Honors Program in Philosophy

Students majoring in philosophy may choose to complete a Senior Thesis under the direction of a department faculty member.  Successful completion of the thesis is a requirement for the award of Honors, High Honors, or Highest Honors on the student's diploma.

In order to enroll in the honors program, students are expected to meet the following requirements.  They must contact a department faculty member who agrees to supervise their work.  Having acquired a thesis advisor, they should submit a thesis proposal and have that proposal approved by the philosophy department no later than second semester of their junior year.  Proposals should be submitted to the department chair.  Finally, students must have maintained a minimum grade point average of 3.0 overall and 3.3 in their philosophy coursework.

Once enrolled in the honors program, students must

(1) continue to maintain 3.0 overall and 3.3 in philosophy coursework,

(2) assemble an advisory committee; the advisory committee must include the thesis advisor and at least two other members of the philosophy faculty,

(3) satisfy major requirements,

(4) complete senior thesis requirement.  Completion includes (a) enrollment in Phil 295: Senior Thesis and (b) approval of the finished thesis and a successful oral defense of the thesis conducted by the advisory committee.

At the completion of these conditions, the department will recommend to the University that the student be awarded Departmental Honors at one of the following three levels:  honors, high honors or highest honors.

Capstone Seminars
The philosophy major culminates in the Capstone Seminar.  Each semester the department will designate one of its seminar offerings as the Capstone.  These will provide an in depth engagement with a central topic, figure, or movement in philosophy, and will involve serious opportunities for independent study by participating students.  Capstone courses will also be open to non-capstone students.  At the end of the second semester of the prior year, all majors will be informed which two seminars, one designated for each term, will be Capstone seminars for the coming school year.  Majors must take the Capstone during their senior year; students taking it for Capstone credit should register for the 'Capstone' section of the seminar.

Department Prizes and Awards, and Student and Honor Societies
Each year, the department inducts its best junior and senior philosophy majors into Phi Sigma Tau, the national philosophy honor society. At the spring honors convocation, the department awards one or more prizes to exemplary graduating seniors and the David Saltman Prize for excellence in philosophy.  At the Fall convocation, the department confers a prize for the best work in logic by a first- or second-year student.

The Philosophy Club, a student organization, sponsors lectures, colloquia and informal educational and social activities for all interested Clark students.