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The department of philosophy offers a major, a minor, and two tracks for an honors degree at Ohio State. The requirements for each are listed below and linked here. More information can be found by checking out our Guide to Undergraduate Studies or by making an appointment with our Faculty Advisor, Professor Lisa Shabel. To help you start planning, here is a list of current and upcoming courses on offer.
Philosophy Major
A Major in Philosophy requires taking a prerequisite and 30 credit hours distributed as follows:
* These two requirements should be taken as early as possible in your major program
NOTE: Major program courses may not be used for GE purposes, except in the case of the Global Studies requirements. Philosophy 2367 may not count towards your Major program, although it may be used for GE purposes. Philosophy 5010S may not count towards your 5000-level course requirements. For more details, see our Guide to Undergraduate Studies.
Interested?
- Contact our Faculty Advisor, Professor Lisa Shabel to plan your path to a Major in Philosophy, or to ask questions about upcoming courses and course content.
- Contact our Academic Advisor, Sarah Dunlap, to officially declare your Major in Philosophy, or to ask questions about GE and other graduation requirements.
All new majors must meet with Professor Lisa Shabel before declaring with Ms. Dunlap.
Philosophy Minor
Getting a minor in philosophy is easy! All you need is 4 courses:
NOTE: Up to 6 Minor credit hours may count toward GE requirements. Philosophy 2367 may not count towards your Minor program, although it may be used for GE purposes. For more details, see our Guide to Undergraduate Studies.
Philosophy Minors may distribute the four courses among any combination of philosophical topics. If you are excited about a particular area of philosophy, or want your minor to complement your major, you can cluster your courses in a particular area of interest. Here are some examples of ways you might focus your minor classes; there are many other possible ways to do so. And note that a minor focus is NOT required.
- Philosophy of Language Focus
- Legal Studies Focus
- Logic and Philosophy of Math Focus
- Philosophy of Science Focus
- Philosophy of Religion Focus
- Philosophy of Mind, Brain, and Cognition Focus
- History of Western Philosophy Focus
- Ethics and Moral Psychology Focus
Interested?
- Contact our Faculty Advisor, Professor Lisa Shabel to plan your path to a Minor in Philosophy, or to ask questions about upcoming courses and course content.
- Contact our Academic Advisor, Sarah Dunlap, to officially declare your Minor in Philosophy, or to ask questions about GE and other graduation requirements.
New minors are NOT required to meet with Professor Lisa Shabel before declaring with Ms. Dunlap.
Honors Degree in Philosophy
There are two ways to graduate with “honors” in Philosophy, beyond the standard major program: Graduation with Honors in the Arts and Sciences and Graduation with Distinction in Philosophy. A student may plan his or her course of study to lead to both Graduation with Honors in the Arts and Sciences and Graduation with Distinction in Philosophy.
The guidelines for the foregoing courses of study can be found in the Guide to Undergraduate Studies. All students interested in these programs should consult with our faculty advisor, Professor Lisa Shabel; students seeking to graduate with Honors in the Arts and Sciences should also consult with an ASC Honors Counselor.
