Off-Campus Study

Some things to consider as a philosophy major as you plan your off-campus study experience:

• Junior year is the recommended time to study off-campus, as the required capstone course (Phil 450) is offered during the fall of students’ senior year.
• When planning which courses to take off-campus, keep in mind that exposure to the following three standard areas is required for majors (two for minors). Many courses taken off-campus can fall under these areas, so it is a matter of planning the courses taken off-campus accordingly.
  • History of Philosophy
  • Values and the Human Condition
  • Knowledge and Reality
• The required course of Logic can also be taken off-campus, as well as most others.
• It is important to meet with your academic advisor regarding courses you plan on taking off-campus and how this fits within your academic plan, particularly credits counting toward your major (and provide appropriate course descriptions).

“In philosophy, one of the key tasks is to understand the perspectives of people whose views you don't necessarily share. In order to understand our own views, we need to understand the views of others, and, to some extent, cultivate empathy for their points of view, so that our own arguments communicate effectively. Studying abroad is a wonderful complement to the study of philosophy, since there's nothing like living and learning alongside people with a different set of cultural assumptions to help us understand and cultivate empathy for others’ viewpoints.” —Professor Jack Mulder

Featured Programs

• CYA (College Year in Athens)
• IES Direct Enrollment – St. Catherine’s College (Oxford, UK)
• IES Rome – Language and Area Studies
• IES Shanghai – Economy, Business, and Society