Philosophy, B.A.

Admissions

Entrance Requirements

New freshmen who meet University admissions standards are eligible for admission to degree programs offered by the college. A student who wishes to enter the College of Arts and Sciences from another college on the Columbia campus must be in good standing and have a cumulative GPA of 2.00 or higher. A student who wishes to enter the College of Arts and Sciences from another USC campus must fulfill one of the following requirements:

  1. Be in good standing, meet the admission requirements for a baccalaureate degree on the Columbia campus, and have a cumulative GPA of 2.00 or higher.
  2. Be in good standing and have completed 30 semester hours with a GPA of 2.00 or higher on a USC campus.

Some programs in the College of Arts and Sciences have special admission requirements established by the department or committee that supervises the specific degree program, for example, Cardiovascular Technology, Biological Sciences, Chemistry, Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Economics, Environmental Science, the Bachelor of Arts in Interdisciplinary Studies, and the Bachelor of Science in Interdisciplinary Studies. These requirements are listed in the sections of this bulletin that describe department and special degree programs.

Degree Requirements (120 hours)

Program of Study

Requirements Credit Hours
1. Carolina Core 32-44
2. College Requirements 15-18
3. Program Requirements 34-49
4. Major Requirements 24

Founding Documents Requirement

All undergraduate students must take a 3-credit course or its equivalent with a passing grade in the subject areas of History, Political Science, or African American Studies that covers the founding documents including the United State Constitution, the Declaration of Independence, the Emancipation Proclamation and one or more documents that are foundational to the African American Freedom struggle, and a minimum of five essays from the Federalist papers.  This course may count as a requirement in any part of the program of study including the Carolina Core, the major, minor or cognate, or as a general elective.  Courses that meet this requirement are listed here.

1. Carolina Core Requirements (32-44 hours)

CMW – Effective, Engaged, and Persuasive Communication: Written (6 hours)

must be passed with a grade of C or higher​

ARP – Analytical Reasoning and Problem Solving (6-7 hours) 

SCI – Scientific Literacy (8 hours)

  • Two 4-credit hour CC-SCI laboratory science courses

GFL – Global Citizenship and Multicultural Understanding: Foreign Language  (0-6 hours)

Demonstration of proficiency in one foreign language equivalent to the minimal passing grade on the exit examination in the 122 course is required. Students can demonstrate this proficiency by successfully completing Phase II of the Proficiency Test or by successfully completing the 122 course, including the exit exam administered as part of that course. The foreign languages recommended for students majoring in philosophy are French, German, Greek, and Latin.

It is strongly recommended that students continuing the study of a foreign language begin college-level study of that language in their first semester and continue in that language until their particular foreign language requirement is completed.

GHS – ​Global Citizenship and Multicultural Understanding: Historical Thinking (3 hours) 

GSS – Global Citizenship and Multicultural Understanding: Social Sciences (3 hours) 

AIU – Aesthetic and Interpretive Understanding (3 hours)

CMS – Effective, Engaged, and Persuasive Communication: Spoken Component1 (0-3 hours)

INF – Information Literacy1 (0-3 hours)

VSR – Values, Ethics, and Social Responsibility1 (0-3 hours)

1

Carolina Core Stand Alone or Overlay Eligible Requirements — Overlay-approved courses offer students the option of meeting two Carolina Core components in a single course. A maximum of two overlays is allowed. The total Carolina Core credit hours must add up to a minimum of 31 hours. Some programs may have a higher number of minimum Carolina Core hours due to specified requirements.

2. College Requirements (15-18 hours)

Foreign Language (0-3 hours) 

  • only if needed to meet 122-level proficiency

History (3 hours) 

The College of Arts and Sciences requires one additional GHS course beyond the Carolina Core GHS requirement. 

  • If the Carolina Core GHS requirement is fulfilled by a U.S. history course, the College of Arts and Sciences history requirement must be fulfilled by a non-U.S. history course.
  • If the Carolina Core GHS requirement is fulfilled by a non-U.S. history course, the College of Arts and Sciences history requirement must be fulfilled by a U.S. history course. 

