The Philosophy Department at SJSU can offer you a Philosophy Program of very high quality, small classes in your major, an active student body, and support for your academic growth. The Department of Philosophy has been recognized for its breadth and the scholarly activity of its faculty. The Department is strong in traditional areas of philosophy and active in innovative ones (e.g., Feminist Philosophy; Applied Philosophy). The Department is noted for its treatment of philosophy in a global context (Comparative Philosophy; Asian Philosophy; African and African American Philosophies), and for its engagement with issues reflecting itsSilicon Valley setting (Computers and Philosophy; Science, Technology and Human Values; Philosophy of Technology; Philosophy of Science).
For more information about the programs that we offer, please visit the curriculum section of our site.
Department Mission Statement
The Philosophy Department has four missions similar to, and based on, the university missions:
- To enrich the lives of its students through philosophical study, discussion, and reflection
- To transmit knowledge of philosophy to its students along with
- The necesssary skills for applying it in service of our society (helping bring philosophical ideas to bear on important community issues), and
- To expand the base of knowledge through promotion of faculty and student research and scholarship in philosophy.
These missions are distinct but mutually supportive.
BA Philoshophy Learning Outcomes
Students will
- be able to identify and discuss, in both written and oral fashion, major figures and ideas in various historical periods and in various traditions from around the world
- be able to identify and discuss, in both written and oral fashion, core areas of Philosophy
- be able to identify and discuss, in both written and oral fashion, the methods used in various major philosophical traditions
- have the ability to read texts carefully and to identify and critique the arguments expressed in these texts
- have the ability to understand oral presentations and to identify and critique the arguments expressed in these communications
- have the ability to successfully carry out research projects
- have the ability to successfully collect and evaluate information
- have high level skills in communication and critical inquiry
- have an ability to critically reflect on issues in the sciences, social sciences, humanities and arts, and express this reflection in both written and oral forms
- have an understanding of the demands of responsible citizenship and an understanding of how to make and defend ethical choices
- have an understanding of the ways in which culture, race, ethnicity, gender, economic class, sexual orientation, and national membership influence perceptions about reality, knowledge, and value
MA Philosophy Learning Outcomes
Graduates with a MA in Philosophy will:
- be able to identify and discuss, both orally and in a sustained major written essay, and in a written exam taken without the benefit of notes, major figures and ideas in various historical periods and in various traditions from around the world.
- be able to identify and discuss, both orally and in a sustained major written essay, core areas of Philosophy.
- be able to identify and discuss, both orally and in a sustained major written essay, the methods used in various major philosophical traditions, and
- have the ability to read texts carefully and to identify and critique the arguments expressed in these texts.
- develop and present in written and oral form their own philosophical positions and defend them using philosophically sound reasoning.
- have the ability to understand oral presentations and to identify and critique the arguments expressed in these communications.
- have high level skills in communication, critical inquiry and the ability to collect and evaluate information successfully,
- demonstrate intellectual curiosity and academic integrity, as well as high level writing and research skills, in their own original research.
- have an ability to reflect critically on issues in the sciences, social sciences, humanities and arts, and express this reflection in both oral and written forms.
- have an understanding of the demands of responsible citizenship and an understanding of how to make and defend ethical choices.
- have an understanding of the ways in which culture, race, ethnicity, gender, economic class, sexual orientation, and national membership influence perceptions about reality, knowledge and value.
- be able to teach and assess all these skills and competencies at the lower division undergraduate level.
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