This is the preliminary (or launch) version of the 2024-2025 VCU Bulletin. We may add courses that expose our students to cutting-edge content and transformative learning. We may also add content to the general education program that focuses on racial literacy and a racial literacy graduation requirement, and may receive notification of additional program approvals after the launch. The final edition and full PDF version will include these updates and will be available in August prior to the beginning of the fall semester.

The Bachelor of Arts in Philosophy with a concentration in philosophy and law is an interdisciplinary curriculum requiring a minimum of 120 credits, with at least 30 of those credits in the major area, at least half of which must be upper-level.

Students whose main interests are philosophy of law and the relation between philosophy and law (and who may wish to pursue graduate work in law and related areas) will probably want to choose the philosophy and law concentration.

Student learning outcomes

Philosophy core outcomes

Upon completing this program, students will be able to:

  1. Demonstrate a good knowledge of and facility with the methods and concepts of modern, analytic philosophy
  2. Demonstrate a good knowledge of the current state of academic discussion of some of the central philosophical topics
  3. Demonstrate some knowledge of the history of philosophy, including both major themes and movements and some specific figures and systems
  4. Demonstrate the ability to think critically and systematically about philosophical problems, both abstract and practical, and to write clearly and cogently about them
  5. Demonstrate the ability to construct and analyze arguments clearly and cogently, independently of their subject matter

Philosophy and law concentration-specific outcomes

  1. Demonstrate a good knowledge of philosophical questions about law including but not limited to questions about the nature of law and its authority
  2. Demonstrate a good knowledge of the specific workings of the law especially with respect to constitutional issues