The Concentration

undergraduates outside emerson hall mailboxes

Welcome to the Philosophy Concentration!

Most of the students who choose to pursue a concentration in philosophy did not have any background in philosophy when they entered Harvard. And those students who have had encounters with philosophy tend to find that academic philosophy at the college level is quite different from what has come before. In other words, you're not at any disadvantage if you're coming to philosophy completely fresh.

To prepare students to succeed in the concentration, our introductory courses (numbered between 1 and 90) are designed to introduce students both to the topic of the course and the skills of writing philosophy papers and reading philosophical texts. We also offer writing support through our Department Writing Fellow. Because philosophical writing is so distinctive, students do not need to complete an Expos class before taking our classes. We will teach you philosophical writing in our classes. There is no requirement that you take an introductory course.

The philosophy concentration is non-linear. There is no set sequence of courses that students need, or even should, follow as they make their way through the concentration. Very few of our courses have explicit pre-requisites, so students can take courses in whatever order makes sense to them, given their intellectual goals and interests.

Very broadly speaking, the undergraduate curriculum falls into three parts. We offer introductory level courses, numbered between 1 and 90; tutorials, numbered 97 and 98; and more advanced courses for undergraduates and beginning graduate students, numbered 101-199. There are also two special courses, PHIL 91r and PHIL 99.

The department offers several options for those interested in philosophy: a primary concentration in Philosophy (including Honors eligibility); the Mind, Brain, and Behavior Track; and Joint Concentrations between philosophy and other disciplines.

If you're considering a joint concentration with philosophy, we strongly encourage you to talk to us about it early. Generally, we advise students that their intellectual interests need not be mirrored precisely by their choice of concentration or other aspects of the institution of the College. In practice, that means that students need not think of requiring "permission" to do interdisciplinary work by pursuing a joint concentration. By its nature, philosophy is interdisciplinary, and students interested in philosophical topics are encouraged to take classes in other disciplines that enrich their experience. We recognize this interdisciplinarity through the mechanism of so-called "related courses" in the different concentration tracks: courses from outside the philosophy department that a student can petition to count towards the philosophy concentration. We also value this interdisciplinarity in our students' theses. Students who draw on intellectual resources from outside philosophy as part of writing their honors thesis face no disadvantage in how their theses are evaluated.

Below you will find a detailed description of the requirements for each of our concentration offerings. As you'll see, all of the concentration pathways include distribution requirements within subareas of philosophy. Our courses fall into five such subareas. Here's a brief description of each, together with the abbreviation we use in our listing of which courses fit into which subareas. As you'll see, some courses fall into more than one category.

  • Logic ("Logic"): courses in logic.
  • Contemporary Metaphysics and Epistemology ("M&E"): courses in contemporary metaphysics and epistemology, broadly construed, so as to include philosophy of language, science, and mind.
  • Moral and Political Philosophy and Aesthetics ("M/P/A"): courses in ethics, moral and political philosophy, and aesthetics.
  • Ancient and Medieval Philosophy ("Ancient"): courses covering texts from the Ancient and Medieval periods, covering any topic.
  • Early Modern Philosophy ("Early Modern"): courses covering texts beginning in the Early Modern Period (roughly Descartes) and going all the way to the end of the 19th Century, on any topic. 
  • History Non-Honors: a few of our courses cover a very broad range of history, so that they don't cover either of the two previous eras in so much depth that they satisfy these requirements. However, they can be used to satisfy the history requirement for the non-honors track, since that is agnostic between the Ancient/Medieval and Early Modern eras.

If you have any questions about our concentration pathways or courses, please come to see any of us in the Office of Undergraduate Studies (link to Google Calendar). 

As you'll see, our different concentration tracks include distribution requirements within philosophy. A list of which subareas of philosophy each of the courses we offer satisfies is available below, as well.

Students interested in pursuing a secondary in Philosophy are advised to consult the requirements in the Harvard College Handbook for Students.

