Philosophy Degree Requirements

Department of Philosophy Requirements for the B.A. Major, Joint Major, Advanced Major, Joint Advanced Major, Honours, and Honours with Subsidiary. 

1. B.A. Major (36 credits)[1] 

(a) Normally a minimum of 12 credits in the History of Philosophy. 

(i) To fulfill this requirement, at least 6 credits will be taken from the ancient and mediaeval periods and at least 6 credits from the modern and contemporary periods. 

(b) Normally a minimum of 12 credits at the 300/400 level.  

(c) Overall course selection must be approved by an advisor assigned by the Department. 

 

2. B.A. Joint Major (36 credits)[2] 

(a) Normally a minimum of 12 credits in the History of Philosophy. 

(i) Normally 6 credits will be taken from the ancient and mediaeval periods and 6 credits from the modern and contemporary periods. 

(b) Normally a minimum of 12 credits at the 300/400 level. 

(c) Overall course selection must be approved by an advisor assigned by the Department. 

 

3. Advanced Major (36 credits)[3] 

(a) Normally a minimum of 12 credits in the History of Philosophy. 

(i) To fulfill this requirement, at least 6 credits will be taken from the ancient and mediaeval periods and 6 credits from the modern and contemporary periods. 

(b) Normally a minimum of 18 credits at the 300/400 level. 

(c) Six credits of coursework at the 400-level designated by the Department as the Senior Seminar. 

(d) A Senior Paper / Research Report. 

(i) The Senior Paper / Research Report shall normally be a minimum of 25 double-spaced, type-written pages. It must be carefully written and well organized. It should demonstrate good literary style and scholarly investigation. 

(ii) Choice of supervisor and topic must be approved in consultation with the Chair no later than September 30 of the Senior year. 

(iii) A complete first draft should be submitted to the supervisor no later than the first day of classes following the Second Semester reading week. 

(iv) In addition to the supervisor, the Senior Paper / Research Report must be approved by a second reader appointed by the Department. In case of dispute between readers, the Chair or his/her appointee will adjudicate. 

(v) The Senior Paper / Research Report must be completed and in the hands of the Chair by April 1 of the Senior year. 

(vi) The Senior Paper / Research Report grade shall be either fail or pass. (To receive a grade of ‘Pass,’ the Paper/Report must be of a standard that would merit a grade of at least 65/100). 

 

4. B.A. Joint Advanced Major (36 credits)[4] 

(a) Normally a minimum of 12 credits in the History of Philosophy. 

(i) Normally at least 6 credits will be taken from the ancient and mediaeval periods and at least 6 credits from the modern and contemporary periods. 

(b) Normally a minimum of 18 credits at the 300/400 level. 

(c) Six credits of coursework at the 400-level designated by the Department as the Senior Seminar.  

(d) A Senior Paper / Research Report. 

Note: The student must notify the Chair of the Department by 30 September if they intend to satisfy the Senior Paper / Research Report requirement in the Department of Philosophy. 

(i) The Senior Paper / Research Report shall normally be a minimum of 25 double-spaced, type-written pages. It must be carefully written and well organized. It should demonstrate good literary style and scholarly investigation. 

(ii) Choice of supervisor and topic must be approved in consultation with the Chair no later than September 30 of the Senior year. 

(iii) A complete first draft should be submitted to the supervisor no later than the first day of classes following the Second Semester reading week. 

(iv) In addition to the supervisor, the Senior Paper / Research Report must be approved by a second reader appointed by the Department. In case of dispute between readers, the Chair or his/her appointee will adjudicate. 

(v) The Senior Paper / Research Report must be completed and in the hands of the Chair by April 1 of the Senior year. 

(vi) The Senior Paper / Research Report grade shall be either fail or pass. (To receive a grade of ‘Pass,’ the Paper/Report must be of a standard that would merit a grade of at least 65/100). 

 

5. Honours (60 credits)[5] 

(a) Normally a minimum of 18 credits in the History of Philosophy. At least 3 credits will be from the ancient period, 3 credits from the mediaeval period, 3 credits from the modern period, and 3 credits from the contemporary period (i.e., PHIL 367, 381, or 391).  

