Department of Philosophy Requirements for the
B.A. Major, Joint Major, Advanced Major, Joint Advanced Major, Honours, and Honours with Subsidiary

1.  B.A. Major (36 credits)^[1]   

(a) Normally a minimum of 12 credits in the History of Philosophy.

(i) To fulfill this requirement, at least 6 credits will be taken from the ancient and mediaeval periods and at least 6 credits from the modern and contemporary periods.

(b) Normally at least 12 credits at the 300/400 level.

(c) Overall course selection must be approved by an advisor assigned by the Department.

2.  B.A. Joint Major  (36 credits)^[2]   

(a) Normally a minimum of 12 credits in the History of Philosophy.

(i) Normally 6 credits will be taken from the ancient and mediaeval periods and 6 credits from the modern and contemporary periods.

(b) Normally at least 12 credits at the 300/400 level.

(c) Overall course selection must be approved by an advisor assigned by the Department.

3.  Advanced Major (36 credits)^[3]   

(a) Normally a minimum of 12 credits in the History of Philosophy

(i) To fulfill this requirement, at least 6 credits will be taken from the ancient and mediaeval periods and 6 credits from the modern and contemporary periods.

(b) Normally at least 18 credits at the 300/400 level.

(c) Six credits of coursework at the 400-level designated by the Department as the Senior Seminar

(d)  A Senior Paper / Research Report

(i) The Senior Paper / Research Report shall normally be a minimum of 25 double-spaced, type-written pages.  It must be carefully written and well organized.  It should demonstrate good literary style and scholarly investigation.
(ii) Choice of supervisor and topic must be approved in consultation with the Chair no later than September 30 of the Senior year.
(iii) A complete first draft should be submitted to supervisor no later than the first day of classes following the Second Semester reading-week.
(iv) In addition to the supervisor, the Senior Paper / Research Report must be approved by a second reader appointed by the Department.  In case of dispute between readers, the Chair or his/her appointee will adjudicate.
(v) The Senior Paper / Research Report must be completed and in the hands of the Chair by April 1 of the Senior year.
(vi) The Senior Paper / Research Report grade shall be either fail or pass. (To receive a grade of ‘Pass,’ the Paper/Report must be of a standard that would merit a grade of at least 65/100.)

4.  B.A. Joint Advanced Major (36 credits)^[4]   

(a) Normally a minimum of 12 credits in the History of Philosophy

(i) Normally at least 6 credits will be taken from the ancient and mediaeval periods and at least 6 credits from the modern and contemporary periods.

(b) Normally at least 18 credits at the 300/400 level.

(c) Six credits of coursework at the 400-level designated by the Department as the Senior Seminar

(d) A Senior Paper / Research Report

Note: The student must notify the Chair of the Department by 30 September if s/he intends to satisfy the Senior Paper / Research Report requirement in the Department of Philosophy.

(i) The Senior Paper / Research Report shall normally be a minimum of 25 double-spaced, type-written pages.  It must be carefully written and well organized.  It should demonstrate good literary style and scholarly investigation.

(ii) Choice of supervisor and topic must be approved in consultation with the Chair no later than September 30 of the Senior year.

(iii) A complete first draft should be submitted to supervisor no later than the first day of classes following the Second Semester reading-week.

(iv) In addition to the supervisor, the Senior Paper / Research Report must be approved by a second reader appointed by the Department.  In case of dispute between readers, the Chair or his/her appointee will adjudicate.

(v) The Senior Paper / Research Report must be completed and in the hands of the Chair by April 1 of the Senior year.

(vi) The Senior Paper / Research Report grade shall be either fail or pass. (To receive a grade of ‘Pass,’ the Paper/Report must be of a standard that would merit a grade of at least 65/100.)

5.  Honours (60 credits)^[5]   

(a) Normally a minimum of 18 credits in the History of Philosophy.

(i) To fulfill this requirement, at least 6 credits must be taken from the Ancient and Mediaeval periods and at least 6 credits from the Modern and Contemporary periods.

