Study Philosophy Abroad! Click Here.

What is Philosophy?
Philosophy deals with the kinds of questions that engage all reflective people, but which seemingly cannot be dealt with by any of the empirical sciences: Is everything material? Is human behavior determined or is free choice possible? Are there objective standards for deciding what is right and wrong, or is morality merely a subjective matter, a matter of individuals' feelings? Is there a moral obligation to obey the law? Can we justify our claims to know anything? Can we objectively distinguish rational from irrational beliefs? How does language relate to the world?

The study of philosophy encourages rigorous and disciplined habits of mind. This sharpening of the critical intellect is excellent training for the demands of any academic subject. You will think carefully and precisely about views and arguments of fundamental importance, and you will find that a detailed, critical examination of various positions is exciting both logically and as a means of clarifying and attempting to give a firm foundation for your own beliefs and values.

The Undergraduate Major in Philosophy
At UCSB there are two tracks that lead to the degree of Bachelor of Arts in Philosophy. The requirements of each are described below.

I. Core Philosophy Track
The Core Philosophy Track exposes the student to a wide range of philosophical issues and areas and to the major philosophers in the tradition. It is designed for students with a general interest in philosophy and also for those considering going on to do graduate work. In preparation for the major the student must take either Critical Thinking (Philosophy 3) or Beginning Modern Logic (Philosophy 183). Requirements for the Upper Division Major are of two kinds. In the major areas of Philosophy (Ethics, Theory of Knowledge, Philosophy of Language, Philosophy of Mind, and Metaphysics) you take three courses. And you are required to take three courses on important individual philosophers.

II. Ethics and Public Policy Track
The Ethics and Public Policy Track is designed for students who intend to pursue careers in law, government, and medicine, and in general for those who are interested in moral and legal problems confronting the community and in the responsibilities of the various professions. In preparation for the major the student must take a logic course (either Critical Thinking or Beginning Modern Logic). For the upper division major you will take Introduction to Ethics (Philosophy 100A), one course from major areas of Philosophy (Theory of Knowledge, Philosophy of Language, Philosophy of Mind, and Metaphysics), and at least four courses (selected from a list) on moral, political, and legal philosophy and related areas.

In each track you must take 48 units, so a good deal of elective work is required. For your elective work there are many options. Some of you will want to take more advanced courses in the major areas or study more of the major philosophers. Since philosophy is a discipline that shares the interests and concerns of many other fields, you may want to pursue your interests in these other areas philosophically; you may study Philosophy of Religion, of Science, of History, of Mathematics, and of Law; Aesthetics, Philosophical Psychology, and Philosophy in Literature. You may also want to take courses on issues of special interest, such as the freedom of the will, or punishment and responsibility; or to study areas such as Existentialism. Additionally up to 4 units in the Core track and 8 units in the Ethics and Public Policy track may be taken from courses in a cognate department, subject to the approval of the undergraduate adviser. Normally, your upper division work will be done in small classes where the emphasis will be on class discussion and on writing.

Emphases Within the Philosophy Major
I. Core Philosophy Track (48 total units)
This track is designed for students who seek thorough and rigorous training in philosophy either as a step towards graduate study in philosophy or as a way of mastering a discipline at the undergraduate level.

• Click here for the Core Philosophy Concentration 2007-2008 major sheet.

Preparation for the Major

• Required: Philosophy 3 or 183
• Recommended: Philosophy 20A-B-C (up to 4 units of this may be substituted for one course under upper-division Requirement B below but such units will not count toward the 36 upper-division units required.)
  

Upper-Division
At least 36 upper division units which must include:

• Three courses from Philosophy 100A, B, C, D, E, F, 116.
• Three courses from: Philosophy 151, 152, 153, 156, 160, 161, 162, 163, 164, 165, 166A, 176.
• Additional electives to make 36 upper division units (and a total of 48 units).

Up to 4 units may be taken from courses in a cognate department, subject to the approval of the undergraduate adviser.
Note: Students preparing for graduate study in philosophy are encouraged to supplement this minimal program with additional courses in individual historical figures and/or courses from Philosophy 150A, B, C, D, E, and 184.

