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

Degree requirements for Philosophy, Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) with a concentration in philosophy and law

Course Title Hours
General education
Select 30 credits of general education courses in consultation with an adviser.30
Major requirements
• Major core requirements
PHIL 103History of Ancient and Medieval Philosophy3
PHIL 104History of Modern Philosophy3
PHIL 222Logic3
PHIL 490Seminar in Philosophy3
• Additional major requirements
PHIL 300Philosophical Concepts3
or PHIL 301 Metaphysics
or PHIL 302 Epistemology
or PHIL 303 Philosophy of Language
or PHIL 304 Philosophy of Mind
or PHIL 332 Philosophy of Artificial Intelligence
PHIL 320Philosophy of Law3
PHIL 327Normative Ethics3
or PHIL 328 Metaethics
or PHIL 335 Social and Political Philosophy
Non-PHIL courses (from list below)9
Ancillary requirements
HUMS 202Choices in a Consumer Society1
PHIL 201Introduction to Ethics 13
or PHIL 202 Ethics of Artificial Intelligence
or PHIL 211 History of Ethics
or PHIL 212 Ethics and Applications
or PHIL 213 Ethics and Health Care
or PHIL 214 Ethics and Business
Experiential fine arts 21-3
Foreign language through the 102 level (by course or placement)0-6
Open electives
Select any course.47-55
Total Hours120
1

PHIL 201 satisfies general education BOK for humanities/fine arts and AOI for diversities in the human experience; PHIL 202 satisfies general education BOK for humanities/fine arts and AOI for scientific and logical reasoning. Students who choose these courses will take additional electives to fulfill degree requirements.

2

Course offered by the School of the Arts

The minimum number of credit hours required for this degree is 120.

Non-PHIL course options for major requirements (choose three)

Course Title Hours
CRJS 324Courts and Sentencing3
CRJS 355Criminological Theory3
ENGL 302Legal Writing3
FRSC 375Forensic Evidence, Law and Criminal Procedure3
POLI 313U.S. Constitutional Law: Civil Rights and Civil Liberties3
POLI 314U.S. Constitutional Law: Structure of Government3
POLI 315Courts and Politics3
POLI 316Women and the Law3
POLI 372Ethics, Law and Governance3
Other appropriate courses approved by the Department of Philosophy

What follows is a sample plan that meets the prescribed requirements within a four-year course of study at VCU. Please contact your adviser before beginning course work toward a degree.

Freshman year
Fall semesterHours
UNIV 101 Introduction to the University 1
UNIV 111 Play VideoPlay course video for Focused Inquiry I Focused Inquiry I (satisfies general education UNIV foundations) 3
Experiential fine arts 1-3
General education course 3
General education course 3
Open elective 3
 Term Hours: 14-16
Spring semester
HUMS 202 Choices in a Consumer Society 1
UNIV 112 Play VideoPlay course video for Focused Inquiry II Focused Inquiry II (satisfies general education UNIV foundations) 3
General education course 3
General education course 3
Open electives 6
 Term Hours: 16
Sophomore year
Fall semester
PHIL 103
History of Ancient and Medieval Philosophy
or History of Modern Philosophy
3
PHIL 201
Introduction to Ethics 1
or Ethics of Artificial Intelligence 1
or History of Ethics 1
or Ethics and Applications 1
or Ethics and Health Care 1
or Ethics and Business 1
3
UNIV 200 Advanced Focused Inquiry: Literacies, Research and Communication (satisfies general education UNIV foundations) 3
Foreign language 101 3
Open elective (or select general education course if PHIL 201 was not selected above) 3
 Term Hours: 15
Spring semester
PHIL 104
History of Modern Philosophy
or History of Ancient and Medieval Philosophy
3
PHIL 222 Logic 3
Foreign language 102 3
General education course (select BOK to complete breadth of knowledge requirement) 3
General education course (select BOK to complete breadth of knowledge requirement) 3
 Term Hours: 15
Junior year
Fall semester
PHIL 320 Philosophy of Law 3
Non-PHIL course (from list) 3
Open electives 9
 Term Hours: 15
Spring semester
PHIL 327
Normative Ethics
or Metaethics
or Social and Political Philosophy
3
Non-PHIL course (from list) 3
Open electives 9
 Term Hours: 15
Senior year
Fall semester
PHIL 300
Philosophical Concepts
or Metaphysics
or Epistemology
or Philosophy of Language
or Philosophy of Mind
or Philosophy of Artificial Intelligence
3
Non-PHIL course (from list) 3
Open electives 9
 Term Hours: 15
Spring semester
PHIL 490 Seminar in Philosophy 3
Open electives 12
 Term Hours: 15
 Total Hours: 120-122
1

PHIL 201 satisfies general education BOK for humanities/fine arts and AOI for diversities in the human experience; PHIL 202 satisfies general education BOK for humanities/fine arts and AOI for scientific and logical reasoning. Students who choose these courses will take additional electives to fulfill degree requirements.

The minimum number of credit hours required for this degree is 120.