Please select the College of Arts and Sciences history requirement from the approved list of U.S. and non-U.S. history courses.

Social Science and Fine Arts or Humanities (12 hours)

3. Program Requirements (34-49 hours)

Cognate or Minor (12-18 hours)

Students must complete a cognate (12 hours) or a minor as part of this program.  In lieu of a cognate or minor, an additional major may be added to a student’s program of study. Additional majors must include all major courses as well as any prescribed courses noted (*) in the bulletin.  Prescribed courses noted in the bulletin may be shared with Carolina Core, College requirements, and Program requirements in the primary program. 

Cognate (12 hours)

The cognate must consist of twelve (12) hours of courses at the advanced level, outside of but related to the major. The cognate may be taken in one or more departments or programs.

Courses offered by departments and programs that are acceptable for cognate credit are outlined in the section titled Courses Acceptable for Cognate Credit in Degree Programs in the College of Arts and Sciences. Some major programs have specific cognate requirements. It should be emphasized that the cognate is not a second set of elective courses to be chosen at random by the student. Students are urged to consult their major advisors for specific requirements in their major.

For Bachelor of Arts degrees, all cognate courses must be passed with a grade of C or higher.

Minor (18 hours)

In place of the cognate a student in the College of Arts and Sciences may choose a minor consisting of at least 18 credit hours of prescribed courses.

The minor is intended to develop a coherent basic preparation in a second area of study. It differs from the cognate inasmuch as the courses must follow a structured sequence.

Courses applied toward general education requirements cannot be counted toward the minor. No course may satisfy both major and minor requirements. All minor courses must be passed with a grade of C or higher. At least half of the courses in the minor must be completed in residence at the University.

A list of minor programs of study can be found at Programs A-Z.

Electives (16-37 hours)

120 (or 128) degree applicable credits are required to complete any degree at USC. After the cognate, minor or second major is complete, any additional credits needed to reach 120 (or 128) total credits can be fulfilled by electives. No courses of a remedial, developmental, skill-acquiring, or vocational nature may apply as credit toward degrees in the College of Arts and Sciences. The College of Arts and Sciences allows the use of the Pass-Fail option on elective courses. Further clarification on inapplicable courses can be obtained from the College of Arts and Sciences.

Note: 13-34 hours of electives will be needed to reach hours to graduate and Program Requirements will range from 31-46 hours, if completing the B.A. with Distinction in Philosophy.

4. Major Requirements (24 hours)

A minimum grade of C is required in all major courses.

Major Courses (12 hours)

Course Title Credits
PHIL 390Junior Seminar in Philosophy 13
PHIL 490Senior Seminar in Philosophy3
Select one course from each of the following groups:
Ancient Philosophy:3
PHIL 301
Ancient Philosophy
PHIL 302
Greek and Roman Philosophy after Aristotle
PHIL 303
History of Medieval Philosophy
PHIL 312
Classical Origins of Western Medical Ethics
PHIL 313
Between Magic and Method: Ancient Medicine
PHIL 371
Writing-Intensive: Ancient Philosophy
Modern Philosophy:3
PHIL 304
Seventeenth and Eighteenth-Century Philosophy
PHIL 305
Nineteenth and Twentieth-Century Philosophy
PHIL 310
American Philosophy
PHIL 311
Existentialism
PHIL 372
Writing-Intensive: Modern Philosophy
Writing-Intensive 2
PHIL 371
Writing-Intensive: Ancient Philosophy
PHIL 372
Writing-Intensive: Modern Philosophy
PHIL 373
Writing-Intensive: Field of Philosophy
Total Credit Hours12
1

Students majoring in philosophy are encouraged to take PHIL 390 during the junior year, or before the final 30 hours of study.

2

The course that fulfills this requirement will be used elsewhere in the major.  Students majoring in Philosophy are encouraged to take a writing-intensive course prior to taking PHIL 390.

Major Electives (12 hours)

  • Two courses in Philosophy at the 500-level
  • Two courses in Philosophy numbered 201 or above

Major Concentration in Law, Ethics, and Society (24 hours) optional

Students may choose to complete a concentration in Law, Ethics, and Society instead of the general Philosophy major requirements.