II. Ethics and Public Policy Track (48 total units)
This track is intended for a wide variety of students: for those who plan careers in law or medicine; for those who intend to pursue careers in government; for those who wish to pursue further professional training in philosophy and applied ethics; and for those who simply wish to think critically about the moral and legal problems confronting the community and the responsibilities of the various professions such as law, medicine, and business.

• Click here for the Ethics and Public Policy Concentration 2007-2008 major sheet.

Preparation for the Major

• Required: Philosophy 3 or 183.
• Recommended: Philosophy 4, 6 or 7.

Upper-Division
36 upper division units which must include:

• Philosophy 100A
• One course from: Philosophy 100B, C, D, E, F, 116.
• At least four courses from: Philosophy 108, 121, 122, 126, 129, 131, 133, 134, 138, 139, 140, 141, 143, 144, 145, 150A, 188.
• Plus additional electives to make 36 upper division units (and a total of 48 units).
• Up to 8 units may be taken from courses in a cognate department, subject to the approval of the undergraduate adviser.

The Undergraduate Minor in Philosophy
The minor consists of 24 units, of which at least 20 must be upper-division and distributed according to the listing below.

• Click here for the Philosophy 2007-2008 minor sheet.

Preparation for the Minor

• Phil 3 or 183 (Phil 183 applies to the upper-division units required).

Upper-Division
20 upper-division units are required, distributed as follows:

• 3 courses according to one of the following options:
  • 2 courses from: 100 A-B-C-D-E-F, 116 and 1 course from Phil 20A-B-C, 151, 152, 153, 156, 160, 161, 162, 163, 164, 165, 166A, 176.
    (NOTE: 20A-B-C count toward this option, but not toward the total of 20 upper-division units.)
  • 3 courses from Phil 100A, 108, 121, 122, 126, 129, 131, 133, 134, 138, 139, 140, 141, 143, 144, 145, 150A, 188.
• Elective upper-division phil classes to bring total of 20 upper-division units. (usually 8-12 units).

• Membership in the Letters and Science Honors Program.
• Completion of at least 12 units of philosophy, a philosophy G.P.A. of 3.5 or better, and an overall G.P.A. of 3.3 or better.

Students are urged to apply as early as possible so that a meaningful honors curriculum can be developed at an early stage of their work in the major. Students in the Honors Program are expected to meet with the Undergraduate Advisor to discuss their progress and to plan their subsequent course work in philosophy; in order to remain in the Honors Program, students are normally expected to maintain a 3.5 GPA in Philosophy. In order to graduate with distinction in philosophy, the following requirements must be met:

• Being a member of good standing in the Philosophy Department Honors Program for at least the last three quarters prior to graduation.
• Completion of at least two upper division philosophy honors courses to be contracted by petition between the honors student and the instructor.
• Completion of a Senior Thesis that is judged to be of honors quality by the Thesis Supervisor.

Distinction in major is announced in the commencement program and is noted on the diploma.

Phi Sigma Tau
The department at UCSB has become affiliated with the national honors society of Phi Sigma Tau, and has been given the chapter name of California Mu. The object of the California Mu chapter is to be affiliated with Phi Sigma Tau, whose objects are to serve as a means of awarding distinction to students having high scholarship and personal interest in philosophy. Phi Sigma Tau publishes the journal Dialogue for its members in order to promote student interest in research and advanced study in the field, and to provide opportunities for the publication of student research papers of merit. Students are eligible to join Phi Sigma Tau after completing four quarters at UCSB and after having taken three philosophy courses with a grade average of 3.0. Officers of the chapter are elected by the members of California Mu and serve one year. If you are interested in becoming a member of Phi Sigma Tau, please contact the advising office.

Prizes and Awards
Each academic year, one or more Ralph W. Church Undergraduate Fellowships may be awarded for outstanding scholarship in philosophy. To be eligible for this award a student must be a philosophy major and complete a minimum of 16 upper-division units in philosophy at UCSB. This fellowship is based on academic merit. During spring quarter the department recognizes the outstanding graduating senior by awarding the Harry Girvetz Memorial Prize. This award is announced in the commencement program.

