Degree: Bachelor of Arts (BA)
Major: History and Philosophy of Science

Program Overview

The Department of Philosophy and the Department of History together offer an undergraduate major in the history and philosophy of science. The purpose of the major is to develop a humanistic understanding of the nature and development of science through the combined use of philosophical and historical methods. The major provides a foundation for graduate study in a range of academic disciplines and for careers in such areas as business, medicine, law, public policy, and science journalism. It also may be profitably combined with a program in one of the sciences. Within the major, a student may choose an emphasis on the philosophy of science, the history of the physical sciences, or the history of the biological and medically related sciences.

Learning Outcomes

• Students will be able to demonstrate basic knowledge regarding the history of science, including appropriate technical vocabulary, and apply ideas from this history to contemporary problems.
• Students will be able to distinguish between the aspects of a debate that can be resolved through the empirical inquiry and those that require an appeal to ethical principles, values, or metaphysical claims.
• Students will be able to interpret, contextualize, and evaluate complex philosophical texts in oral and written presentation.
• Students will be able to articulate personal beliefs about the nature of knowledge, reality, and the good, and critically evaluate those beliefs from alternate standpoints.
• Students will be able to present persuasive written arguments for a controversial point of view, identify the assumptions underlying such arguments, and articulate potential opposing arguments.

Undergraduate Policies

For undergraduate policies and procedures, please review the Undergraduate Academics section of the General Bulletin.

Accelerated Master's Programs

Undergraduate students may participate in accelerated programs toward graduate or professional degrees. For more information and details of the policies and procedures related to accelerated studies, please visit the Undergraduate Academics section of the General Bulletin.

Department Faculty

Program Requirements

Students seeking to complete this major and degree program must meet the general requirements for bachelor's degrees and the Unified General Education Requirements. Students completing this program as a secondary major while completing another undergraduate degree program do not need to satisfy the school-specific requirements associated with this major.

The history and philosophy of science major requires 30 credit hours from courses in philosophy and in history of science and technology:

Students who major in the history and philosophy of science are not permitted to take a second major in philosophy or to minor in philosophy.