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2020-2021

Bachelor of Arts: Philosophy

VCU

Community college:
Associate of Science: General Studies (Brightpoint Community College (program-specific pathway))
Brightpoint Community College
Associate degree

Associate of Science: General Studies

Program description

Philosophy aims at a deeper understanding of matters that should most concern the human race. Philosophical questions crop up in science, religion, art, morality, politics, medicine and in everyday life. Students enrolled in philosophy are encouraged to think seriously about fundamental issues in all these domains and to formulate coherent and well-grounded points of view. Because of its extensive use of critical and analytical reasoning, philosophy equips students for careers in medicine, law, business and other fields that require careful thought and the clear expression of ideas.

Majors intending to pursue graduate studies in philosophy are advised to follow this curriculum.

Career opportunities

An undergraduate degree in Philosophy is good preparation for graduate study in areas such as law or public administration. Obtain leadership roles in school or community organizations. Excellent verbal and written communication skills are imperative for most careers related to law, politics, or government. Gain experience in fundraising and grant writing techniques. Nonprofit and educational organizations are often funded in this manner. Part-time and summer jobs, internships, and volunteer positions are critical to gaining the experience and skills that employers seek.

Bachelor-level job titles
  • Compliance Manager
  • Congressional Aide
  • Editor
  • Labor Relations Specialist
  • Management Analyst
  • Medical Records and Health Information Technicians
  • Paralegal
  • Social and Human Services Assistant
  • Social Science Research Assistant
  • Technical Writer
  • Technical writer
Graduate and professional level job titles
  • Attorney
  • Legislator
  • Policy Advisor
  • Religious Leader or Chaplain
Contact information

 

VCU Transfer Center

Telephone: (804) 827-1349

Email: transferinfo@vcu.edu

Transfer Advising Request

VCCS Transfer Planning Checklist


Office of Admissions

Telephone: (804) 828-1222 or (800) 841-3638

Email: ugrad@vcu.edu
Apply Here.

Guaranteed transfer admission requirements

Completion of associate degree
Minimum GPA of 2.5
All courses must be completed with a grade of "C" or better

Degree requirements in Bulletin
Plan of study in Bulletin
Requirements
Highest level of math required
  • MATH 131
Science required
  • Core only
Foreign language requirements
  • Yes
Additional tuition/fees
  • No
GPA requirements (to progress/graduate in the major)
  • 2.0 overall and in the major
VCU Major Maps

View VCU Major Map for Philosophy

Transfer major map
Visit majormaps.vcu.edu for the online version with links.
Sponsored by the Office of the Provost
Major map compass icon
2020-2021

Bachelor of Arts: Philosophy

Brightpoint Community College (program-specific pathway) (Associate of Science: General Studies)