Philosophy Basic Requirements: 11 courses (44 credits)

  1. Required courses:
    1. One course in each of the following four areas, taken by the end of the first term of senior year and passed with a grade of C– or better:
      1. Logic.
      2. Contemporary metaphysics, epistemology, philosophy of science, philosophy of mind, philosophy of language.
      3. Contemporary ethics, political philosophy, aesthetics.
      4. History of philosophy. 
    2. Tutorials: Two courses. See item 2 below. 
    3. Five additional courses in philosophy.
  2. Tutorials:
    1. Tutorial I: PHIL 97, group tutorials at the introductory level on different philosophical topics, required. Letter-graded. A one-semester course typically taken in the spring of the sophomore year.
    2. Tutorial II: PHIL 98, group tutorials at the advanced level on different philosophical topics, required. Letter-graded. A one-semester course typically taken fall or spring of the junior year. Under exceptional circumstances, and with permission of the Director of Undergraduate Studies, a student may substitute a 100-level course in philosophy to meet this requirement.
  3. Thesis: None.
  4. General Examination: None.
  5. Other information::
    1. Philosophy courses may include courses listed under Philosophy in the course search in courses.my.harvard.edu.
    2. Pass/fail: All courses counted for the concentration must be letter-graded or Sat/Unsat.
    3. No more than four courses numbered lower than 91 may be counted for the concentration.

Requirements for Honors Eligibility (Thesis): 11 courses (44 credits)

  1. Required courses:
    1. One course in each of the following three areas, taken by the end of the first term of senior year and passed with a grade of C– or better:
      1. Logic.
      2. Contemporary metaphysics, epistemology, philosophy of science, philosophy of mind, philosophy of language.
      3. Contemporary ethics, political philosophy, aesthetics.
    2. Two courses in the history of philosophy.
    3. Tutorials: Four courses. See item 2 below.
    4. Two additional courses in philosophy.
  2. Tutorials:
    1. Same as Basic Requirements.
    2. Senior Tutorial: PHIL 99, individual supervision of senior thesis. Permission of  the Director of Undergraduate Studies is required for enrollment. Graded SAT/UNSAT. Honors candidates ordinarily enroll in both fall and spring terms. Enrolled students who fail to submit a thesis when due must, to receive a grade above UNSAT for the course, submit a substantial paper no later than the beginning of the spring term Reading Period.
  3. Thesis: Required of all senior honors candidates. Due at the Tutorial Office on the Friday after spring recess. No more than 20,000 words (approximately 65 pages). Oral examination on the thesis, by two readers, during the first week of spring Reading Period.
  4. General Examination: None.
  5. Other information: Same as Basic Requirements.

Requirements for Honors Eligibility (Non-Thesis): 12 courses (48 credits)

Students who earn honors through this track are only eligible to graduate with honors, not with high or highest honors.

  1. Required courses:
    1. One course in each of the following three areas, taken by the end of the first term of senior year and passed with a grade of C– or better:
      1. Logic.
      2. Contemporary metaphysics, epistemology, philosophy of science, philosophy of mind, philosophy of language.
      3. Contemporary ethics, political philosophy, aesthetics.
    2. Two courses in the history of philosophy.
    3. Tutorials: Two courses courses. See item 2 below.
    4. Seven additional courses in Philosophy. 
  2. Tutorials:
    1. Same as Basic Requirements.
  3. Thesis: None.
  4. General Examination: None.
  5. Other information:
    1. Same as Basic Requirements.
    2. Students must have an honors GPA of 3.7 or above. A student’s honors GPA is computed as follows: All and only the courses that count toward concentration GPA count toward the honors GPA. Courses are weighted according to the year in which they are taken.
      1. Courses in the first year are weighted normally.
      2. Courses in the second year are weighted with a multiplier of 1.2.
      3. Courses in the third year are weighted with a multiplier of 1.4.
      4. Courses in the fourth year are weighted with multiplier of 1.5.

Mind, Brain, and Behavior Track: 15 courses (60 credits)

Students interested in studying philosophical questions that arise in connection with the sciences of mind, brain, and behavior may pursue a program of study affiliated with the University-wide Mind/Brain/Behavior (MBB) Initiative, which allows them to participate in a variety of related activities. MBB track programs must be approved on an individual basis by the Philosophy MBB advisor. Further information can be obtained from the Undergraduate Coordinator.

  1. Required courses:
    1. Three basic MBB courses:
      1. PSY 1 (previously SLS 20).
      2. Molecular and Cellular Biology 80.
      3. Junior year seminar in Mind, Brain, and Behavior.
    2. Philosophy 156.
    3. One course in logic.
    4. Two further courses in contemporary metaphysics, epistemology, philosophy of science, philosophy of mind, or philosophy of language.
    5. Two courses drawn from ethics/political philosophy/aesethetics or the history of philosophy in any combination. 
    6. Two further MBB-listed courses from outside the Philosophy department, to be selected in consultation with the MBB adviser.
  2. Tutorials:
    1. Tutorial I: Same as Basic Requirements.
    2. Tutorial II: Same as  Basic Requirements.
    3. Senior Tutorial: Same as Requirements for Honors Eligibility.
  3. General Examination: None.
  4. Other information: Same as Basic Requirements.

