Philosophy BA (Major/Minor/Honours)

  • Program Length
    4 Years
  • Credential
    Bachelor Degree
  • Options
    Honours, Major, Minor
  • Fully Available at
    Nanaimo
  • Partially Available at
    Cowichan, tiwšɛmawtxʷ (Powell River)

Do you enjoy uncovering, analyzing and critiquing the essential facts and questions that confront us as human beings? VIU’s Bachelor of Arts, Major in Philosophy program focuses on developing analytical and critical thinking skills while exploring historical and modern philosophical concepts.

A Philosophy degree helps students understand the significance of the growing body of facts available, and the wisdom to deal with them at the highest human level. In VIU’s Philosophy program, small class sizes allow for in-depth discussions, while students can apply their learning and gain work experience in a new internship program.

Bachelor of Philosophy graduates leave the program with clear writing, abstract reasoning, and problem-solving skills that ease them into a variety of careers and further academic study.

Program Overview

Philosophy is the critical and systematic study of the fundamental assumptions at play in the entire range of human activity. It concerns itself with explorations into the nature of reality, human knowledge, moral and scientific reasoning, art and society. The study of philosophy fosters the ability to think critically and innovatively, to communicate in a logical manner, to interpret and evaluate core concepts and theories in a number of disciplines and to articulate well-reasoned arguments. These competencies are vital to public discourse in a flourishing democracy and are particularly useful in such professions as law, medicine, business and public administration. Recent studies have demonstrated that students who have completed a program in philosophy score significantly higher than all other humanities and social sciences students on standardized tests for admission to graduate and professional study.

The program’s first-year courses are designed to introduce students to philosophy and to assist them in the development of analytical skills. Second-year courses apply these skills to historical and contemporary issues. Upper-division courses allow for some narrowing of focus, either in the direction of applied ethics and political philosophy or in the direction of traditional problems of epistemology and metaphysics. Students may include specified courses from political studies or liberal studies in their program of study.

Requirements for a Major

Students must complete all the Institutional B.A. Degree Requirements, including Degree English Requirements*, and the courses listed below. Students should see the Philosophy Department's course scheduling page for the expected semesters/years that required courses will be offered.

Lower-Level Course Requirements

Students should take a minimum of six courses (18 credits) in first or second year philosophy, which must include:

  • PHIL 100 - (Critical Thinking)
  • PHIL 111 - (Intro to Philosophy: Knowledge and Reality)
  • PHIL 112 - (Intro to Philosophy: Ethics)
  • PHIL 200 - (Early Modern Theories of Knowledge and Reality)
  • PHIL 241 - (Plato and Aristotle)
  • PHIL 251 - (Formal Logic) or PHIL 252 - (Understanding Scientific Reasoning)

* A second "English Requirement" course isn't needed if at least a "B+" is achieved in ENGL 115 or ENGL 117. 
 

Recommendations

  • Students take LBST 111 and LBST 112 to fulfill the Degree English Requirement.
  • Students considering graduate work take PHIL 251.

Alternatives

To fulfill the historical and lower-level philosophy requirements, students can use:

  • PHIL 300 - (Early Modern Theories of Knowledge and Reality [Advanced]) in place of PHIL 200, and/or
  • PHIL 446 - (Plato and Aristotle [Advanced}) in place of PHIL 241.

 

Upper-Level Course Requirements

Students should take a minimum of ten courses (30 credits) in third or fourth year philosophy*, which must include:

  • PHIL 361 - (The Philosophy of Mind) or PHIL 362 - (Special Topics in the Philosophy of Mind),
  • PHIL 363 - (Theory of Knowledge), and
  • PHIL 443 - (Moral Theory).

* PHIL 310 and PHIL 399 cannot be used to meet the requirement of ten upper-level philosophy courses.

 

Alternatives

In partially fulfilling the requirements of 30 upper-level credits in philosophy, students can make some substitutions for philosophy credits. As substitutes, they can use three credits from each course below to a maximum total of six credits:

  • LBST 360 - (New Worlds and New Heavens),
  • LBST 370 - (Revolutions of the Modern World), or
  • POLI 440 - (Contemporary Themes in Political Thought).

