Philosophy (BA)

College of Arts and Sciences

Program Website

Program Description

The study of philosophy introduces students to a wide variety of fundamental questions about existence, knowledge, mind, language, reason, and value, from the abstract to the applied, as well as to texts from various philosophical traditions; our courses help students develop skills in analytical thinking and writing that are valuable both in academia and beyond.

Studying philosophy affords the excitement and satisfaction that come from understanding and working toward solutions of intellectual problems.

The curriculum includes offerings in the history of philosophy, logic, philosophy of science, philosophy of mind and language, ethics, social and political philosophy, metaphysics, and theory of knowledge. Any philosophy course numbered in the 1000s or 2000s is suitable for beginning study in the field.

Academic Standards

Declaring the Major

Students expecting to major in philosophy should begin their study of it in their first or second undergraduate year. Admission to the major is granted by the Director of Undergraduate Studies on the basis of a student's work during the first two years. Normally the student must have completed two philosophy courses with grades of B or better, and a minimum of three credits for each.

Honors Program

Honors in the philosophy major are awarded on the basis of an assessment of the student's overall performance in the major, taking into account their grades in philosophy classes, and also their oral performance in class and their departmental citizenship.  A primary factor will be the faculty's assessment of the student's philosophical writing, as evidenced by the production of one or more substantial pieces of writing, such as seminar term papers, an (optional) senior thesis, or the equivalent.

Eligibility

Students interested in being considered for honors should be philosophy majors and normally, by the time they graduate:

  • will have a GPA  (Grade Point Average) of at least 3.5 in the major, and a minimum overall GPA in all courses taken at Cornell of 2.7 (B-);
  • must have taken at least ten philosophy courses (these must be courses of at least 3 credits and may not include any PHIL courses with a 9 in the second digit, with the exception of PHIL 4900 Informal Study for Honors I  and PHIL 4901 Informal Study for Honors II--the senior thesis);
  • will have taken at least two such courses at the 4000/6000 level, with the aim of producing substantial pieces of philosophical writing (e.g. seminar term papers), or the equivalent; this requirement can, but need not be, satisfied by undertaking the (optional) senior thesis (see below);
  • will have taken at least four such courses at the 3000 level or above.

Meeting these criteria is necessary but not sufficient for honors in philosophy. The faculty will consider all eligible students for honors, so there is no need for students to declare themselves interested in being considered for honors.  However, we recommend that you speak with your faculty advisor about course selection, particularly with regard to upper-level seminars or the senior thesis, at the start of your junior and senior years, to ensure that your coursework will provide you with sorts of samples of written work that could form the basis of an award of honors.

The Senior Thesis

Students who wish to undertake a substantial, specialized, in-depth independent research project under the supervision of a member of the Sage School faculty may choose to enroll in the optional senior thesis. Students typically devote two courses (PHIL 4900 Informal Study for Honors I  /PHIL 4901 Informal Study for Honors II) in consecutive terms of their senior year to writing a satisfactory thesis (although some students have completed a thesis in a single term). Neither PHIL 4900 Informal Study for Honors I nor PHIL 4901 Informal Study for Honors II counts towards the eight philosophy courses required for the major, though they can count towards the ten courses required for honors. Enrollment in the thesis project is dependent on finding a suitable faculty advisor. The senior thesis is one route, but not the only route, to producing the substantial pieces of philosophical writing needed for honors consideration. (Candidates whose theses are judged by the faculty not to merit the award of honors may nonetheless, at the discretion of the faculty, be awarded a passing grade for PHIL 4900 Informal Study for Honors I/PHIL 4901 Informal Study for Honors II.

Note:  The senior thesis is no longer required for honors in philosophy, and in many cases, students may find it preferable to enroll in two upper level or graduate seminars, and benefit from the greater structure and philosophical community such seminars offer, rather than undertaking the thesis project.

Honors Awards

The decision to award a degree in philosophy with honors is made by the faculty of the Sage School.  Every spring, the faculty will hold a meeting to review each of the graduating majors (including multiple majors) who meet the numerical criteria in order to consider whether they should be awarded departmental honors. No student will be awarded honors unless at least two faculty members are willing to advocate for the honors on the basis of their assessment of at least one substantial piece of work such as a seminar paper or the equivalent. As noted, students will be considered for honors without needing to put themselves forward for consideration. It will fall to the faculty to recruit second readers for seminar papers and theses as necessary.

Beginning with the 2026-27 academic year the department will award only one level of Honors in Philosophy.