Course Title Credits
PHIL 390Junior Seminar in Philosophy 13
PHIL 490Senior Seminar in Philosophy3
Select one course from each of the following groups:
Ancient Philosophy3
PHIL 301
Ancient Philosophy
PHIL 302
Greek and Roman Philosophy after Aristotle
PHIL 303
History of Medieval Philosophy
PHIL 312
Classical Origins of Western Medical Ethics
PHIL 313
Between Magic and Method: Ancient Medicine
PHIL 371
Writing-Intensive: Ancient Philosophy
Modern Philosophy3
PHIL 304
Seventeenth and Eighteenth-Century Philosophy
PHIL 305
Nineteenth and Twentieth-Century Philosophy
PHIL 310
American Philosophy
PHIL 311
Existentialism
PHIL 372
Writing-Intensive: Modern Philosophy
Writing-Intensive 2
PHIL 371
Writing-Intensive: Ancient Philosophy
PHIL 372
Writing-Intensive: Modern Philosophy
PHIL 373
Writing-Intensive: Field of Philosophy
Ethics3
PHIL 103
Special Topics in Ethics and Values 3
PHIL 211
Contemporary Moral Issues 3
PHIL 213
Communicating Moral Issues 3
PHIL 320
Ethics 3
PHIL 321
Medical Ethics 3
PHIL 322
Environmental Ethics 3
PHIL 323
Ethics of Science and Technology
PHIL 324
Business Ethics 3
PHIL 325
Engineering Ethics 3
PHIL 514
Ethical Theory
PHIL 527
Virtues, Acts, and Consequences
Legal, Political, or Social Philosophy6
Select two of the following:
PHIL 329
Law and Religion
PHIL 330
Social and Political Philosophy
PHIL 331
Crime and Justice
PHIL 334
Feminist Philosophy
PHIL 335
Disobedience, Dissent, and Revolution 3
PHIL 370
Special Topics in Philosophy 4
PHIL 390
Junior Seminar in Philosophy 4
PHIL 531
Jurisprudence
PHIL 532
Social Justice
Select one course in Philosophy numbered 201 or above3
Select two courses in Philosophy at the 500-level 5
Total Credit Hours24
1

Students majoring in Philosophy are encouraged to take PHIL 390 during the junior year, or before the final 30 hours of study.

2

The course that fulfills this requirement will be used elsewhere in the major.  Students majoring in Philosophy are encouraged to take a writing-intensive course prior to taking PHIL 390.

3

Courses used to fulfill Carolina Core requirements may not also be used to fulfill major requirements.

4

The Undergraduate Committee of the Philosophy Department, in consultation with the faculty member teaching the class, will determine whether PHIL 370 Special Topics and PHIL 390 Junior Seminar courses can be used in the Legal, Political, or Social Philosophy requirement. 

5

The courses that fulfill this requirement may be used elsewhere in the major.

B.A. with Distinction (27 hours)

The Departmental Undergraduate Research Track is available to students majoring in philosophy who wish to participate in significant research activities in collaboration with, or under the supervision of, a faculty mentor.

In addition to the Major Requirements, students must complete the following:

  • PHIL 495
  • A minimum GPA of 3.50 in the major
  • A minimum cumulative GPA of 3.30
  • A public presentation of the Senior Thesis in one of the following venues:
    • Annual Meeting of the South Carolina Society for Philosophy (or another appropriate meeting)
    • A regular or special session of the Philosophy Department Colloquium Series
    • USC Discovery Day
    • Submission to an undergraduate or a professional journal
  • A written sponsorship agreement with the supervising faculty member will be placed on file in the Department of Philosophy office.

Major Map

A major map is a layout of required courses in a given program of study, including critical courses and suggested course sequences to ensure a clear path to graduation.

Major maps are only a suggested or recommended sequence of courses required in a program of study. Please contact your academic advisor for assistance in the application of specific coursework to a program of study and course selection and planning for upcoming semesters.

Philosophy, B.A.

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