Philosophy, B.A.

Mission

The mission of the Bachelor of Arts in Philosophy is to foster a community of Christian scholars apprenticed to Jesus in the pursuit of theoretical and practical wisdom.

Degree Program

A Bachelor of Arts degree in Philosophy is offered upon completion of the University baccalaureate and major requirements.

Students who declare philosophy majors during their freshman year are expected to take PHIL 210  and PHIL 230 by the end of their sophomore year. Students who declare the major later are expected to take these courses during their first two semesters in the program.

The Philosophy major may be taken as pre-professional preparation for careers in such fields as law, education and the ministry, or as preparation for graduate study in philosophy.

Program Learning Outcomes

Upon completion of the Bachelor of Arts in Philosophy, students will be able to:

  1. Discuss, explain, and evaluate the key ideas and arguments in the history and main divisions of philosophy (ULO 1).
  2. Employ the skills of philosophical reading, writing, and argument (ULO 1).
  3. Apply insights from the world's wisdom traditions to their practice of the teachings of Jesus (ULO 2 and 3).

Each Program Learning Outcome (PLO) listed above references at least one of the University Learning Outcomes (ULO 1, 2, 3), which may be found in the General Information section of this catalog.

Upper-Division Course Prerequisites and Restrictions

All Philosophy majors must consult with their academic advisor each semester before registering for courses.

Only students who have completed a Core Curriculum course in philosophy will be permitted to enroll in upper-division Philosophy courses (300's and 400's). Exceptions to this policy may be permitted in special circumstances and will require the approval of the chair of the Philosophy Department. 

Curriculum Requirements

The major comprises 38 credits beyond the Core Curriculum requirement in Philosophy.

Program Courses
PHIL 210Introduction to Logic 13
PHIL 230Introduction to Practical Wisdom3
PHIL 301Greek and Roman Philosophy3
or PHIL 304 Ancient and Medieval Philosophy
PHIL 303Modern Philosophy3
PHIL 350Philosophy Seminar 24
PHIL 351Philosophical Recitation and Defense 31
PHIL 450Senior Thesis3
Electives: Select 18 credits of upper-division PHIL courses.18
Program Course Requirements: 38 credits
Core Curriculum Requirements 474
General Electives8
Total Credits120
1

This course is a major requirement and does not satisfy the Core Curriculum Philosophy requirement for Philosophy majors.

2

Must be taken for a total number of 4 credits.

3

Should be taken during the academic year in which students will complete their third and final oral exam (see Oral Examinations section below).

4

See Core Curriculum Program section for details.

Oral Examinations

All Philosophy majors must pass three oral exams before graduating. Each exam is a comprehensive, oral examination covering topics from all Biola philosophy courses completed in prior semesters. A study guide indicating topics and questions to prepare will be distributed at the beginning of the semester. Students are encouraged to work together to prepare. Prerequisites are at least nine credits of philosophy, either upper or lower-division, or consent of the department chair. During the academic year in which the third and final oral exam will be taken, students should enroll in PHIL 351.

NOTE: The course sequence table is designed by the major department and is one way that the classes will work out properly in sequence for your major. However, there are alternative or flexible ways to rotate some of the classes within the same year/level and sometimes between year levels. Please contact your major department advisor to discuss flexible alternatives in scheduling the sequence of your classes.

Taking coursework during the summer session may also be an option to accelerate your degree path.

See Core Curriculum Program section for a list of approved Core Curriculum courses.

Philosophy, B.A.

First Year
FallCreditsSpringCredits
BBST 103 or 1653BBST 103 or 1653
ENGL 100 or 1123KNES 1071
GNST 1021PHIL 2103
Foreign Language (see Core Curriculum)4PHIL 2303
Philosophy (see Core Curriculum) 3Foreign Language (see Core Curriculum)4
 Science (see Core Curriculum)3
 14 17
Second Year
FallCreditsSpringCredits
BBST 209 or 2103BBST 209 or 2103
HIST 100 or 1013HIST 200, 201, or POSC 2253
PHIL 301 or 3043PHIL 3501
PHIL 3033PHIL 3511
PHIL 3501PHIL Elective (upper-division)3
Fine Arts (see Core Curriculum)3Literature (see Core Curriculum)3
 16 14
Third Year
FallCreditsSpringCredits
BBST 2513BBST 3543
PHIL 3501ENGL 3133
PHIL Elective (upper-division)3PHIL Elective (upper-division)3
Behavioral Science (see Core Curriculum)3Communication (see Core Curriculum)3
KNES Activity (see Core Curriculum)1General Elective3
Math (see Core Curriculum)3Graduation Application due in Registrar's Office
General Elective3 
Writing Competency Requirement 
 17 15
Fourth Year
FallCreditsSpringCredits
BBST 300/400 Bible Elective3BBST 300/400 Bible Elective3
BBST 3653BBST 4653
PHIL 3501PHIL Elective (upper-division)3
PHIL Elective (upper-division)3PHIL 4503
PHIL Elective (upper-division)3General Elective1
General Elective1 
 14 13
Total Credits 120

NOTE: The course sequence table is designed by the major department and is one way that the classes will work out properly in sequence for your major. However, there are alternative or flexible ways to rotate some of the classes within the same year/level and sometimes between year levels. Please contact your major department advisor to discuss flexible alternatives in scheduling the sequence of your classes.

Taking coursework during the summer session may also be an option to accelerate your degree path.

See Core Curriculum Program section for a list of approved Core Curriculum courses.

Philosophy, B.A.

First Year
FallCreditsSpringCredits
HNRS 1014HNRS 1054
HNRS 1024HNRS 1064
GNST 1021KNES 1071
PHIL 2103PHIL 3501
Foreign Language (see Core Curriculum)4Foreign Language (see Core Curriculum)4
 16 14
Second Year
FallCreditsSpringCredits
HNRS 2104HNRS 2304
HNRS 2154HNRS 2314
PHIL 2303PHIL 3501
Math (see Core Curriculum)3PHIL Elective (upper-division)3
Science (see Core Curriculum)3General Elective3
 17 15
Third Year
FallCreditsSpringCredits
HNRS 3244HNRS 3374
HNRS 3262HNRS 3392
PHIL 301 or 3043ENGL 3133
PHIL Elective (upper-division)3PHIL 3501
KNES Activity (see Core Curriculum)1PHIL Elective (upper-division)3
 PHIL Elective (upper-division)3
 13 16
Fourth Year
FallCreditsSpringCredits
HNRS 4434HNRS 4584
BBST 4653HNRS 4672
PHIL 3033PHIL 3511
PHIL 3501PHIL 4503
PHIL Elective (upper-division)3PHIL Elective (upper-division)3
 General Elective2
 14 15
Total Credits 120