“Some people will cross mountain and sea for money. So should you labor for wisdom.”
The Philosophy Department offers two undergraduate programs: the Philosophy Major [link to bulletin] and the interdisciplinary Ethics Concentration [link to bulletin].
The philosophy major includes UD’s three core courses in philosophy, three advanced courses on the history of philosophy, one on logic, two on key philosophical topics, four seminar or tutorial courses, and one elective.
Core courses. Reading the great philosophers with their peers from other majors, students enter an exciting conversation that blends the perspectives of philosophy, literature, politics, theology, natural science, and so forth.
Historical courses. Those who go on to advanced study begin to discern where the truth might lie through a deeper study of what the great philosophers have said. In the dialogue of these thinkers with one another and with their contemporaries, aspects of the truth shine forth.
Logic. Through the study of logic and its integration with the rest of the curriculum, majors learn to assess the claims and arguments of others, and to craft precise claims and compelling arguments ourselves.
Seminars and tutorials. In seminar discussions and individual tutorials with a professor, majors learn key philosophical skills: careful reading; respectful conversation; thoughtful assessment of historical and contemporary sources; cogent argument; and attractive, effective expression in writing and speech. This training culminates in the Senior Thesis and the Senior Conference in Philosophy, in which students present their most mature philosophical work.
Electives. Majors must take at least one elective in philosophy, but many more are on offer. Popular choices include Aesthetics, Bioethics, Philosophy of Language, and Thought of John Paul II. The major also leaves plenty of room for electives in other subjects.