(b) Normally at least 36 credits at the 300/400 level.

(c) Six credits of coursework at the 400-level designated by the Department as the Senior Seminar.

(d) An Honours Thesis

(i) The Honours Thesis shall normally be a minimum of 35 double-spaced, type-written pages.  It must be carefully written and well organized.  It should demonstrate good literary style, scholarly investigation and critical evaluation.
(ii) Choice of supervisor and topic must be approved in consultation with the Chair no later than September 30 of the Senior year.
(iii) A complete first draft must be submitted to supervisor no later than the first day of classes following the Second Semester reading-week.
(iv) In addition to the supervisor, the Honours Thesis must be approved by a second reader appointed by the Department.  In case of dispute between readers, the Chair or his/her appointee will adjudicate.
(v) The Honours Thesis must be completed and in the hands of the Chair by 1 April of the Senior year.
(vi) If the Honours Thesis is completed in conjunction with a 300 or 400 level course, it will serve as a major term paper for the course and receive a numerical grade from the instructor. It will nevertheless also be evaluated by a second reader, and the grade assigned to the Thesis shall be either fail or pass. (To receive a grade of ‘Pass,’ the Thesis must be of a standard that would merit a grade of at least 70/100.) If the Honours Thesis is completed within the requirements of Philosophy 489 (Thesis), it will be evaluated by two readers (see iv above), and the grade assigned to the Thesis shall be a percentage grade that is the average of the grades assigned by the readers.

6.  Honours with Subsidiary Subject^[6]   

(a) When Philosophy is the Honours subject, 48 credits are required in Philosophy.

(i) Normally a minimum of 18 credits in the History of Philosophy.

(1) To fulfill this requirement, at least one course must be taken from the Ancient and Mediaeval periods and at least one from the Modern and Contemporary periods.

(ii) Normally at least 30 credits at the 300/400 level.
(iii) Six credits of coursework at the 400-level designated by the Department as the Senior Seminar.
(iv) An Honours Thesis

(1) The Honours Thesis shall normally be a minimum of 35 double-spaced, type-written pages.  It must be carefully written and well organized.  It should demonstrate good literary style, scholarly investigation and critical evaluation.
(2) Choice of supervisor and topic must be approved in consultation with the Chair no later than September 30 of the Senior year.
(3) A complete first draft must be submitted to supervisor no later than the first day of classes following the Second Semester reading-week.
(4) In addition to the supervisor, the Honours Thesis must be approved by a second reader appointed by the Department.  In case of dispute between readers, the Chair or his/her appointee will adjudicate.
(5) The Honours Thesis must be completed and in the hands of the Chair by 1 April of the Senior year.
(6) If the Honours Thesis is completed in conjunction with a 300 or 400 level course, it will serve as a major term paper for the course and receive a numerical grade from the instructor. It will nevertheless also be evaluated by a second reader, and the grade assigned to the Thesis shall be either fail or pass. (To receive a grade of ‘Pass,’ the Thesis must be of a standard that would merit a grade of at least 70/100.) If the Honours Thesis is completed within the requirements of Philosophy 489 (Thesis), it will be evaluated by two readers (see 4 above), and the grade assigned to the Thesis shall be a percentage grade that is the average of the grades assigned by the readers.

(b) When Philosophy is the Subsidiary subject, 24 credits in Philosophy are required.

(i) Normally a minimum of 12 credits in the History of Philosophy.

(1) To fulfill this requirement, at least 6 credits must be taken from the ancient and mediaeval periods and at least 6 credits from the modern and contemporary periods.

(ii) Normally at least 12 credits at the 300/400 level, including six credits of coursework at the 400-level designated by the Department as the Senior Seminar..

(c) In the B.A. Honours in Philosophy with Religious Studies as Subsidiary Subject and the B.A. Honours in Religious Studies with Philosophy as Subsidiary Subject, Philosophy 240 (Philosophy of Religion) will normally be included.

Revised 19.1.04