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:
- Discuss, explain, and evaluate the key ideas and arguments in the history and main divisions of philosophy (ULO 1).
- Employ the skills of philosophical reading, writing, and argument (ULO 1).
- 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.
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Program Courses | ||
| PHIL 210 | Introduction to Logic 1 | 3 |
| PHIL 230 | Introduction to Practical Wisdom | 3 |
| PHIL 301 | Greek and Roman Philosophy | 3 |
| or PHIL 304 | Ancient and Medieval Philosophy | |
| PHIL 303 | Modern Philosophy | 3 |
| PHIL 350 | Philosophy Seminar 2 | 4 |
| PHIL 351 | Philosophical Recitation and Defense 3 | 1 |
| PHIL 450 | Senior Thesis | 3 |
| Electives: Select 18 credits of upper-division PHIL courses. | 18 | |
| Program Course Requirements: 38 credits | ||
| Core Curriculum Requirements 4 | 74 | |
| General Electives | 8 | |
| Total Credits | 120 | |
- 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 | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Fall | Credits | Spring | Credits |
| BBST 103 or 165 | 3 | BBST 103 or 165 | 3 |
| ENGL 100 or 112 | 3 | KNES 107 | 1 |
| GNST 102 | 1 | PHIL 210 | 3 |
| Foreign Language (see Core Curriculum) | 4 | PHIL 230 | 3 |
| Philosophy (see Core Curriculum) | 3 | Foreign Language (see Core Curriculum) | 4 |
| Science (see Core Curriculum) | 3 | ||
| 14 | 17 | ||
| Second Year | |||
| Fall | Credits | Spring | Credits |
| BBST 209 or 210 | 3 | BBST 209 or 210 | 3 |
| HIST 100 or 101 | 3 | HIST 200, 201, or POSC 225 | 3 |
| PHIL 301 or 304 | 3 | PHIL 350 | 1 |
| PHIL 303 | 3 | PHIL 351 | 1 |
| PHIL 350 | 1 | PHIL Elective (upper-division) | 3 |
| Fine Arts (see Core Curriculum) | 3 | Literature (see Core Curriculum) | 3 |
| 16 | 14 | ||
| Third Year | |||
| Fall | Credits | Spring | Credits |
| BBST 251 | 3 | BBST 354 | 3 |
| PHIL 350 | 1 | ENGL 313 | 3 |
| PHIL Elective (upper-division) | 3 | PHIL Elective (upper-division) | 3 |
| Behavioral Science (see Core Curriculum) | 3 | Communication (see Core Curriculum) | 3 |
| KNES Activity (see Core Curriculum) | 1 | General Elective | 3 |
| Math (see Core Curriculum) | 3 | Graduation Application due in Registrar's Office | |
| General Elective | 3 | ||
| Writing Competency Requirement | |||
| 17 | 15 | ||
| Fourth Year | |||
| Fall | Credits | Spring | Credits |
| BBST 300/400 Bible Elective | 3 | BBST 300/400 Bible Elective | 3 |
| BBST 365 | 3 | BBST 465 | 3 |
| PHIL 350 | 1 | PHIL Elective (upper-division) | 3 |
| PHIL Elective (upper-division) | 3 | PHIL 450 | 3 |
| PHIL Elective (upper-division) | 3 | General Elective | 1 |
| General Elective | 1 | ||
| 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 | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Fall | Credits | Spring | Credits |
| HNRS 101 | 4 | HNRS 105 | 4 |
| HNRS 102 | 4 | HNRS 106 | 4 |
| GNST 102 | 1 | KNES 107 | 1 |
| PHIL 210 | 3 | PHIL 350 | 1 |
| Foreign Language (see Core Curriculum) | 4 | Foreign Language (see Core Curriculum) | 4 |
| 16 | 14 | ||
| Second Year | |||
| Fall | Credits | Spring | Credits |
| HNRS 210 | 4 | HNRS 230 | 4 |
| HNRS 215 | 4 | HNRS 231 | 4 |
| PHIL 230 | 3 | PHIL 350 | 1 |
| Math (see Core Curriculum) | 3 | PHIL Elective (upper-division) | 3 |
| Science (see Core Curriculum) | 3 | General Elective | 3 |
| 17 | 15 | ||
| Third Year | |||
| Fall | Credits | Spring | Credits |
| HNRS 324 | 4 | HNRS 337 | 4 |
| HNRS 326 | 2 | HNRS 339 | 2 |
| PHIL 301 or 304 | 3 | ENGL 313 | 3 |
| PHIL Elective (upper-division) | 3 | PHIL 350 | 1 |
| KNES Activity (see Core Curriculum) | 1 | PHIL Elective (upper-division) | 3 |
| PHIL Elective (upper-division) | 3 | ||
| 13 | 16 | ||
| Fourth Year | |||
| Fall | Credits | Spring | Credits |
| HNRS 443 | 4 | HNRS 458 | 4 |
| BBST 465 | 3 | HNRS 467 | 2 |
| PHIL 303 | 3 | PHIL 351 | 1 |
| PHIL 350 | 1 | PHIL 450 | 3 |
| PHIL Elective (upper-division) | 3 | PHIL Elective (upper-division) | 3 |
| General Elective | 2 | ||
| 14 | 15 | ||
| Total Credits 120 | |||
