outstanding achievement in all courses. Students graduating with honors in philosophy must complete 36 hours in philosophy with 18 hours at the 300- or 400-level and achieve a minimum GPA of 3.5 in all philosophy courses and at least a cumulative GPA of 3.3. A philosophy honors student must also write a senior essay on a philosophical topic and defend it during an oral examination. A student who is enrolled in the University Honors Program can count his or her senior essay in philosophy as completing the honors thesis in that program.
Students earning the bachelor of arts (BA) degree with a major in philosophy must complete all University, College and departmental degree requirements. These include the general education requirements, the following major requirements, all requirements for an approved minor and other sufficient credits to total a minimum of 120 applicable semester hours.
| Code and Title | Hours |
| PHL 195 or | Intro Deductive Logic | 3 |
| PHL 106 | Honors Deductive Logic |
| PHL 211 | Ancient Philosophy | 3 |
| PHL 212 | Early Modern Philosophy | 3 |
| 9 |
| 1 | 12 |
| 1 | 9 |
| 21 |
| Total Hours | 30 |
Areas
Area 1: Value
Area 2: Language, Epistemology, Mind and Metaphysics
Grade Point Average
A 2.0 grade point average in the major is required for completion of the degree. Please see the Grades and Grade Points section of this catalog for an explanation on grade point average calculations.
Upper-level Residency
A minimum of 12 hours of 300- and 400-level courses in the major must be earned on this campus.
Ancillary Courses
This major does not require ancillary courses.
Required Minor
This major requires the completion of a minor.
Additional Major Requirements
Students are responsible for ensuring that they have met all University, college, major and minor requirements. However, each student must meet with an adviser in the major department for academic planning and to be approved for registration each semester. College advisers are also available for additional assistance with minor, College and University requirements.
Mind-Brain Specialization
The Mind-Brain Specialization is designed for students who are interested in philosophical questions about thought, consciousness, knowledge, and the relationship between the mind and the physical world. Students in psychology, communication, English, computer science and anthropology will find that the Mind-Brain Specialization makes philosophy an attractive second major.
Completion of the Mind-Brain specialization will be noted on the student's transcript.
| Code and Title | Hours |
| PHL 195 or | Intro Deductive Logic | 3 |
| PHL 106 | Honors Deductive Logic |
| PHL 211 | Ancient Philosophy | 3 |
| PHL 212 | Early Modern Philosophy | 3 |
| PHL 260 | Mind and Nature | 3 |
| 12 |
| 12 |
| Metaphysics | |
| Philosophy and Evolution | |
| Neuroethics | |
| The Science of Ethics | |
| Philosophy of Mind | |
| Neural Basis of Consciousness | |
| Epistemology | |
| Philosophy of Science | |
| Philosophy of Mental Health | |
| Philosophy of Medicine | |
| 6 |
| Total Hours | 30 |
Jurisprudence Specialization
The Jurisprudence Specialization is a collection of philosophy courses of special interest to students intending careers in law or politics, or with a curiosity about the theories underpinning these institutions. It is designed to sharpen the abilities to reason, to respond to opposing arguments, and to put one’s point clearly and precisely. The specialization also provides the opportunity to explore some of the deepest questions about the law, its relation to morality, what justifies authority, and what is distinctive about legal reasoning.
Completion of the Jurisprudence specialization will be noted on the student's transcript.
| Code and Title | Hours |
| PHL 195 or | Intro Deductive Logic | 3 |
| PHL 106 | Honors Deductive Logic |
| PHL 211 | Ancient Philosophy | 3 |
| PHL 212 | Early Modern Philosophy | 3 |
| PHL 240 | Philosophy and the Law | 3 |
| 3 |
| Introduction to Ethics | |
| Honors Introduction to Ethics |
| Political Philosophy | |
| Honors Intro to Polit. Phil. | |
| Social Philosophy | |
| 3 |
| Law and Morality | |
| Legal Reasoning | |
| Philosophy of Oppression | |
| Seminar on Law | |
| T. Time Bmbs: Phil. Nat. Sec. | |
| Constitut. and Democracy | |
| Leg. and Phil. Prob. Policing | |
| Philosophy of Law | |
| 9 |
| 3 |
| Total Hours | 30 |
While anyone can take these classes (subject to applicable prerequisites), if you are interested in completing either the specialized major or minor, contact us at phillaw@ua.edu so that you can be put on a list of students to be contacted with relevant information. Students completing the specialized major will receive a notation on their transcript. Also, on the basis of their performance in these classes, students completing the specialized major are eligible for The Norvin Richards Award in Philosophy and the Law.
Philosophy & Medicine Specialization
The Philosophy and Medicine Specialization is a series of courses introducing topics, issues, questions and problems associated the practice of medicine. While this concentration is designed for those who are planning for a career in the medical fields, it is open to any student with an interest in medicine.
Completion of the Philosophy and Medicine specialization will be noted on the student's transcript.
| Code and Title | Hours |
| PHL 195 or | Intro Deductive Logic | 3 |
| PHL 106 | Honors Deductive Logic |
| PHL 211 | Ancient Philosophy | 3 |
| PHL 212 | Early Modern Philosophy | 3 |
| PHL 423 | Seminar in Medical Ethics | 3 |
| PHL 489 | Philosophy of Medicine | 3 |
| PHL 486 or | Philosophy of Science | 3 |
| PHL 488 | Philosophy of Mental Health |
| 3 |
| 9 |
| 30 |
A few graduates are now themselves professors of philosophy; but most years, no major pursues graduate work in philosophy. Those who seek advanced degrees pursue degrees in fields related to their second majors or in law, medicine, divinity, or business. Other majors use their analytic skills to forge careers in education, information technology, finance, management, and writing.
Types of Jobs Accepted
Recent graduates include a number of law students, several medical students and seminary students, and also graduate students in American studies, German, public administration, public health, and business. In addition to several in business and in the military, others are employed as teachers, computer consultants, and web designers.
Jobs of Experienced Alumni
Philosophy alumni include many attorneys, a banker, a chef, a chemical engineer, a CIA employee, information technology specialists, a graphic designer, ministers, musicians, physicians, professors (of philosophy, mathematics, English, and theology), a State Department employee, web designers, and writers.
Learn more about opportunities in this field at the Career Center