Joint Concentrations: Philosophy as Primary Concentration

8 courses in Philosophy (36 credits)

  1. Required courses:
    1. One course in each of the four areas (see item 1.a. of Basic Requirements)
    2. Four additional courses in philosophy; tutorials count toward this requirement.
    3. At least four courses in the other field. Many departments require more; consult the Head Tutor or DUS of the other field.
  2. Tutorial:
    1. Tutorial I: Same as Basic Requirements
    2. Tutorial II: Same as Basic Requirements
  3. Thesis: Required as for honors eligibility in Philosophy but must relate to both fields. Oral examination by twoo readers, one from each department.
  4. General examination: None required in Philosophy.
  5. Other information:
    1. No more than two courses numbered lower than 91may be counted for the concentration.
    2. Other requirements are the same as Basic Requirements

Joint Concentrations: Another Field as Primary Concentration

6 courses in Philosophy (24 credits)

  1. Required courses:
    1. One course in three of the four areas (see item 1.a. of Basic Requirements)
    2. Three additional courses in philosophy; tutorial counts toward this requirement.
  2. Tutorial: Tutorial I (PHIL 97), usually taken in the junior year.
  3. Thesis: Required. Must relate to both fields. Directed in the primary field; one reader from Philosophy.
  4. General Examination: None required in Philosophy.
  5. Other information:
    1. No more than two courses numbered lower than 91 may be counted for the concentration.
    2. Other requirements are the same as Basic Requirements.

Secondary Field Requirements

REQUIREMENTS: 6 courses (24 credits)

 

General Philosophy

A selection of courses from across the discipline.

  1. PHIL 97: Tutorial I.
  2. Three courses covering three of the four areas, as categorized on the Philosophy Department website:
    1. History of Philosophy.
    2. Contemporary Moral and Political Philosophy and Aesthetics.
    3. Contemporary Metaphysics and Epistemology, broadly construed.
    4. Logic.
  3. One other course in Philosophy. An introductory course in the Department (numbered below 91) is preferred, but in consultation with the Director of Undergraduate Studies, students may elect to forego taking an introductory course.
  4. One other Philosophy course.

Value Theory

Examination of historical and contemporary theories about the basis and content of such moral and political concepts as the good, obligation, justice, equality, rights, and freedom. This also includes issues in aesthetics.

  1. PHIL 97: Tutorial I.
  2. Three courses in contemporary moral and political philosophy and aesthetics, as categorized on the Philosophy Department website.
  3. One other course in Philosophy. An introductory course in the department in contemporary moral and political philosophy or aesthetics (numbered below 91) is preferred, but in consultation with the Director of Undergraduate Studies, students may elect to forego taking an introductory course.
  4. One other Philosophy course.

Contemporary Metaphysics and Epistemology

Examination of issues in Metaphysics and Epistemology, broadly construed, so as to also include philosophy of language, science, and mind.

  1. PHIL 97: Tutorial I.
  2. One course in logic.
  3. Two courses in metaphysics and epistemology, broadly construed, as categorized on the Philosophy Department website.
  4. One other course in philosophy. An introductory course in the department in metaphysics and epistemology, broadly construed (numbered below 91) is preferred, but in consultation with the Director of Undergraduate Studies, students may elect to forego taking an introductory course.
  5. One other Philosophy course.

History of Philosophy

A close study of elements of the history of philosophy.
 
  1. PHIL 97: Tutorial I.
  2. Three courses in the history of philosophy, as categorized on the Philosophy Department website.
  3. One other course in Philosophy. An introductory course in the department in the history of philosophy (numbered below 91) is preferred, but in consultation with the Director of Undergraduate Studies, students may elect to forego taking an introductory course.
  4. One other Philosophy course.

 

Declaring a Concentration

To declare Philosophy as your concentration or as a primary or allied field in a joint concentration, you should first meet with one of us in the Director of Undergraduate Studies Office. We are:
 

Ned Hall (DUS): ehall@fas.harvard.edu

Seth Robertson (Associate DUS): srobertson@fas.harvard.edu

Ryan Sirk (Assistant DUS): sirk@g.harvard.edu

You can sign up for appointments by following this link. After the meeting, we will approve your concentration declaration request in my.harvard.

If you are declaring a joint or double concentration, you should also follow the declaration instructions for your other field. Double concentrations also require that students submit two signed copies of the Double Concentration Form, one for each concentration.