Philosophy Pathway Guide

Preparation for Transfer as a Philosophy Major

The following sequences are suggested courses to take in your semesters prior to transferring to SMU as a philosophy major. For students attending a Texas public community college or university, Texas Common Course Numbers (TCCNS) are listed.  If you are transferring from a college or university outside of Texas, click on the SMU course for a course description which may be used to select/compare courses at your current institution.

CC listings refer to SMU’s Common Curriculum, which all undergraduates are required to complete. Refer to the Common Curriculum Transfer Guide  for a list of courses satisfying CC components. Interactive equivalency guides organized by transfer institution are available on the Transfer and Transition Services’ website.

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The Philosophy Department

The Department of Philosophy  offers a B.A. in Philosophy  and minors in Philosophy  and in Ethics .  Courses include core areas of philosophy and specialized topics, such as animal rights, philosophy of law, and philosophy of mind.  Students focus on the development of reasoning skills, understanding arguments and viewpoints, critical evaluation of varied perspectives, and clear written and oral communication.  The critical thinking skills benefit students in many disciplines and are especially useful as preparation for law school.

The Philosophy faculty members are distinguished scholars whose research is regularly published in leading journals and presses.  The department’s speaker series regularly brings prominent philosophers from the U.S. and abroad to campus. In recent years, the department has hosted conferences on Free Will and on Consciousness and the Self, as well as two workshops in Ethical Theory.

The Philosophy Club and Awards

The student-led Philosophy Club regularly sponsors guest speakers to address the SMU community on topics of contemporary philosophical interest. The club also holds student discussion groups and other activities.  The department annually recognizes excellence in student philosophy work with the awarding of the Huskins Philosophy Essay Award and the Hausman Award for Excellence in the History of Western Philosophy.

Majoring and Minoring in Philosophy

One major and two minors are offered by the department:

• B.A. in Philosophy  : The B.A. degree in philosophy requires 30 credit hours of coursework in philosophy, including at least 21 credit hours in advanced courses (3000-level and above). The 30 hours must include PHIL 1301 , PHIL 3351 , PHIL 3352 ; at least one course from the sequence PHIL 3311–PHIL 3329; and at least one course from the sequence PHIL 3370 - PHIL 3389 or PHIL 3363.
• Minor in Philosophy : The minor in philosophy requires 15 credit hours of coursework in philosophy, including at least 9 credit hours in advanced courses (3000-level and above). It is recommended that each student minoring in philosophy take one of the department’s general introductory courses.
• Minor in Ethics : The minor in ethics requires at least 15 credit hours of coursework, including at least four courses (12 hours) in philosophical ethics. Three of the required courses in philosophical ethics (9 hours) must come from the department’s advanced sequence in ethics (PHIL 3370–PHIL 3389), and the fourth (3 hours) must come from that same sequence or from the department’s introductory sequence in ethics (PHIL 1316–PHIL 1325). Upon petition to the chair of the department, other philosophy courses — including PHIL 3310  and PHIL 4393  — may fulfill the foregoing requirements provided their topics and contents are suitable. The remaining course (3 hours) must come from the department’s ethics courses, the department’s non-ethics courses, or a list of approved courses offered by other departments. It is recommended that each student minoring in ethics take one course from the department’s introductory sequence in ethics (PHIL 1316–PHIL 1325), along with at least one course in ethical or political theory (PHIL 1316 , PHIL 3371 , PHIL 3372 , PHIL 3380 ).

SMU Degree

A degree from SMU is typically comprised of a minimum of 120 hours, 60 of which must be completed through SMU, 42 of which must be in courses at the 3000 and higher levels. Components of the degree include:

• Courses in your major.
• Courses required for the Common Curriculum (CC) .  
• Elective courses. These electives may be used to add a second major or minor.

The Common Curriculum (CC)

The Common Curriculum is required of all undergraduate students and consists of three main components: 

1. Foundations - 6 hours of Writing courses, 3 hours of Quantitative Reasoning courses, proficiency in a second language. 
2. Breadth - 7 Breadth courses which may double count with majors and minors.
3. Proficiencies and Experiences - 8 Proficiencies and Experiences requirements, met through coursework or approved, noncredit activities.                                                                                                                           

NOTE: If you transfer with 23 or fewer credit hours and/or transfer in your first year out of high school, transfer work earned prior to high school graduation (dual/concurrent credit) will not satisfy CC requirements.

Apply Now!

Click here for more information about transferring to SMU.