Purdue University College of Liberal Arts

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Ph.D. Area Requirements

Each student must demonstrate competence in the four traditional subdisciplines of philosophy: the history of philosophy, metaphysics and epistemology, value theory, and logic and methodology. However, within these major areas, options are provided to allow the student to give particular attention to those problems that are of special interest to him or her. 

Each area requirement can be satisfied either by general examination or by a series of courses. The student's Advisory Committee, in consultation with other appropriate faculty members and with the student, will decide whether a given area requirement is to be met by examination or by following the course option. Each student is expected to satisfy at least one area requirement by general examination. 

The areas and their requirements are as follows: 
  1. History of Philosophy 
    • Examination Option: Take and pass one general examination covering two of the following three periods: Ancient and Medieval; From the Renaissance to Kant; From Kant to Early 20th Century.  A student who completes this area requirement by examination (and who takes no other area examinations) will, under usual circumstances, need to complete eleven courses with the required grade averages to satisfy all the area requirements.
    • Course Option: Take five approved courses from two of the following periods, at least two courses from each period: Ancient and Medieval; From the Renaissance to Kant; From Kant to Early 20th Century.  If the course option is adopted, then the area requirement must be satisfied with an average from all courses of B+, and no grade lower than B- will be accepted for any course in satisfaction of the requirement.
  2. Metaphysics and Epistemology 
    • Examination Option: Take and pass one general examination in metaphysics and epistemology.  A student who completes this area requirement by examination (and who takes no other area examinations) will, under usual circumstances, need to complete eleven courses with the required grade average to satisfy all the area requirements.
    • Course Option: Take five approved courses; three in metaphysics and two in epistemology or two in metaphysics and three in epistemology.  If the course option is adopted, then the area requirement must be satisfied with an average from all courses of B+, and no grade lower than B- will be accepted for any course in satisfaction of the requirement.
  3. Value Theory 
    • Examination Option: Take and pass one general examination in ethics or one divided between ethics and some approved sub-area of value theory.  A student who completes this area requirement by examination (and who takes no other area examinations) will, under usual circumstances, need to complete thirteen courses with the required grade average to satisfy all the area requirements.
    • Course Option: Take three approved courses in value theory, at least one of which must be in ethics.  If the course option is adopted, then the area requirement must be satisfied with an average from all courses of B+, and no grade lower than B- will be accepted for any course in satisfaction of the requirement.  
  4. Logic, Language and Science 
    • Examination Option: Take and pass one general examination in Logic or one divided between Logic and one of the following: 
      •  Induction and Philosophy of Science 
      •  Philosophy of Logic and Language 
    • A student who completes this area requirement by examination (and who takes no other area examinations) will, under usual circumstances, need to complete thirteen courses with the required grade average to satisfy all the area requirements. 
    • Course Option: Take one approved course in logic, plus two additional courses drawn from one of the following areas.  If the course option is adopted, then the area requirement must be satisfied with an average from all courses of B+, and no grade lower than B- will be accepted for any course in satisfaction of the requirement.
      •  Deductive Systems 
      •  Induction & Philosophy of Science 
      •  Philosophy of Logic and Language