Philosophy
Departments of the other Claremont Colleges and CGU are designed to cultivate critical thinking and to introduce the student to the history of philosophy, its traditional problems and subject areas and its connections with related subjects. In addition to preparing students for graduate work in philosophy, philosophy courses are a natural complement to the study of a wide variety of other subjects and can be relevant to preparation for careers in law, medicine and a number of fields involving the natural and social sciences and the humanities.
Most courses numbered under 100 are suitable for students who have taken no college level courses in philosophy. Although they do not satisfy any of the major requirements, PHIL 001 PO -Problems of Philosophy , PHIL 002 PO -Introduction to Ethics , and PHIL 007 PZ -Introduction to Philosophy are especially recommended to introduce students to philosophy and to prepare them for more advanced courses.
Pitzer Advisers: A. Alwishah, B. Keeley., T. Lambert
Major Requirements
The philosophy major is offered in cooperation with Pomona College. The requirements include nine courses in philosophy.
Pitzer students are also encouraged to design combined and self-designed majors that include philosophy. Combined majors involving philosophy should include five core courses, as described above. All such majors must be approved by the Pitzer Philosophy Field Group before the second semester of the student’s junior year.
Students who wish to major in philosophy or in a joint or self-designed major which includes philosophy must arrange to have a Philosophy Field Group adviser by the beginning of the junior year. Self-designed or joint majors choose a second adviser from Pitzer or any of the other colleges.
Required Courses
Core Courses (5)
Electives (3)
Three elective non-introductory courses in philosophy to be chosen from the offerings of the 5 colleges in consultation with the students’ advisors
Senior Capstone (1)
A senior capstone project designed and completed in consultation with the Pitzer Philosophy Field Group. Two ways of meeting this requirement are:
- completing a senior thesis, normally involving taking a one-credit PHIL 191 PZ -Senior Thesis ; or
- taking a senior seminar class in philosophy, which could be an appropriate upper-division philosophy course. Note that completing a senior thesis with distinction is a necessary condition for being nominated for “Honors in Philosophy” upon graduation.
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