Philosophy (BA)
Program Description
Philosophy poses general questions about reality, knowledge, reasoning, language, and conduct. Some areas include metaphysics (What is the ultimate nature of reality? What really exists and what is mere appearance?), epistemology (What, if anything, can be known and how?), logic (What are the principles of correct reasoning?), and ethics (What is moral value? And what moral values should we adopt?). Other areas address questions concerning the nature of art, law, medicine, mind, politics, religion, and the sciences.
Everyone tends to have or assume answers to these questions. The aim of the department is to enable students to identify, clarify, and assess these answers, both ancient and modern. Philosophy prepares students for a more reflective life, for advanced studies in the subject, and for professions that emphasize analytic thinking and argumentation, such as law, business, and programming.
Honors Program
Students may apply to the director of undergraduate studies (DUS) for admission to the honors program. Honors in Philosophy will be awarded to majors who successfully complete the honors program with a GPA of 3.65 or higher both in philosophy and overall. The program requires eleven courses in philosophy (44 credits). These courses must (1) satisfy all requirements for the major and (2) include both PHIL-UA 201 Fall Honors Proseminar and PHIL-UA 202 Spring Honors Thesis Workshop. (One of these two courses may count as a major elective.) Students must be accepted into the honors program before taking PHIL-UA 201 Fall Honors Proseminar in the fall of senior year; PHIL-UA 202 Spring Honors Thesis Workshop is then taken in the spring of senior year. Alternate timelines or course substitutions are not possible.
Honors students must find an adviser (a faculty member or post-doc in the department) and a second reader to work with during senior year (students must have at least six substantive meetings with their advisers over the course of the honors program). The honors track culminates in one of two capstone options: (1) a closed-book, three-hour exam, sat by the end of the spring semester and set by the honors adviser based on the reading list set at the end of the fall; or (2) a thesis of 7,000-10,000 words, due 15 days prior to May commencement as a PDF emailed to the honors adviser and a second reader. An oral examination administered by the honors adviser and the second reader follows submission of the final thesis; this must be held at least 48 hours prior to May commencement. The default assumption is that students will take the exam.
Eligibility criteria for admission to PHIL-UA 201: a minimum 3.65 GPA in philosophy and overall; at least six courses in philosophy completed by the time of application, including at least two grades of A (4.0) in philosophy courses above the introductory level and not including PHIL-UA 70 Logic; and a list of the professors and teaching assistants who have taught the student's philosophy courses. Applications are due two weeks before registration for the fall semester of senior year; an application form will be circulated to majors by email. Eligibility Criteria for admission to PHIL-UA 202: satisfactory completion of PHIL-UA 201; a reading list (usually comprising 20-30 papers or an equivalent mix of books and papers) and a note from a professor in the department who has reviewed the reading list and agreed to be the honors adviser, due to the convenor of the Spring Honors Thesis Workshop by December 15. In addition, those on the thesis track must also submit a one page thesis proposal and a note from the honors adviser agreeing to supervise the thesis project, also due to the convenor of the Spring Honors Thesis Workshop by December 15.
Admissions
New York University's Office of Undergraduate Admissions supports the application process for all undergraduate programs at NYU. For additional information about undergraduate admissions, including application requirements, see How to Apply.