Philosophy, Major
- Western Sydney University Major Code: 0028
Previous Code: M1058.1
Available to students in other Western Sydney University Programs: Yes. Check that your program has the available credit points required to complete the subjects in this field of study. Any requisite requirements must also be met. Consult your Program Advisor for further advice.
Philosophy has always asked the “big questions” about our lives. These are questions, for example, about the limits of our knowledge, the best way that humans can live together, how we understand the world around us, and what is the good life. A philosophy major will enable students to develop particular skills and attributes - such as clear thinking, capacities to assess arguments and values, sound understanding of important philosophical views that have always been essential to university scholarship, and which continue to be valuable for graduates in both public and private life.
Location
| Campus | Mode | Advice |
|---|---|---|
| Bankstown Campus | Internal | enquiriesHCA@uws.edu.au |
| Parramatta Campus - Victoria Road | Internal | enquiriesHCA@uws.edu.au |
Major Structure
Students must complete 80 credit points as follows.
Complete the following four compulsory units.
| Subject | Title | Credit Points |
|---|---|---|
| PHIL 3006 | Books that Changed how we Think | 10 |
| PHIL 1001 | Ethics and Philosophy | 10 |
| PHIL 1006 | Introduction to Philosophy | 10 |
| PHIL 2014 | Thinkers That Changed the World | 10 |
Select four subjects from the following pools, with no fewer than two Level 3 subjects.
Note: not all subjects will be offered each year. Subjects will be offered on a rotational basis.
| Subject | Title | Credit Points |
|---|---|---|
Level 2 Pool Subjects | ||
| Ancient Western Culture: Periclean Athens | ||
| The Ethical Life | ||
| Thinking Cinema | ||
| Truth and Knowledge | ||
| Western Political Philosophy | ||
Level 3 Pool Subjects | ||
| Aesthetics | ||
| Classics of Modern Philosophy | ||
| Ethics in Historical Perspective | ||
| Literature and Philosophy | ||
| Philosophies of Love and Death | ||
| Philosophy and Environment | ||
| Philosophy of History | ||
| Philosophy of Race and Racism | ||
| Philosophy of Religion | ||
| Theories of Conflict and Violence | ||
| Theories of Authority | ||
| Thought and Action in Greece and Rome | ||
| Understanding Freedom | ||
| Understanding Power | ||
| What is the Human? | ||
Equivalent Subjects
The subjects listed below count towards completion of the major for students who passed these subjects in 2021 or earlier.
PHIL 2005 - Case Studies in Philosophy: Thinker, replaced by PHIL 2014 Thinkers That Changed the World
PHIL 3007 - Case Studies in Philosophy: Text, replaced by PHIL 3006 Books that Changed how we Think
PHIL 2006 - Key Philosophers, replaced by PHIL 2014 Thinkers That Changed the World
PHIL 3014 - Philosophy in Focus, replaced by PHIL 3006 Books that Changed how we Think
BEHV 3013 - Humanities Internship, no longer offered as part of this major.
PHIL 2008 - Philosophy and the Good Life, no longer offered as part of this major.