- Nazareth Strengths
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Example Careers/Outcomes
- Law
- Business
- Education
- Public/government service
- Religious studies
- Technical writing
Internships/Field Experiences
- 7.4% of Nazareth students study abroad during their time at the College (relative to 4.7 percent of students nationally).
- Nazareth students traveled to 24 countries in the 2010-2011 academic year, from Australia to Tanzania.
Graduate Schools/Employers
- Syracuse University
- Duquesne University
- Nome Community Center, Nome, AK
- SUNY Geneseo
Alumni Spotlight
Josh Hines '11
“Studying philosophy made me more in touch with how I wanted to connect myself to
my career. What philosophy gave me is a better understanding of who I am and what
I can do.”
"For you know well, my dear Crito, that to express oneself badly is not only faulty as far as the language goes, but does some harm to the soul!"
- Plato, Phaedo 115E
Why Choose Nazareth for Philosophy?
The Philosophy Program at Nazareth College is not simply about asking life's big questions. It is rigorous and intensive training for the mind, requiring an unflinching spirit of inquiry and the highest order of intellectual discipline.
The program focuses on the history of philosophy ranging from the Ancient Greeks to the 21st century feminists. Students will read a variety of authors and their works—from Plato to Emerson, Aquinas to Heidegger, and Kant to Nietzsche. The program is unique in that students have the opportunity to study philosophy abroad—Nazareth offers a wide variety of international study abroad programs in Germany, Hungary, and elsewhere.
Some of our students go on to pursue graduate studies and careers in academia, either in philosophy or a related field. Philosophy also provides the skills and breadth of knowledge required for a wide range of professions.
Program Highlights
- A close-knit community of scholars devoted to the debate and study of philosophical issues.
- Emphasis on critical reading, writing, and thinking, and on cultivating the skills needed to make reasoned arguments.
- Opportunities for independent research and study abroad.
- Upper-level seminar-style classes with training in the philosophical method.
- A wide variety of courses that explore philosophy's relationship to virtually all aspects of society.
Department Chair
Dr. Scott Campbell
585-389-2719
scampbe8@naz.edu
GAC - 499
Dr. Campbell received his B.A. from the University of Virginia and both his M.A. and Ph.D. from Boston College. His major research interests include the the nature of the human being and the philosophical analysis on the concept of life. In particular, he is interested in the problem of language and the role that language plays in human life.
Typical Class Schedule
Freshman Year
- Modern Foreign Language Credits: 6
- Math and Science Perspectives I Credits: 7
- Philosophy Perspectives I Credits: 3
- Other Perspective I Credits: 6
As well as:
- ENGW 101 - College Writing I: Exposition
- ENGW 102 - College Writing II: Argument & Research
- ACS 101 - Academic and College Success
- FYS course taken with ACS 101
Sophomore Year
- Perspectives I Credits: 9
- Math/Science Perspectives II Credits: 3
- Electives Credits: 3
- Liberal Arts Electives Credits: 3
- Other Perspectives II Credits: 6
As well as:
- PHL 201 - PII Logic and Inquiry II
- PHL 312 - PII Ethics
Junior Year
- Liberal Arts Electives Credits: 3
- Perspectives II Credits: 3
- Electives Credits: 12
- Philosophy Electives Credits: 6
And two of the following Historically Oriented Philosophy Courses:
- PHL 320 - PII Ancient Philosophy
- or PHL 325 - PII Philosophy & History of Sicily
- PHL 330 - Medieval Philosophy
- PHL 340 - Modern Philosophy
- PHL 350 - PII Contemporary Philosophy
Senior Year
- Electives Credits: 18
- Philosophy Electives Credits: 6
As well as:
One of the following Historically Oriented Philosophy Courses:
- PHL 320 - PII Ancient Philosophy
- or PHL 325 - PII Philosophy and History of Sicily
- PHL 330 - Medieval Philosophy
- PHL 340 - Modern Philosophy
- PHL 350 - PII Contemporary Philosophy
And one of the following Philosophy Honors Seminars:
- PHL 401, 402, 403, 404 - Honors Seminar
Plus:
- PHL 499 - Philosophy Comprehensive
Program Requirements
Major Program Requirements
Philosophy majors are required to complete 33 credits in philosophy, ten courses beyond the introductory course required by the college, and to pass the comprehensive examination in philosophy (see description below). Majors are required to take the following core courses:
- PI Philosophical Inquiry (PHL 101)
- PII Logic and Inquiry (PHL 201)
- PII Ethics (PHL 212 or 312)
- Three of four historically oriented courses(Ancient Philosophy (PHL 320 or PHL 325), Medieval Philosophy (PHL 330) Modern Philosophy (PHL 340), Contemporary Philosophy (PHL 350))
- At least one Philosophy Seminar
Philosophy majors are strongly encouraged to take at least one course in each of the following areas: ancient or medieval literature, ancient or medieval history, a classical language (Greek or Latin), and Old or New Testament Literature.
In addition, Philosophy majors are expected to attend Department Colloquia.
Minor Program Requirements
For students majoring in another area, a philosophy minor consists of 18 credits including the college philosophy requirement (PHL 101).
Senior Comprehensive Exam
Each philosophy major is required to write a substantial philosophical essay (3500 words), the topic of which is selected with departmental advisement, and defend that thesis publicly within the final semester of course work (as part of the Department's Colloquium Series). The comprehensive examination is a graduation requirement; the candidate will receive one of five possible grades: fail, low pass, pass, high pass, and pass with distinction.
Past Exam Titles Include:
- 'The Ethics of Freedom: A Comparative Essay on the Moral Philosophy of Kant and Sartre'
- 'Miracles, A Philosophical Conception: Hume, Aquinas, and Kant on the Miraculous'
- 'Confronting Mortality: Socrates, Camus and Kafka on Death and Suicide'
- 'Overcoming Human Nature'
- 'Who Are We? An Analysis of How Human Nature Shapes Personal Identity'
- 'How to Treat a Recalcitrant Patient/Student: Reflections on Medicine and Philosophy'
- 'The More You Understand, The More You Realize You Don't Understand'
- 'Impediments to Wisdom: Insights into the Body-Soul Problem'
- 'Avoiding Error: Recognizing the Finitude of Understanding'
- 'Fear and Anxiety in Dostoyevsky's Writings: A Comparative Analysis'
- 'Problem Solving and Contemplation'
- 'Self Improvement and the Active Moral Philosophy: A Search for the Moral Standard'
- 'Knowing the Way to the Marketplace: An Examination of Humans in Society'
- 'The Mystery of Evil'
- 'The Problem of Opposites: Unity, Interdependence, and the Role of Consciousness'
- 'Philosophical Proofs of God'
- 'The Development of Friendship in Human Nature through the Character of Love'
- 'Philosophy: Doctrine or Activity?'
- 'Free Will and Dostoyevsky's 'Underground Man''
- 'Concerning the Problem of Innate Ideas'
- 'On the Problem of Evil'
- 'Ownership and Labor'
- 'Injustice as Illness: Plato and Dostoyevsky'
- 'Literature and Moral Philosophy
Philosophy Department Award
The Philosophy Award honors an outstanding graduating student of Philosophy. The selection of the recipient is based upon the student's presentation of an original paper in a department colloquium (as part of the Senior Comprehensive Exam); performance in philosophy classes throughout the student's course of study at Nazareth College; and the student's contribution to the philosophical life of the department.
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