Extracurricular Activities
Philosophy Club
At Philosophy Club and Phi Sigma Tau Honors Society in Philosophy, students discuss issues from a wide range of topics with philosophical import. Since there is a philosophical question for every statement of fact, this includes pretty much everything. We discuss both the old and contemporary, large and small, 'pure' and applied… they're all fair game. Both Philosophy Club and Phi Sigma Tau (ΦΣΤ) meet at the same time and place and both are open to students of all majors. (For more information on Sigma Phi Tau requirements see contact below.) Meetings are held informally, round-table style. So come join, share insights, and network with a dynamic group of coherent thinkers.

• Disclaimer: Philosophy can be dangerous. Side effects include: disruption of belief systems, replacement of familiar answers with unfamiliar questions, unwillingness to think superficially, increased usage of qualifiers.
• Place: Philosophy Graduate Student Lounge; 5th floor, South Hall
• Times: TBA (see contact below for specific upcoming dates)
• Contact: Phi Sigma Tau President

“There are some questions in life that can be answered. For everything else, there's Philosophy.”

Philosophy Newsletter
The philosophy Newsletter is published quarterly in order to provide philosophy majors with additional information on department and campus activities, awards and opportunities. The Newsletter staff solicits contributions from other philosophy majors. If you are interested in working on the Newsletter or would like more information, please contact the advising office.

Contact Information
For questions and concerns regarding your undergraduate study, please:

• Contact the staff Undergraduate Advisor: Laurie Shafield, shafield@philosophy.ucsb.edu.
• Telephone (805) 893-3122, weekdays 8:00am-12:00pm and 1:00- 4:00pm.
• Or visit the Department Office on the fifth floor of the Northwest wing of the South Hall, Room 5631.

Requirements for Graduate Degrees in Philosophy (MA, C.Phil, Ph.D)
The specific departmental requirements are set out below. The applicant for admission to the Philosophy PhD program should have completed an undergraduate Philosophy major, or a sufficiently close equivalent, in the judgment of the Graduate Admissions Committee, to make possible the successful pursuit of graduate studies in the department. (If an application shows exceptional promise, an exception may be made to this general policy.) A writing sample, GRE scores, official transcripts, statement of purpose, and letters of recommendation must be submitted with the application for admission. The deadline for fellowship competition is January 15 of every year. A completed application and all supporting documents must be received by the January 15 deadline, or the next working day, if it falls on a weekend or holiday, in order to be considered for fellowship support.

Master of Arts (MA)
The graduate program in Philosophy is a PhD program. However, the MA is a part of the PhD program and is awarded upon Advancement to Candidacy for the PhD. In addition to the graduate division requirements, the master's degree candidate will take courses so that the total course work will satisfy the Course and Seminar Requirement of the PhD program. Graduate Division thesis and examination requirements under Plan I and Plan II may be satisfied as follows.

• Plan I: A Qualifying Paper, as specified in the PhD Program requirements, that is passed at the PhD or MA level. (Usual choice of this department.)
• Plan II: A comprehensive examination in a major area of philosophy, administered by a committee selected by the Graduate Advisor.

Candidate in Philosophy (C.Phil)
The degree of C.Phil is awarded when students have satisfied requirements 1-3 of the PhD Program and are thereby advanced to Candidacy for the PhD.

The Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D)
I. Course Requirements
A total of 14 graduate courses and seminars must be taken (for letter grades, not S/U) and these courses must be distributed as follows:

• PHIL 284G (Intermediate Modern Logic).
• At lease five seminars.
• At least three courses in the history of philosophy.
• At least three courses chosen from: metaphysics, epistemology, the philosophy of mind, and the philosophy of language.
• At least two courses from: ethics, social and political philosophy, and value theory (broadly construed).

Requirements (3)-(5) may be satisfied by either seminars or lecture courses listed as graduate courses. A given course may be used to satisfy at most one of the requirements (3)-(5).

A student may be exempted from requirement (a) by passing an examination (given only at the time of entrance into the PhD Program) designed to demonstrate training in logic equivalent to that provided by 283G and 284G.

A maximum of one Independent Study course may count towards the 14 course requirement provided that the content of the independent study does not significantly overlap the content of any other course used to satisfy the 14 course requirement.

Undergraduate courses will not count towards the 14 course requirement. Graduate students may be allowed to take undergraduate courses, but only in their first year and only on the recommendation of the Graduate Advisor, with the permission of the Instructor.

Students who pass the Qualifying Paper Requirement (see below) prior to completing their course requirements must complete the course requirements by the end of their third year.