(b) A minimum of 3 credits in critical thinking/logic (i.e., at least one of PHIL 251 and PHIL 342). Six credits are strongly recommended.  

(c) 3 credits in ethical theory (PHIL 331).  

(d) Normally a minimum of 33 credits at the 300/400 level. 

(e) Six credits of coursework at the 400-level designated by the Department as the Senior Seminar. 

(f) An Honours Thesis. 

(i) The Honours Thesis in Philosophy is normally in the range of 45 to 60 pages in length, including references and bibliography. It must be carefully written and well organized. It should demonstrate good literary style, scholarly investigation and critical evaluation. 

(ii) Choice of supervisor and topic must be approved in consultation with the Chair no later than September 30 of the Senior year. 

(iii) Normally, students will be expected to have completed a draft of at least the first substantive chapter of the thesis one week prior to the deadline for submitting first semester grades. Normally, a complete first draft must be submitted to the supervisor no later than the first day of classes following the Second Semester reading week. 

(iv) In addition to the supervisor, the Honours Thesis must be approved by a second reader appointed by the Department. In case of dispute between readers, the Chair or his/her appointee will adjudicate. 

(v) The Honours Thesis must be completed and in the hands of the Chair by 1 April of the Senior year. 

(vi) The Honours Thesis will normally be evaluated by two readers (see iv above), and the grade assigned to the Thesis shall be a percentage grade that is the average of the grades assigned by the readers. 

 

6. Honours with Subsidiary Subject[6] 

When philosophy is the honours subject:  

(a) Normally a minimum of 18 credits in the History of Philosophy. At least 3 credits will be from the ancient period, 3 credits from the mediaeval period, 3 credits from the modern period, and 3 credits from the contemporary period (i.e., PHIL 367, 381, or 391). 

(b) A minimum of 3 credits in critical thinking/logic (i.e., at least one of PHIL 251 and PHIL 342). Six credits are strongly recommended. 

(c) 3 credits in ethical theory (PHIL 331). 

(d) Normally a minimum of 27 credits at the 300/400 level. 

(e) Six credits of coursework at the 400-level designated by the Department as the Senior Seminar. 

(f) An Honours Thesis. 

(i) The Honours Thesis in Philosophy is normally in the range of 45 to 60 pages in length, including references and bibliography. It must be carefully written and well organized. It should demonstrate good literary style, scholarly investigation and critical evaluation. 

(ii) Choice of supervisor and topic must be approved in consultation with the Chair no later than September 30 of the Senior year. 

(iii) Normally, students will be expected to have completed a draft of at least the first substantive chapter of the thesis one week prior to the deadline for submitting first semester grades, Normally, a complete first draft must be submitted to the supervisor no later than the first day of classes following the Second Semester reading week. 

(iv) In addition to the supervisor, the Honours Thesis must be approved by a second reader appointed by the Department. In case of dispute between readers, the Chair or his/her appointee will adjudicate. 

(v) The Honours Thesis must be completed and in the hands of the Chair by 1 April of the Senior year. 

(vi) The Honours Thesis will normally be evaluated by two readers (see iv above), and the grade assigned to the Thesis shall be a percentage grade that is the average of the grades assigned by the readers. 

When philosophy is the subsidiary subject: Of the 24 credits of philosophy required for the subsidiary, a minimum of 6 credits must be in the history of philosophy, with at least 3 credits from the ancient or medieval periods and at least 3 credits from the modern or contemporary periods. A minimum of 12 credits in the subsidiary must be at the 300/400 level, including 3 credits of 400-level senior seminar coursework. 

 

Revised 21.7.17 

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[1]Requires an average of 55 over the final 3 years. 

[2]Requires an average of 55 over the final 3 years. 

[3]Requires an average of 65 in each of first two years, grade of 65 in each major and minor course. For third and final years, average 70; average 70 in the major courses; average 70 in the minor courses. 

[4]Requires an average of 65 in each of first two years, grade of 65 in each major course. For third and final years, average 70 in each major. 

[5]Average 75 on 60 credits in first two years, average 75 in all courses completed in the honours subject during first two years; grade of 70 in each course in the honours subject. Final two years, average 75. average 75 in the honours courses, grade of 70 in each course in the honours subject. 

[6]Same as honours (above) and applied to both subjects.