2024-2025 Catalog

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Advising Information

Students interested in studying philosophy can start with any course at the 100 or 200-level in the department. Both 100-level courses are required for the major. Philosophy 101: Introduction to Philosophy introduces students to the central philosophical skills of critical thinking, careful reading, and analytical writing through studying a range of philosophical questions. Philosophy 150: Formal Logic introduces students to symbolic models of the structure of arguments, and to tools for representing those structures and evaluating them as patterns of good or bad arguments. Our many 200-level courses are more narrowly focused and fulfill distribution requirements within our major, but are accessible to students with no prior experience in the field.

Placement Information

No placement exams are specifically required for the Philosophy major. 

Sample 4-Year Plan


Fall

Spring

Year 1

  • Fall FYS course

  • Foreign Language (4 or 5 units)

  • Core Requirement (4 units)

  • General Elective (4 units)

  • Spring FYS course

  • PHIL 101 (CPGC)

  • Core Requirement (4 units)

  • General Elective (4 units)

Year 2

  • PHIL 150 (CPMS)

  • Core Requirement (4 units)

  • Core Requirement (4 units)

  • General Elective (4 units)

  • Distribution Requirement

  • Core Requirement (4 units)

  • Core Requirement (4 units)

  • General Elective (4 units)

Year 3

  • Distribution Requirement

  • 300-level Distribution Requirement 

  • General Elective (4 units)

  • General Elective (4 units)

  • 300-level Distribution Requirement

  • Experiential Learning (4 units)

  • General Elective (4 units)

  • General Elective (4 units)

Year 4

  • PHIL 490 (Senior Seminar)

  • Distribution Requirement

  • General Elective (4 units)

  • General Elective

  • 300-level PHIL Elective

  • General Elective (4 units)

  • General Elective (4 units)

  • General Elective (4 units)

Philosophy Transfer Student Advice

Transfer Course Limit for Transfer Students: No Limit

Designated Transfer Adviser

Expected preparation for transfer students wanting to major in Philosophy:

  • Transfer students need not have taken any Philosophy courses prior to attending Occidental.

  • Rising Junior transfer students should have satisfied at least half of their Core requirements prior to attending Occidental in order to be able to complete the major and their Core requirements in four semesters. There are several Core requirements that are met by Philosophy courses that count toward the major. Rising Sophomores and those starting mid way through the sophomore year should have satisfied roughly a third of their Core requirements prior to attending Occidental. 

General advice for transfer students wanting to major in Philosophy:

  • The only course that must be taken at Occidental is the Senior Seminar, PHIL 490.

What courses should a transfer student take during their first semester at Occidental?

  • For Rising Juniors: If not taken in transfer already, enroll in PHIL 101: Introduction to Philosophy during the first semester attending Occidental. Students must take the Senior Seminar in the fall of their senior year. Students are advised to spread their 300-level courses across multiple semesters.

  •  For Rising Sophomores or students starting mid way through their sophomore year: If not taken in transfer already enroll in PHIL 101 in the first or second semester attending Occidental. Students must take the Senior Seminar in the fall of their senior year. Students are advised to spread their 300-level courses across multiple semesters.