Saint Mary's

Philosophy

BA. Major in Philosophy

Students must complete at least thirty-six (36) credit hours in philosophy. At least twenty-four (24) of these credit hours must be above the 1000 level, and of these twenty-four credit hours, at least twelve (12) credit hours must be at the 3000 level or above.

Double Major

A student may major in philosophy and another subject. The student normally completes thirty-six (36) credit hours in philosophy and should consult the undergraduate advisor.

Honours Program

To qualify for the degree of Bachelor of Arts (Honours) in philosophy, a student must: (a) meet the general requirements of the Faculty of Arts (found in Section 3 of the Academic Calendar); and (b) complete sixty (60) credit hours in philosophy, no more than twelve (12) credit hours at the 1000 level and a minimum of twenty-four (24) credit hours at or above the 3000 level. Usually, a philosophy major will have completed eighteen (18) credit hours in philosophy before applying for the honours program and have a minimum Cumulative QPA (Quality Point Average) of 3.0. The Cumulative QPA is calculated on the basis of all courses taken at Saint Mary’s.

To graduate with honours in philosophy, a student must: 1) meet the Basic Arts Requirements for the B.A.; 2) obtain a minimum of sixty (60) credit hours in philosophy, of which no more than twelve (12) credit hours are at the 1000 level, and no fewer than twenty-four (24) credit hours are above the 2000 level (note: no course with a grade below “C” can be included among the sixty credits); 3) have a minimum GPA of 3.0 (“B”) in 36 of the 60 Philosophy credit hours used to meet the Philosophy requirement; 4) have a minimum Cumulative QPA of 3.0. Eligible students have the option of completing an Honours Thesis (PHIL 4599.XX/YY). The Undergraduate Advisor will assist the student in selecting these courses.

Double Honours

Double Honours in Philosophy and Physics

Students pursuing a Bachelor of Arts (Honours) in philosophy and physics or a Bachelor of Science (Honours) in physics and philosophy must complete a minimum of forty-two (42) credit hours of courses in each discipline. Philosophy course recommendations include nine (9) credit hours in core courses (PHIL 1255 XX/YY, PHIL 2318, PHIL 3448, or PHIL 4515 XX/YY [counting as nine (9) hours from PHIL and three (3) hours from PHYS]), twelve (12) credit hours in history of philosophy, twelve (12) credit hours in contemporary philosophy, and nine (9) additional credit hours. It is recommended that Bachelor of Arts (Honours) students also complete the honours thesis, PHIL 4599.XX/YY, while Bachelor of Science (honours) students are required to complete PHYS 4500.XX/YY. Consult the Astronomy and Physics Calendar entry for detailed four-year plans for each of these combined degree options. Students are encouraged to consult each department’s undergraduate advisor for further details.

Minor in Philosophy

A minor in philosophy requires a minimum of twenty-four (24) credit hours, at least twelve (12) credit hours of which are above the 1000 level.

Law and Ethics

BA. Major in Law and Ethics

Students majoring in must complete thirty-nine (39) credit hours. A minimum of eighteen (18) credit hours must be at the 3000 level or above. 

Students must satisfy the requirement for three (3) credit hours of foundation courses (PHIL 1201, PHIL 1246, PHIL 1248, POLI 1230, ENGL 1250, PHIL 2302, PHIL 2303, PHIL 2332, PHIL 2335, PHIL 3333, PHIL 3474), six (6) credit hours from the Philosophical Ethics Area Requirements, six (6) credit hours from the Historical Context Area Requirements, and nine (9) credit hours from the Social Context Area Requirements. 

Students choosing to satisfy the Law & Ethics requirements exclusively with PHIL courses must declare a major in Law & Ethics or in Philosophy, but may not declare both majors. Students who wish to major in Law & Ethics and minor in Philosophy may not double count any credits towards both programs. 

Disclaimer: Where there is a conflict between the requirements as set out above and the Academic Calendar, the  shall prevail.