Major
	Philosophy (BA) from the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences
Minor
	Philosophy
Four-year Graduation Plan
	Yes
Honors
	Yes
Links
	Web Site Courses General Catalog

Undergraduate courses in philosophy are designed to impart knowledge of fundamental philosophical issues and major developments while strengthening logical and analytical skills. A major in philosophy develops abilities useful for graduate or professional work in many fields and for any situation requiring clear, systematic thinking. Many students choose the philosophy major to prepare for law school.

Whatever your career goals, a major in philosophy will equip you with the ability to think logically and analytically. You’ll choose from courses that examine the development of philosophical thought and discuss the works of famed philosophers, from the early Greeks through those of modern times. Other courses apply philosophical analysis to problems in fields as diverse as art, artificial intelligence, politics, and religion.

• Why Study Philosophy at Iowa?
• Course Work
• Course Options for Nonmajors
• Ethics and Public Policy
• Careers
• Scholarships

Why Study Philosophy at Iowa?
The philosophy program at Iowa is highly personalized, with small classes and accessible faculty members. Faculty are active in research and publication, especially in epistemology, metaphysics, the history of philosophy, and value theory.

Philosophical differences abound within the department. The major features five specialization areas: value theory (ethics, political philosophy, and aesthetics), logic and methodology (such as philosophy of science), theory of knowledge, metaphysics, and history of philosophy (ancient, early modern, and contemporary).

Outstanding learning opportunities are available outside regular classes, too. Several lecture series, among them the Gustav Bergmann and Everett Hall series, bring prominent philosophers to Iowa from around the world. Students also attend lectures by Iowa professors during faculty colloquia and conferences hosted by the University.

The department is known for its creative use of technology. Many philosophy courses have a home page on ICON (Iowa Courses Online), where professors provide syllabi, lecture notes, and study questions.

Course Work
Students majoring in philosophy earn a Bachelor of Arts degree. The BA requires a minimum of 120 semester hours (s.h.), including at least 27 s.h. for the major. You'll take:

• Introduction to Symbolic Logic
• Ancient Philosophy
• Seventeenth-Century, Eighteenth-Century, or Modern Philosophy
• Six or more additional philosophy courses

See Philosophy in the UI General Catalog to learn more about the major and for information about graduating with honors or earning a minor in philosophy.

Course Options for Nonmajors
Many philosophy courses are approved to fulfill General Education Program requirements. Some make interesting choices as electives for students in a variety of majors. Here are a few of them:

• Philosophy and Human Nature—human nature and its relationship with society, knowledge, religion, science, and freedom; philosophical and historical examination of 20th-century theories.
• Philosophy and the Just Society—the nature of individuals and governments and the obligations they have to each other; philosophical and historical examination of theories from Plato through the 19th century.
  
• Principles of Reasoning—elementary logic and its applications.
• Introduction to Philosophy—issues and arguments; includes topics such as rational belief, evidence, the self, causation, and the presuppositions of religion.
  
• Introduction to Ethics—analytical and historical introduction to ethical theories about issues such as the nature of goodness and the nature of right conduct.

Ethics and Public Policy
The Departments of Economics, Philosophy, and Sociology offer the University’s interdisciplinary major in Ethics and Public Policy. The major deals with issues that connect the study of economics, law, philosophy, and sociology. All of these disciplines focus on practical questions about how individuals ought to behave and how they ought to regulate the behavior of others—questions that often involve perspectives from more than one discipline.

The ethics and public policy major provides an ideal background for law school and is a natural choice for economics, philosophy, and sociology students who want to earn a second major. It also prepares students to bring a sophisticated, cross-diciplinary perspective to diverse fields such as government, urban and regional planning, social work, and business.

Careers
Philosophy graduates have a variety of career options. Some take positions in business. Many continue their education by studying law or doing graduate work in philosophy or other disciplines.

Scholarships
Consult multiple sources for scholarship information, including the Office of Admissions, the Office of Student Financial Aid, and departmental web sites.