The Philosophy Department contributes a number of courses to the Marquette Core Curriculum, including Foundation-Tier Courses, Discovery-Tier Courses, Writing-Intensive Courses, and second-level Engaging Social Systems and Values (ESSV) Courses.

Foundation-Tier Courses

In addition to PHIL 1001 (Foundations in Philosophy), the Philosophy Department teaches numerous sections of CORE 1929 (Foundations in Methods of Inquiry)—each taught by a different instructor with a different point of view and expertise in different times and place. Offered each semester.

Discovery-Tier Courses

Each student must take at least four courses in one Discovery-Tier theme; at least one of these courses must be a Humanities course, although students can choose to take two Humanities courses if they choose. The Philosophy Department offers multiple courses each term in all of the Discovery-Tier themes. Students can count up to two Discovery-Tier courses to their primary major.

Basic Needs and Justice

PHIL 3501 - Philosophy of War and Peace
PHIL 3502 - Narrating Freedom: Gender, Race and Mass Incarceration
PHIL 3660 - Marx and Marxism
PHIL 3710 - Political Philosophy (from Spring 25) 
PHIL 3751 - Philosophy and History of Crime and Punishment
PHIL 4320 - Contemporary Ethical Problems
PHIL 4330 - Business Ethics
PHIL 4335 - Biomedical Ethics

Cognition, Intelligence, Memory

PHIL 2010 / INCG 2010 - Introduction to Cognitive Science - new addition to major!
PHIL 3370 - Philosophy of Art   
PHIL 3450 - Epistemology         
PHIL 3460 - Philosophy of Language   
PHIL 3504 - Ethics and the Function of Reason in Human Life
PHIL 3620 - Medieval Philosophy         
PHIL 3650 - Early Modern Philosophy  
PHIL 4450 - Philosophy of Mind

Crossing Boundaries

PHIL 3390 - Latin American Philosophy
PHIL 3507 - Global Justice
PHIL 3508 - Caribbean Philosophy
PHIL 3780 - Africana Philosophy

Expanding Our Horizons

PHIL 3350 - Philosophy of the Environment
PHIL 3410 - Metaphysics (from Spring 25)
PHIL 3470 - Philosophy of Technology - new course for 25-26!
PHIL 3610 - Ancient Philosophy 
PHIL 4470 - Philosophy of Science

Individuals and Communities

PHIL 2310 - Theory of Ethics
PHIL 3503 - The Ethics of Intimacy
PHIL 3506 - Philosophy of Race
PHIL 3509 - Philosophy of Disability
PHIL 3710 - Political Philosophy
PHIL 3770 - Feminist Philosophy 

Writing-Intensive Courses

PHIL 3610 - Ancient Philosophy
PHIL 3505 - Philosophy of Film
PHIL 4954 - Writing-Intensive Seminar in Philosophy - new course for 25-26!

Engaging Social Systems and Values 2 Courses

PHIL 3502 - Narrating Freedom: Gender, Race and Mass Incarceration
PHIL 3507 - Global Justice

Culminating Experience

Philosophy faculty teach half of the numerous sections of CORE 4929 The Service of Faith and Promotion of Justice, a culminating course that further integrates the Marquette Core experience, emphasizing reflection on and application of knowledge and skills developed in the Core. A special focus on vocation and discernment invites students to evaluate their course work at Marquette alongside their own worldview.

 

[Updated Dec 2024]