Dennis F. Rasmussen, Chair
4086 JFSB, (801) 422-2721
College of Humanities Advisement Center
1175 JFSB, (801) 422-4789
Admission to Degree Program
All degree programs in the Department of Philosophy are open
enrollment.
The Discipline
From its first appearance in ancient Greece down to the present,
philosophy has sought to understand the world and the place of
human beings within it. As it frames ideas by means of which to
clarify and explain experience, philosophy discloses its faith in the
ultimate lucidity of things. Philosophy's respect for the authority
of intelligence fosters a preference for persuasion that is
fundamental to personal growth and democratic society.
Students who study philosophy will find that it not only
provides insight into life's fundamental concerns, it also helps
them develop their capacity for clear thinking and perceptive
judgment. Such competence will serve them well as they pursue
further education or begin their careers.
Career Opportunities
Philosophy offers excellent career preparation, but not in the way
that, say, accounting does. The value of a major in philosophy
resides in the intellectual development it promotes. It lays a
foundation on which more specialized study may build. In
various standardized tests, philosophy majors tend to do
extremely well on the verbal aptitude and on the analytic thinking
sections. So philosophy can prepare a student for any type of
work that requires highly developed reading and writing skills.
Students who elect to major in philosophy should look beyond
their bachelor's degree right from the start. For example,
philosophy is an excellent background for the study of law or
medicine. Those who intend to enter graduate school will need to
start early on the foreign-language requirement.
General Information
The Department of Philosophy strongly recommends that StDev
317, a 1-credit-hour course, be taken at the end of the sophomore
year or the beginning of the junior year. Because liberal arts
degrees provide preparation in a variety of useful fields rather
than a single career track, this course is recommended to help
liberal arts students focus on specific educational and
occupational goals and to identify the career options or
educational opportunities available to them. The course will
introduce them to the resources needed for accessing information
about graduate schools, internships, careers, and career
development. Students will learn basic employment strategies,
including the steps necessary for obtaining employment related to
their own specialty.
Graduation Requirements
To receive a BYU bachelor's degree a student must complete, in
addition to all requirements for a specific major, the following
university requirements:
- The university core, consisting of requirements in general and
religious education. (See the University Core section of this
catalog for details. For a complete listing of courses that meet
university core requirements, see the current class schedule.)
- A minimum of 30 credit hours in residence
- A minimum of 120 credit hours
- A cumulative GPA of at least 2.0
Undergraduate Programs and Degrees
| BA |
Philosophy |
| Minors |
Philosophy
Logic |
Students should see their college advisement center for help or
information concerning the undergraduate programs.
