Philosophy

The study of philosophy develops and refines a rigorous, analytic understanding of certain of our fundamental concepts, including knowledge, reason, truth and value. Since all other disciplines in academia rely on the use of such concepts, the study of philosophy is essential for an education directed toward completeness.

The study of philosophy also yields other tangible academic benefits. It has been shown that philosophy students scored at least five percentage points above average in admission tests for professional and graduate schools in America. No other subject matches philosophy in this respect. Philosophy students do better in examinations for business and management school than anyone except mathematicians.

With employment opportunities beyond academia growing—consultants to hospitals, state legislatures, Congress, genetic engineering firms and artificial intelligence companies—there has also been a proliferation of philosophical journals focused on such topics as the allocation of scarce medical resources, abortion, euthanasia, war, disposal of nuclear waste, corporate responsibility, and fair profit, etc.

The Associate in Arts for Transfer degree in Philosophy provides students with the foundational knowledge necessary to make a successful transition into a Baccalaureate Degree at any of the CSU campuses. The Associate Degree for Transfer (AA-T or AS-T) is a special degree offered at California Community Colleges. Students who earn an AA-T or AS-T degree are guaranteed admission to a campus within the California State University (CSU) system in a similar major, although not necessarily to a specific campus. Students who complete an AA-T or AS-T are given priority consideration when applying to a particular program that is similar to the student’s community college major, and will be given a special GPA advantage when applying to CSU impacted campuses or majors.

Students should consult with an academic counselor when choosing electives in order to develop a program of study that is best suited to their specific needs. For example, requirements for the baccalaureate degree in Philosophy vary from one institution to another. It is, therefore, essential to become familiar with the requirements of the institution that a student plans to attend.

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Requirements

Associate Degree for Transfer Graduation Requirements

Complete all of the following:

1. All Major Requirements listed below with a “C” or better or "P" in each course.
2. Cal-GETC pattern.
3. At least 60 CSU transferable semester units.
4. Achieve a minimum GPA of 2.0 in all CSU transferable coursework.
5. A minimum of 12 units through SBCC.

Students are advised to consult the CSU ADT Major & Campus Search database to determine which bachelor's degree programs offered by the CSU campuses are deemed similar to the AA-T in Philosophy. Students are also advised to consult ASSIST (www.assist.org) and to meet with an academic counselor to discuss the best combination of courses to take for their AA-T to ensure they receive the admission benefits associated with it, and to meet the requirements of the transfer institution to which they are intending to transfer.

Learning Outcomes

1. Demonstrate knowledge of the historically significant questions, problems and theories in the major areas of philosophy (epistemology, metaphysics, value theory, logic), including the views and arguments of the major representative philosophers who have addressed these issues.
2. Demonstrate knowledge of the basic rules and principles of logic, including the skill and knowledge of identifying, analyzing and evaluating arguments.
3. Demonstrate knowledge of the questions, problems, issues and theories that characterize the major historical periods of Western philosophy (Ancient, Medieval, Modern and Contemporary), as well as the views of the some major philosophers within these periods.
4. Demonstrate knowledge of the complexity of the human condition, including knowledge of the significance of feelings, emotions and cultural/historical influences on philosophical thinking and methodology.
5. Demonstrate critical thinking skills, virtues and attitudes in the exploration of issues; these include intellectual humility, empathy, fairness, open-mindedness and respect for the intellectual standards of clarity, accuracy, precision, relevance, scope, depth and coherence.
6. Demonstrate proficiency in philosophical writing, which includes presenting a philosophical thesis, supporting that thesis with arguments, and articulating and responding to counter-arguments.

Recommended Sequence

Make an appointment with your SBCC academic counselor through Starfish to create a Student Education Plan that reflects a recommended course sequence for this program that is tailored to your individual needs.

How to schedule an Academic Counseling appointment.