Philosophical thinking is the foundation of education in the liberal arts. Philosophy 101, 102, 106, 111, and 135 are open to any first-year student. Philosophy 111 (Introduction to Philosophy) is a historically-oriented course which is an excellent general education choice for students in all fields, as well as the prerequisite for most advanced courses in philosophy.
Philosophy 101 (Logic) and 102 (Symbolic Logic) should also be considered, particularly by students who would profit from extensive exercise in careful, exact reasoning. Philosophy 101 concentrates on recognizing and evaluating arguments, both deductive and inductive, as they appear in ordinary language; Philosophy 102 emphasizes the analysis of more complex arguments by symbolizing their logical form. Philosophy 106 (Contemporary Ethical Issues) is primarily a discussion class in which arguments addressing moral problems are explored. Philosophy 135 (Philosophy and Literature) provides the opportunity to explore philosophical themes as they are expressed in works of fiction. Courses beyond the 100 level should be selected with the advice of the department.
The following is a possible four-year plan to complete a major in Philosophy (total of eight courses), with or without a semester of off-campus study:
| FIRST YEAR FALL | FIRST YEAR SPRING | |
| PHI 111 | PHI 111 or PHI 233 | |
| SECOND YEAR FALL | SECOND YEAR SPRING | |
| PHI 231 and/or PHI 2XX | PHI 233 and/or PHI 2XX | |
| THIRD YEAR FALL | THIRD YEAR SPRING | |
| PHI 231 and/or PHI 2XX or OCS (with additional | PHI 2XX or OCS (with additional | |
| 200-level class in an alternate semester) | 200-level class in an alternate semester) | |
| FOURTH YEAR FALL | FOURTH YEAR SPRING | |
| PHI 3XX | PHI 3XX |
