Honors in Philosophy

The purpose of the Honors in Philosophy Program is to identify exceptional philosophy students and to encourage and recognize the development of their potential.

Eligibility Requirements:

To add the Honors Major, you must:

1. Be a declared Philosophy Major;
2. Have completed a minimum of 9 units of Upper Division Philosophy courses at CSUN;
3. Maintain a GPA of 3.5 or above in courses counting toward completion of the Major and a GPA of 3.3 or above in all courses taken at CSUN; and
4. Obtain the recommendation of a full-time faculty member.
5. Complete a "Change of Major Petition" (the process is outlined here).

Requirements for Graduating with Honors in Philosophy:

1. Complete a minimum of 45 units in letter-graded courses taken at CSUN;
2. Complete the requirements for a B.A. Degree in Philosophy with a GPA of 3.5 or above in courses counting toward completion of the Major and a GPA of 3.3 or above in all courses taken at CSUN;
3. Complete an Honors Thesis consisting of a minimum of 5,000 words (where the Thesis is a component of the coursework in Phil 497: Senior Seminar).
4. Earn a grade of “A” or “A-” in Phil 497: Senior Seminar.

Students who successfully complete the above requirements are graduated with Honors in Philosophy and receive a special certificate from the Department. The designation “Honors in Philosophy” is noted on the student’s transcript and academic record.

Students enrolled in the Honors Option who do not earn an A or A- in Phil 497 (or who are otherwise unable to maintain the GPA requirements for this option) will be automatically transferred to the Standard Major without penalty.