MAXIMIZE COURSE AND DEGREE PLANNING GET CONNECTED WITH YOUR COMMUNITY DEVELOP CULTURAL AGILITY EXPLORE CAREERS AND DEVELOP ESSENTIAL SKILLS PREPARING FOR LIFE AFTER COLLEGE
Explore Year 1
  • Attend Tyler Orientation.
  • Log into Navigate and view its features to help you on your pathway.
  • Register for SDV course.
  • Be prepared for academic challenges in your classes. Visit the Academic Resource Center on either campus.
  • Schedule an appointment with your academic advisor each semester and cultivate relationships with your professors.
  • Apply to the John Tyler Pathways Program.
  • Consider learning a foreign language to open doors to international organizations and future study.
  • Attend VCU’s annual Intercultural Festival or another community intercultural event.
  • Attend cultural events at community college and/or VCU and celebrate diversity.
  • Browse the career coach for jobs related to Philosophy.
  • Explore the community college’s iGrad Job Genius Search Engine to look into building a career and financial future.
  • Build a LinkedIn profile.
  • Understand how you will fund your education by taking advantage of free Financial Aid counseling.
  • Use the career coach to take a career assessment.
  • Assess your preparation for a career by completing a Gap Analysis.
  • Familiarize yourself with the Career Services offered at Community College and VCU and explore Career Pathways on VCU Career Services’ Website.
  • Practice independent living skills (such as money management, self-care, time management, and personal responsibility).
Experience Year 2
  • Attend a talk or other event sponsored by the Department of Philosophy.
  • Visit the VCU campus and attend a transfer admission session.
  • Research housing for next year.
  • Take service-learning classes or volunteer to address a current issue through ConnectVA or HandsOnRVA.
  • Learn about short-term, semester and year-long study abroad options.
  • Attend VCU cultural events, including the monthly Global Café, VCU Diversity Scholars in Research week, or Department of Philosophy-related events.
  • Find out about VCU REAL.
  • Attend Career & Internship Fairs at community college or VCU to explore your interests.
  • Create, upload and update your resume to the College Central Network.
  • Acquire career related experience (e.g., job, internship, organization involvement).
  • Run for leadership in your student organization.
  • If your GPA is 3.5 or higher, consider applying for the VCU Honors College.
  • Conduct informational interviews or shadow someone in a field of career interest.
  • Consider who you would like to have serve as professional and academic references for future letters of recommendation.
  • Use the cost calculator to estimate your tuition/fees as an upperclassman at VCU.
  • Take advantage of free Financial Aid counseling.

Explore
MAXIMIZE COURSE AND DEGREE PLANNING
  • Attend Tyler Orientation.
  • Log into Navigate and view its features to help you on your pathway.
  • Register for SDV course.
  • Be prepared for academic challenges in your classes. Visit the Academic Resource Center on either campus.
  • Schedule an appointment with your academic advisor each semester and cultivate relationships with your professors.
  • Apply to the John Tyler Pathways Program.
GET CONNECTED WITH YOUR COMMUNITY
DEVELOP CULTURAL AGILITY
  • Consider learning a foreign language to open doors to international organizations and future study.
  • Attend VCU’s annual Intercultural Festival or another community intercultural event.
  • Attend cultural events at community college and/or VCU and celebrate diversity.
EXPLORE CAREERS AND DEVELOP ESSENTIAL SKILLS
  • Browse the career coach for jobs related to Philosophy.
  • Explore the community college’s iGrad Job Genius Search Engine to look into building a career and financial future.
  • Build a LinkedIn profile.
PREPARING FOR LIFE AFTER COLLEGE
  • Understand how you will fund your education by taking advantage of free Financial Aid counseling.
  • Use the career coach to take a career assessment.
  • Assess your preparation for a career by completing a Gap Analysis.
  • Familiarize yourself with the Career Services offered at Community College and VCU and explore Career Pathways on VCU Career Services’ Website.
  • Practice independent living skills (such as money management, self-care, time management, and personal responsibility).

Experience
MAXIMIZE COURSE AND DEGREE PLANNING
GET CONNECTED WITH YOUR COMMUNITY
  • Attend a talk or other event sponsored by the Department of Philosophy.
  • Visit the VCU campus and attend a transfer admission session.
  • Research housing for next year.
  • Take service-learning classes or volunteer to address a current issue through ConnectVA or HandsOnRVA.
DEVELOP CULTURAL AGILITY
  • Learn about short-term, semester and year-long study abroad options.
  • Attend VCU cultural events, including the monthly Global Café, VCU Diversity Scholars in Research week, or Department of Philosophy-related events.
EXPLORE CAREERS AND DEVELOP ESSENTIAL SKILLS
  • Find out about VCU REAL.
  • Attend Career & Internship Fairs at community college or VCU to explore your interests.
  • Create, upload and update your resume to the College Central Network.
  • Acquire career related experience (e.g., job, internship, organization involvement).
  • Run for leadership in your student organization.
  • If your GPA is 3.5 or higher, consider applying for the VCU Honors College.
PREPARING FOR LIFE AFTER COLLEGE
  • Conduct informational interviews or shadow someone in a field of career interest.
  • Consider who you would like to have serve as professional and academic references for future letters of recommendation.
  • Use the cost calculator to estimate your tuition/fees as an upperclassman at VCU.
  • Take advantage of free Financial Aid counseling.
Recommended courses
Major map compass icon
2020-2021

