This is the preliminary (or launch) version of the 2024-2025 VCU Bulletin. Courses that expose students to cutting-edge content and transformative learning may be added and notification of additional program approvals may be received prior to finalization. General education program content is also subject to change. 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:
- Demonstrate a good knowledge of and facility with the methods and concepts of modern, analytic philosophy
- Demonstrate a good knowledge of the current state of academic discussion of some of the central philosophical topics
- Demonstrate some knowledge of the history of philosophy, including both major themes and movements and some specific figures and systems
- Demonstrate the ability to think critically and systematically about philosophical problems, both abstract and practical, and to write clearly and cogently about them
- Demonstrate the ability to construct and analyze arguments clearly and cogently, independently of their subject matter
Philosophy and law concentration-specific outcomes
- Demonstrate a good knowledge of philosophical questions about law including but not limited to questions about the nature of law and its authority
- 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 103 | History of Ancient and Medieval Philosophy | 3 |
| PHIL 104 | History of Modern Philosophy | 3 |
| PHIL 222 | Logic | 3 |
| PHIL 490 | Seminar in Philosophy | 3 |
| • Additional major requirements | ||
| PHIL 300 | Philosophical Concepts | 3 |
| 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 320 | Philosophy of Law | 3 |
| PHIL 327 | Normative Ethics | 3 |
| or PHIL 328 | Metaethics | |
| or PHIL 335 | Social and Political Philosophy | |
| Non-PHIL courses (from list below) | 9 | |
| Ancillary requirements | ||
| HUMS 202 | Choices in a Consumer Society | 1 |
| PHIL 201 | Introduction to Ethics 1 | 3 |
| 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 2 | 1-3 | |
| Foreign language through the 102 level (by course or placement) | 0-6 | |
| Open electives | ||
| Select any course. | 47-55 | |
| Total Hours | 120 | |
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.
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 324 | Courts and Sentencing | 3 |
| CRJS 355 | Criminological Theory | 3 |
| ENGL 302 | Legal Writing | 3 |
| FRSC 375 | Forensic Evidence, Law and Criminal Procedure | 3 |
| POLI 313 | U.S. Constitutional Law: Civil Rights and Civil Liberties | 3 |
| POLI 314 | U.S. Constitutional Law: Structure of Government | 3 |
| POLI 315 | Courts and Politics | 3 |
| POLI 316 | Women and the Law | 3 |
| POLI 372 | Ethics, Law and Governance | 3 |
| 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 semester | Hours | |
| UNIV 101 | Introduction to the University | 1 |
UNIV 111  Play 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 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 or PHIL 104 | 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 or PHIL 103 | 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 | |
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.