Philosophy

Curriculum

For students entering Fall 2020 and later:

Major (40 credits)

  • 1 100-level Thematic Encounter
  • 2 Thematic Focus courses (1 Abstract Structures and 1 Human Experience)
  • 1 CSD course (either CSD:I or CSD:S)
  • 3 300-level courses 
  • 2 Electives (these could include: 100 or 300 level Thematic Encounters, an additional CSD course, additional Thematic Focus, or any other philosophy coursework)
  • 1 Capstone
Notes:
  • No more than 8 credits at the 100 level may count toward the major without permission of the Department Chair.
  • At least 20 credits must be at the 300 level.
  • Once Majors and Minors have begun to take courses at the 300-level, normally they should not take any more courses at the 100-level.

Minor (20 credits)

Required Courses:

Five courses, at least three of which must be at the 300 level.

For students entering before Fall 2020:

Major (40 credits)

  • 4 credits at the 100 or 200 level
  • Logic (279B)
  • Ancient Philosophy (331)
  • Modern Philosophy (234)
  • One course from each of the following elective groups:
  • Group A (Ethics): Moral Philosophy (321), Feminist Ethics (377A), or another philosophy course in ethics with the approval of the chair.
  • Group B (History): Medieval Philosophy (333), 19th-Century Philosophy (336), Analytic Philosophy (337), American Philosophy (338), Chinese Philosophy (339), Existential Ethics (327), or Continental Philosophy (341).
  • Group C (Epistemology/Metaphysics): Philosophy of Science (363), Theories of Knowledge (364), Metaphysics (365), Philosophy of Mind (367).
  • Philosophy Capstone (388)
  • 8 additional credits, at least 4 of them at the 300 level
Notes:
  • Once Majors and Minors have begun to take courses at the 300-level, normally they should not take any more courses at the 100-level, except for PHIL 110 Logic.
  • Majors and Minors can count a course taken to satisfy the Ethics Common Seminar requirement (ETHS 390 or HONR 390) for major/minor requirements provided the course is offered by a member of the Philosophy Department.

Minor (20 credits)

Required Courses:

Five courses, at least three of which must be at the 300 level.

College of Saint Benedict
Saint John’s University

Erica Stonestreet
Chair, Philosophy Department
SJU Quad 362F
320-363-2743

Laura Schmitz
Department Coordinator
SJU Quad 362D
320-363-3030