Philosophy Minor

The Philosophy minor is for students who want to think about the nature of meaning and truth. This minor helps students read and write about complex ideas, develop logical thinking skills, and become people capable of thinking through ethical dilemmas. These are traits that employers need and want. This minor can provide depth to any major program. Particularly in the fields of healthcare, government, business, law, and environmental sciences, employers want to hire people capable of doing the critical and ethical thinking needed in these professions. Philosophy minors develop the ability to analyze and question received knowledge in the quest for truth and explore the richness and diversity in the history of ideas. In the applied ethics classes available in this minor, students learn not to just follow a fixed set of rules (which can actually lead to some deeply unethical behavior), but how to think through ethical dilemmas with reason, sensitivity, compassion, and a sense of justice.

Core Requirements

The minor in Philosophy is 21 units. Students must take six (6) units from the following:

PHIL 310 - Ethics Units: 3 ; Breadth Area: GE-UD-C; Social Justice
PHIL 362 - Exploring Modern Thought: From Descartes to Kant Units: 3 ; Breadth Area: GE-UD-C
PHIL 330 - Epistemology: Knowing and Not Knowing Units: 3 ; Breadth Area: GE-UD-C
PHIL 331 - Metaphysics: Being and Not Being Units: 3 ; Breadth Area: GE-UD-C
PHIL 361 - The Birth of Philosophy: The Greeks & Their Legacy Units: 3 ; Breadth Area: GE-UD-C

Elective Requirements

Students must take five (5) additional courses from any Philosophy coursework for 15 units.

Department Courses Listed by Course Type

Philosophy and Religious Studies Courses

Department of Philosophy and Religious Studies

Go to information for this department.

Courses

Philosophy

• PHIL 100 - Workshop in Critical Thinking Units: 3 ; Breadth Area: GE-A3
• PHIL 110 - Freshman Topics in Philosophy and the Arts Units: 3 ; Breadth Area: GE-C1
• PHIL 120 - Freshman Topics in Philosophy Units: 3 ; Breadth Area: GE-C2
• PHIL 130 - Freshman Topics in Philosophy, Religion, and Social Science Units: 3 ; Breadth Area: GE-D1-2
• PHIL 201 - Introduction to Philosophy Units: 3 ; Breadth Area: GE-C2
• PHIL 211 - Introduction to Ethics Units: 3 ; Breadth Area: GE-C2
• PHIL 241 - Introduction to Judaism, Christianity, and Islam Units: 3 ; Breadth Area: GE-C2
• PHIL 242 - Introduction to Asian Religion Units: 3 ; Breadth Area: GE-C2
• PHIL 300 - Reasoning and Writing for Philosophy Majors Units: 3
• PHIL 301 - Modern Logic Units: 3 ; Breadth Area: GE-UD-C
• PHIL 310 - Ethics Units: 3 ; Breadth Area: GE-UD-C; Social Justice
• PHIL 311 - Environmental Ethics Units: 3 ; Breadth Area: GE-UD-C; Sustainability
• PHIL 312 - Bioethics Units: 3 ; Breadth Area: GE-UD-C; Social Justice
• PHIL 313 - Philosophy of Business and Professional Ethics Units: 3 ; Breadth Area: GE-UD-C
• PHIL 320 - Philosophy of Art Units: 3 ; Breadth Area: GE-UD-C; Diversity
• PHIL 321 - Philosophy and Science Fiction Units: 3 ; Breadth Area: GE-UD-C; Social Justice
• PHIL 324 - Philosophy and Sex Units: 3 ; Breadth Area: GE-UD-C; Diversity
• PHIL 330 - Epistemology: Knowing and Not Knowing Units: 3 ; Breadth Area: GE-UD-C
• PHIL 331 - Metaphysics: Being and Not Being Units: 3 ; Breadth Area: GE-UD-C
• PHIL 332 - Philosophy of Social Science Units: 3 ; Breadth Area: GE-UD-C
• PHIL 333 - Philosophy of Language Units: 3 ; Breadth Area: GE-UD-C
• PHIL 335 - Philosophy of Science Units: 3 ; Breadth Area: GE-UD-C
• PHIL 336 - Philosophy of Cognition and Artificial Intelligence Units: 3 ; Breadth Area: GE-UD-C
• PHIL 337 - Science and Religion Units: 3 ; Breadth Area: GE-UD-C
• PHIL 338 - Atheism, Agnosticism, and Theism Units: 3 ; Breadth Area: GE-UD-C
• PHIL 340 - Philosophy of Religion Units: 3 ; Breadth Area: GE-UD-C
• PHIL 341 - Abrahamic Religions Units: 3 ; Breadth Area: GE-UD-C
• PHIL 342 - Religions of Asia Units: 3 ; Breadth Area: GE-UD-C
• PHIL 343 - Contemporary Religious Thinkers Units: 3 ; Breadth Area: GE-UD-C
• PHIL 344 - Mysticism Units: 3 ; Breadth Area: GE-UD-C
• PHIL 345 - Comparative Religion Units: 3 ; Breadth Area: GE-UD-C
• PHIL 346 - Cults and New Religious Movements Units: 3 ; Breadth Area: GE-UD-C; Diversity
• PHIL 347 - Religion, Monsters, and Horror Units: 3 ; Breadth Area: GE-UD-C
• PHIL 348 - Views of the Afterlife Units: 3 ; Breadth Area: GE-UD-C
• PHIL 349 - Africana Philosophy and Religions Units: 3 ; Breadth Area: GE-UD-C
• PHIL 351 - Social and Political Philosophy Units: 3 ; Breadth Area: GE-UD-C; Social Justice
• PHIL 353 - Human Rights in the U.S. Units: 3 ; Breadth Area: GE-UD-C; Diversity
• PHIL 354 - Global Human Rights and Social Justice Units: 3 ; Breadth Area: GE-UD-C; Social Justice
• PHIL 355 - Race and Justice Units: 3 ; Breadth Area: GE-UD-C; Diversity
• PHIL 361 - The Birth of Philosophy: The Greeks & Their Legacy Units: 3 ; Breadth Area: GE-UD-C
• PHIL 362 - Exploring Modern Thought: From Descartes to Kant Units: 3 ; Breadth Area: GE-UD-C
• PHIL 365 - Existentialism Units: 3 ; Breadth Area: GE-UD-C
• PHIL 371 - Philosophy of Education Units: 3 ; Breadth Area: GE-UD-C
• PHIL 373 - African-American Philosophical Perspectives Units: 3 ; Breadth Area: GE-UD-C; Diversity
• PHIL 375 - Feminist Philosophy Units: 3 ; Breadth Area: GE-UD-C; Social Justice
• PHIL 377 - Philosophy of Law Units: 3 ; Breadth Area: GE-UD-C; Social Justice
• PHIL 378 - Evil Units: 3 ; Breadth Area: GE-UD-C
• PHIL 381 - Shamanism Units: 3 ; Breadth Area: GE-UD-C
• PHIL 490 - Independent Study Units: 3
• PHIL 497 - Issues in Philosophy or Religion Units: 3
• PHIL 499 - Senior Seminar Units: 3