Honors & Awards

The department invites students who have demonstrated particular talents in philosophy to pursue a year-long honors thesis under the guidance of one or more faculty members.

Questions addressed in recent honors theses include: Which moral principles should guide stem-cell research? Are there any universal human rights? Can we coherently have obligations to future persons if who it is that exists in the future depends on our current actions? Might pornography function more like advertising than political speech?

Honors

Honors in the philosophy major is earned by writing a thesis or a set of related essays, and passing an oral examination.

To be admitted to the thesis program, the College requires a student to have a grade point average of at least 3.5 in all work in the major field above the 100-level; the department may petition on her behalf if her GPA in the major is between 3.0 and 3.5. Members of the department also prefer to see the following criteria satisfied by the end of the junior year:

• PHIL 201 (Ancient Greek Philosophy) and PHIL 221 (History of Modern Philosophy) completed

• at least six philosophy courses completed

• at least one 300-level seminar that demonstrates the ability to work independently completed with a grade of A or A-

For additional College Honors policies and procedures, click here.

Individual Study

The department welcomes proposals from students for single-term individual study projects (recorded on the transcript as “PHIL 350”). These courses are designed to allow students to pursue topics not covered in currently offered courses. Students interested in pursuing an individual study should meet with the faculty member with whom they would like to work before the term in which they plan to do the 350. The precise requirements of the 350 in any individual case will be determined by the instructor in consultation with the student. Normally a substantial paper is required at the end of the term.