BA in Philosophy
What is Philosophy?
Philosophy is an academic discipline that focuses on the systematic exercise of reason in understanding questions about human life, and the fundamental nature of our reality. Philosophy asks questions like the following:
- What exists?
- What can we know?
- What does it mean to be human?
- What is the mind?
- What is the right thing to do?
- What is the right form of government?
While these questions are abstract, philosophy provides a concrete means of dealing with them. Everything from the structure of current governments, to our current scientific practices, humanitarian laws, theories of art, and understanding of artificial intelligence has its roots in philosophy. You can both major and minor in philosophy.
What Can I Do With a Degree in Philosophy?
The short answer is almost anything, in Lebanon, and around the world. This is because philosophy focuses on systematic critical skills that combine well with any field, and help you excel in it. Pursuing an academic career as a professor of philosophy through further studies is one option, but there are many other options. At LAU, you can take any of the following tracks without adding extra semesters:
Become a teacher: The philosophy BA at LAU leaves you with enough credits to get a teaching diploma without extra semesters. You can also get a diploma in special teaching.
Become a Journalist, a Media specialist, or a Publisher: Add a minor in english or Arabic, or digital communication and you become the ideal candidate for journalism, media, or a publishing house.
Work in social activism, politics, public policy, public relations, fundraising, and nonprofit work: Add one of the many minors offered by the department of social sciences to customize your exact area of expertise.
Work in Business and Technology: Add a business minor, actuarial studies minor, or computer science minor, depending on your area of interest.
Work in the arts or become an artist: Customize your art by adding one of the many minors in LAU’s School of Architecture and Design or by becoming a performance artist at LAU’s Department of Communication Arts.
Work in the Sciences: Add one of the four science minors and ensure a career in one of those sciences.
Will I Live A Good Life?
Absolutely. You’ll live an examined life, and you’ll be contributing to society. Here’s what one of our professors has to say about philosophy:
TEDxLAU: Philosophy for the Future
And, here’s what the world is saying about philosophy:
- Quartz 2017: Silicon Valley executives are hiring philosophers to teach them to question everythin
- The Huffington Post 2017: The Unexpected Way Philosophy Majors Are Changing The World Of Business
- The Washington Post 2017: For philosophy majors, the question after graduation is: What next?
- Business Insider 2014: 9 Famous Execs Who Majored In Philosophy
- Venture Beat 2011: Google’s in-house philosopher: Technologists need a “moral operating system”
- The New York Times 2008: In a New Generation of College Students, Many Opt for the Life Examined
Curriculum (new students enrolling in Fall 2018)
The BA in Philosophy requires 92 credits distributed as follows:
- Core courses: 36 credits
- Liberal Arts Curriculum (LAC) requirements: 30 credits (ENG 202 Advanced Academic English; COM 203 Fundamentals of Oral Communication, Arts and Humanities minimum 12 credits and maximum 15 credits, Sciences and Mathematics minimum 3 credits and maximum 6 credits and Social Sciences minimum 6 credits and maximum 9 credits.
- Computer Skills: 1 credit (CSC201 Computer Applications)
- Free elective courses: 25 credits
See suggested study plan.
The philosophy courses are distributed across 7 areas of course work:
Logic Requirement: 3 credits from the following courses
| Number | Course | Cr |
|---|---|---|
| PHL210 | Critical Thinking | 3 |
| PHL211 | Symbolic Logic | 3 |
Ethics Requirement: 3 credits from the following courses
| Number | Course | Cr |
|---|---|---|
| PHL301 | Ethics | 3 |
| PHL326 | Social and Political Philosophy | 3 |
History of Philosophy Requirement: 6 credits from the following courses
| Number | Course | Cr |
|---|---|---|
| PHL201 | Ancient Philosophy | 3 |
| PHL202 | Medieval Philosophy | 3 |
| PHL203 | Early Modern Philosophy | 3 |
| PHL304 | 19th Century Philosophy | 3 |
| PHL328 | Arabic and Islamic Philosophy | 3 |
Theoretical Philosophy Requirement: 9 credits from the following