II. Qualifying Paper
A student must write a successful qualifying paper of at most 35 pages. The paper is to be an original work and should present a philosophical thesis and defend it by argument. A successful qualifying paper is a paper that is judged by a majority of the faculty to demonstrate the ability to write a successful dissertation. The faculty will meet at the end of each term to evaluate the papers submitted that term. To be eligible for consideration in a given term, a paper must be submitted by the end of the ninth week of the term. Any paper written while its author was a student in the graduate program may be submitted as a qualifying paper, and the paper may be submitted at any time after enrolling. However, a student is allowed no more than two submissions (that is, two chances to pass). Except for the rare student who writes a successful qualifying paper prior to the completion of the course requirements, the following regulations apply:

• Upon completion of the course requirements (or the completion of an Independent Study Course 596 approved by the Graduate Advisor for the term after the completion of the course requirements), students must register in PHIL 597 for the purpose of writing a qualifying paper.
• Though the choice of topic for the qualifying paper is not subject to formal approval, prior to registering in PHIL 597 a student must submit a short topic proposal (of about one page) and the following statement which is signed by at least one faculty member: "I have discussed the suitability of this topic proposal and the student's qualification in the proposed area."
• Students must write a successful Qualifying Paper upon the completion of the second quarter in which they are enrolled in PHIL 597 or by the end of the first quarter of their fourth year, whichever occurs earlier.

While a term paper written for a course may be submitted as a qualifying paper, only rarely will an unrevised term paper be good enough to meet the standard the faculty applies in evaluating qualifying papers. Thus it will be advisable for most students who want to submit a term paper as a qualifying paper to revise and expand it. Normally, this is done by registering for PHIL 597 upon the completion of the course requirements. Furthermore, an Independent Study course (in addition to or as part of the 14 course requirement) may be advisable in some cases as a preparation for attempting the qualifying paper. Students may consult with faculty during the preparation of a qualifying paper, but a successful paper must demonstrate the capacity for independent work.

III. Oral Examination
The University requirement of a Qualifying examination is satisfied by passing the Oral Examination upon passing the qualifying paper requirement. This exam will be administered by a committee chosen by the student and shall be scheduled immediately after the Qualifying Paper has been passed. The Oral Examination is forward-looking towards the dissertation, and its purpose is to help the student, and the committee, to decide on the feasibility of the proposed topic, as arising either out of the recently completed Qualifying Paper, or out of a brief proposal separately submitted for the Oral.

IV. The Dissertation
Satisfactory completion of a dissertation (and the possibility of an oral defense thereof) will conclude the requirements for the PhD.

Fellowships
In addition to UCSB fellowships and grants listed at www.graddiv.ucsb.edu/financial/, the Department has a special endowment fund, the Ralph W. Church Fund, a certain amount of which can be used each year to make the following sorts of awards.

• Fellowships: up to $14,000 plus fees, insurance, and tuition for the first year of study; two to six awarded a year.

Teaching Assistantships
These pay approximately $4,800 per quarter and appointments are made for one, two, or three quarters per year. TAs assist in lower division classes such as Introduction to Philosophy, Critical Thinking, Introduction to Ethics, Biomedical Ethics, and sometimes in upper division classes, by holding discussion sections and grading papers and exams. (Teaching Assistantships are normally given to students who have demonstrated promise in course work here. Our primary financial aid to first year students are the fellowships mentioned above.)

Readerships
There is no specific number of readerships, as this depends on enrollments and the decision of the instructor whether or not to use a reader. Readerships pay about $11.00 per hour.

Contact Information
For questions and concerns regarding your graduate study, please:

• Contact the staff Graduate Program Assistant: Marsha Bonney, mbonney@philosophy.ucsb.edu.
• Telephone (805) 893-3122, weekdays 8:00a-12:00p and 1:00p- 4:00p.
• Or visit the Department Office on the fifth floor of the Northwest wing of the South Hall, Room 5631. Click here for UCSB campus maps and directions.

General Information
For general information and resources (related to incoming students) click the links below:

• Housing information (on and off campus). Also visit the San Clemente Villages webpage for additional graduate student housing information.
• UCSB Philosophy Department Ranking (The Philosophical Gourmet Report)