Minor in Philosophy

Many students are interested in pursuing the big questions raised by philosophy, but are unable to complete a major in Philosophy because of other degrees they are pursuing at Notre Dame. For these students, a minor in Philosophy can be an excellent option. 

The minor in Philosophy, like the major, gives students access to small intensive seminars taught by leading philosophers which are restricted to majors and minors. These courses, which average between 7 and 12 students per course, give students an opportunity to work closely with members of Notre Dame's world class philosophy faculty.

Requirements

The minor consists of -- in addition to the two university-required philosophy courses -- four further courses in Philosophy. These are:

• Ancient & medieval philosophy
• Modern philosophy
• Two other seminars of the student's choosing. These must both be at the 30000-level or above, and at least one must be at the 40000-level.

Both of the first two courses are taught every semester, and the four courses can be taken in any order. This makes a minor in Philosophy unusually easy to combine with other majors and with study abroad.

Other Ways to Minor in Philosophy

This is not, however, the only way to pursue a minor involving further study of philosophy. Students with interests in science or mathematics and their connection to philosophy may be interested in the program in Philosophy, Science, in Mathematics, which includes both major and minor tracks. Other students may be interested in the minor in Philosophy, Politics, and Economics (PPE) or the minor in Philosophy, Religion, and Literature (PRL).