| Number | Course | Cr |
|---|---|---|
| PHL302 | Theory of Knowledge | 3 |
| PHL303 | Metaphysics | 3 |
| PHL306 | Existentialism | 3 |
| PHL307 | Philosophy of Language | 3 |
| PHL311 | Philosophy of Religion | 3 |
| PHL321 | Philosophy of Art | 3 |
| PHL322 | Philosophy in Literature and Film | 3 |
| PHL323 | Philosophy of History | 3 |
| PHL324 | Philosophy of Science | 3 |
| PHL325 | Philosophy of Mind | 3 |
| PHL401 | Topics in Philosophy | 3 |
Individual Philosopher Requirement: 3 credits
| Number | Course | Cr |
|---|---|---|
| PHL350 | Individual Philosopher | 3 |
Philosophy Electives: 9 credits from the following
| Number | Course | Cr |
|---|---|---|
| PHL210 | Critical Thinking | 3 |
| PHL211 | Symbolic Logic | 3 |
| PHL301 | Ethics | 3 |
| PHL302 | Theory of Knowledge | 3 |
| PHL303 | Metaphysics | 3 |
| PHL311 | Philosophy of Religion | 3 |
| PHL201 | Ancient Philosophy | 3 |
| PHL202 | Medieval Philosophy | 3 |
| PHL203 | Early Modern Philosophy | 3 |
| PHL304 | 19th Century Philosophy | 3 |
| PHL328 | Arabic and Islamic Philosophy | 3 |
| PHL306 | Phenomenology | 3 |
| PHL307 | Philosophy of Language | 3 |
| PHL325 | Philosophy of Mind | 3 |
| PHL324 | Philosophy of Science | 3 |
| PHL321 | Philosophy of Art | 3 |
| PHL326 | Social and Political Philosophy | 3 |
| PHL322 | Philosophy in Literature and Film | 3 |
| PHL323 | Philosophy of History | 3 |
| PHL327 | Philosophy and Mythology | 3 |
| PHL350 | Individual Philosophers | 3 |
| PHL401 | Topics in Philosophy | 3 |
Study Requirement (3 credits)
| Number | Course | Cr |
|---|---|---|
| PHL499 | Senior Study | 3 |
Curriculum (students enrolled before Fall 2018)
The BA in Philosophy requires 92 credits (cr.) distributed as follows:
- Philosophy Courses: 36 cr.
- LAC Courses: 34 cr.
- Free Electives: 22 cr.
See Suggested study plan-pre-2018.pdf
The philosophy courses are distributed across 7 areas of course work:
1. Logic Requirement: 3 credits from the following courses
| Number | Course | Cr |
|---|---|---|
| PHL210 | Critical Thinking | 3 |
| PHL211 | Symbolic Logic | 3 |
2. Ethics Requirement: 3 credits from the following courses
| Number | Course | Cr |
|---|---|---|
| PHL301 | Ethics | 3 |
| PHL326 | Social and Political Philosophy | 3 |
3. History of Philosophy Requirement: 6 credits from the following courses
| Number | Course | Cr |
|---|---|---|
| PHL201 | Ancient Philosophy | 3 |
| PHL202 | Medieval Philosophy | 3 |
| PHL203 | Early Modern Philosophy | 3 |
| PHL304 | 19th Century Philosophy | 3 |
| PHL328 | Arabic and Islamic Philosophy | 3 |
4. Theoretical Philosophy Requirement: 9 credits from the following
| Number | Course | Cr |
|---|---|---|
| PHL302 | Theory of Knowledge | 3 |
| PHL303 | Metaphysics | 3 |
| PHL306 | Existentialism | 3 |
| PHL307 | Philosophy of Language | 3 |
| PHL311 | Philosophy of Religion | 3 |
| PHL321 | Philosophy of Art | 3 |
| PHL322 | Philosophy in Literature and Film | 3 |
| PHL323 | Philosophy of History | 3 |
| PHL324 | Philosophy of Science | 3 |
| PHL325 | Philosophy of Mind | 3 |
| PHL401 | Topics in Philosophy | 3 |
5. Individual Philosopher Requirement: 3 credits
| Number | Course | Cr |
|---|---|---|
| PHL350 | Individual Philosopher | 3 |
6. Philosophy Electives: 9 credits from the following
| Number | Course | Cr |
|---|---|---|
| PHL210 | Critical Thinking | 3 |
| PHL211 | Symbolic Logic | 3 |
| PHL301 | Ethics | 3 |
| PHL302 | Theory of Knowledge | 3 |
| PHL303 | Metaphysics | 3 |
| PHL311 | Philosophy of Religion | 3 |
| PHL201 | Ancient Philosophy | 3 |
| PHL202 | Medieval Philosophy | 3 |
| PHL203 | Early Modern Philosophy | 3 |
| PHL304 | 19th Century Philosophy | 3 |
| PHL328 | Arabic and Islamic Philosophy | 3 |
| PHL306 | Phenomenology | 3 |
| PHL307 | Philosophy of Language | 3 |
| PHL325 | Philosophy of Mind | 3 |
| PHL324 | Philosophy of Science | 3 |
| PHL321 | Philosophy of Art | 3 |
| PHL326 | Social and Political Philosophy | 3 |
| PHL322 | Philosophy in Literature and Film | 3 |
| PHL323 | Philosophy of History | 3 |
| PHL327 | Philosophy and Mythology | 3 |
| PHL350 | Individual Philosophers | 3 |
| PHL401 | Topics in Philosophy | 3 |
7. Study Requirement (3 credits)
| Number | Course | Cr |
|---|---|---|
| PHL499 | Senior Study | 3 |
Duration
This program requires 92 credits, which can be completed in three years by those entering as sophomores.
Location
This program is offered in Beirut.