 

In other words, students can use a maximum of two courses from this list in partially fulfilling the requirements of ten upper-level philosophy courses.

Note: all PHIL courses are three credits each, but the above LBST courses are six credits each. However, only three credits of any of the above LBST courses can be counted towards the upper-level PHIL requirement; the other three credits will count towards upper-level general electives. The above POLI course (POLI 440) is, like the PHIL courses, three credits. 
 

 

Requirements for a Minor

Students must complete all the Institutional B.A. Degree Requirements, including Degree English Requirements*, and the courses listed below. Students should see the Philosophy Department's course scheduling page for the expected semesters/years that required courses will be offered.

Lower-Level Course Requirements

Students should take a minimum of four courses (12 credits) in first or second year philosophy, which must include:

  • PHIL 100 - (Critical Thinking)
  • PHIL 111 - (Intro to Philosophy: Knowledge and Reality)
  • PHIL 112 - (Intro to Philosophy: Ethics)
  • at least one second-year course

 

* A second "English Requirement" course isn't needed if at least a "B+" is achieved in ENGL 115 or ENGL 117. 

Recommendations

 

Upper-Level Course Requirements

Students should take a minimum of six courses (18 credits) in third or fourth year philosophy*.

* PHIL 310 and PHIL 399 cannot be used to meet the requirement of six upper-level philosophy courses.

Recommendations

 

 

Alternatives

In partially fulfilling the requirements of 18 upper-level credits in philosophy, students can make some substitutes for philosophy credits. As substitutes, they can use three credits from any one course below:

  • LBST 360 - (New Worlds and New Heavens),
  • LBST 370 - (Revolutions of the Modern World), or
  • POLI 440 - (Contemporary Themes in Political Thought).

In other words, students can use a maximum of one course from this list in partially fulfilling the requirements of six upper-level philosophy courses.

Note: all PHIL courses are three credits each, but the above LBST courses are six credits each. However, only three credits of any of the above LBST courses can be counted towards the upper-level PHIL requirement; the other three credits will count towards upper-level general electives. The above POLI course (POLI 440) is, like the PHIL courses, three credits.

Domestic Fees | International Fees

Domestic Fees

Tuition and Other Mandatory Student Fees

When applying to the program, applicants will be charged a non-refundable application fee.

When applying to graduate, students will be charged a non-refundable graduation and alumni fee.

Some courses have additional fees to pay for extraordinary class–related expenses.

Fees for One Year* Amount
Tuition (30 credits x $166.40 per credit) 4,992.00
Student Activity fee (8 months x $19.97 per month) 159.76
Student Services fee (8 months x $22.05 per month) 176.40
VIU Students' Union fee (8 months x $27.60 per month) 220.80
Health and Dental Plan fee ($285.00 per year) 285.00
Approximate cost for books and supplies for one year 1,500.00
Total 7,333.96
Notes

The VIUSU Health and Dental Plan fee is assessed for all students enrolled in 6 credits or more per term, or in Trades/Vocational programs of 5 months or longer.  

All fees are subject to change without prior notice and are expected to increase by 2% each year on April 1.


International Fees

Tuition and Other Mandatory Student Fees

When applying to the program, applicants will be charged a non-refundable application fee.

When applying to graduate, students will be charged a non-refundable graduation and alumni fee.

Some courses have additional fees to pay for extraordinary class–related expenses.

Fees for One Year* Amount
Tuition (30 credits x $799.77 per credit) 23,993.10
Student Activity fee (8 months x $19.97 per month) 159.76
Student Services fee (8 months x $22.05 per month) 176.40
VIU Students' Union fee (8 months x $27.60 per month) 220.80
Health and Dental Plan fee ($285.00 per year) 285.00
Approximate cost for books and supplies for one year 1,500.00
Total 26,335.06
Notes

The VIUSU Health and Dental Plan fee is assessed for all students enrolled in 6 credits or more per term, or in Trades/Vocational programs of 5 months or longer.  

All fees are subject to change without prior notice and are expected to increase by 2% each year on April 1.

Domestic (Canadian)

Program Start Date Accepting Applications Campus

International

Program Start Date Accepting Applications Campus