A Senior Thesis is not required for the major. However, students who plan to go on in philosophy are strongly encouraged to consider a project of this kind. Ideally a student should begin research on the thesis topic in the sixth or seventh semester. This initial preparation should be done under the supervision of a faculty member as a 3 credit Independent Study. Double Majors A number of philosophy majors are double majors, and we encourage students who are interested in doing this to try it.
Many students also combine a philosophy major with a pre-med curriculum.
Summer School The Philosophy Department ordinarily offers three or four courses each summer. Because these summer courses are usually at the 100-level, students should not expect to take summer courses to work towards completion of the requirements for the philosophy major. The Distinguished Majors Program in Philosophy is designed for students who wish to pursue their studies in philosophy beyond the requirements of our regular major. It requires both the study of a broad range of philosophical areas and a more concentrated examination of a single topic in the form of a senior thesis. Students may apply to the Distinguished Majors Program as early as the fifth semester before graduation and as late as the third semester before graduation.