Bachelor of Arts: Philosophy

Brightpoint Community College (program-specific pathway) (Associate of Science: General Studies)

Brightpoint Community College (program-specific pathway) courses
Course Title Equivalent course Credits Requirements
SDV 100 College Success Skills UNIV 101 3 Elective
ENG 111 College Composition I Note: students with credit for AP English Language and Composition will only receive credit for UNIV 111 at VCU and should take ENG 112 to fulfill the VCU composition requirement. UNIV 111-112 3 General education
MTH 154 Quantitative Reasoning MATH 131 3 General education
CST 100 Public Speaking SPCH 121 3 Elective
HIS History elective (select 1): HIS 111, 112, 121, 122 HIST 3 General education
Art elective Art elective (select 1)): ART 101, ART 102, CST 130, CST 151, MUS 121 VCU equivalent 3 General education
ENG 112 College Composition II UNIV 200 3 General education
MTH 245 Statistics I STAT 210 3 General education
Social/Behavioral Science Social/behavioral science (select 1): PSY 200, SOC 200, SOC 211 (PSY 230 will be accepted if Associate degree is completed) VCU equivalent 3 General education
ITE 115 Introduction to Computer Applications and Concepts INFO 160, 161, 162 3 Elective
Cultural Understanding Cultural Understanding/Civic Engagement (select 1): GEO 210, PLS 135, PLS 241, REL 230 VCU equivalent 3 General education
Laboratory Science Laboratory science (select 1): BIO 101, CHM 101, CHM 111. PHY 101, PHY 201 (ENV 121 will be accepted if Associate degree is completed) VCU equivalent 4 General education
Foreign Language Foreign Language 101 or elective (take elective course if successfully completed through the third level of a foreign language in high school). VCU equivalent 3 to 4 General education
ENG 200-level ENG literature course (select 1): ENG 241, 242, 243, 244, 251, 252 ENGL 3 General education
HLT 160 Personal Health and Fitness HPEX 1XX 3 Elective
Social/Behavioral Science Social/behavioral science (select 1): PSY 200, PSY 230, SOC 200, SOC 211, SOC 268 VCU equivalent 3 General education
Laboratory Science Laboratory science (select 1): BIO 101, CHM 101, CHM 111. PHY 101, PHY 201 (ENV 121 will be accepted if Associate degree is completed) VCU equivalent 4 General education
Foreign Language Foreign Language 102 or elective (take elective course if successfully completed through the third level of a foreign language in high school). VCU equivalent 3 to 4 General education
Transfer Elective PHI 101 Introduction to Philosophy PHIL 101 3 Major
Transfer Elective PHI 220 Ethics PHIL 201 3 Major
John Tyler credits transferred to VCU 60 to 62
VCU courses
Course Title Credits Requirements
Foreign language through the 102 level (by course at John Tyler or placement). (This requirement can be fulfilled by means of completion of the 102-level of a language or waived if the student completed up through the third level of a foreign language in high school. Additionally, language waiver and placement testing options are available for native or heritage speakers of a non-english language.) 0 to 8 General education (not waived by associate degree)
PHIL 103 Ancient Greek and Medieval Western Philosophy 3 Major
PHIL 104 Modern Western Philosophy 3 Major
PHIL 222 Logic 3 Major
PHIL 490 Seminar in Philosophy (capstone course) 3 Major
PHIL PHIL elective (300-level or higher) 3 Major
PHIL PHIL electives: select three of the following with at least one course each from Group A and Group B: Group A: PHIL 320, PHIL 327, PHIL 328, PHIL 335 Group B: PHIL 300, PHIL 301, PHIL 302, PHIL 303 Group C: PHIL 391 9 Major
Upper-level electives (300 or 400-level courses): consider a minor or a second major. Note: Students must complete a minimum of 45 upper-level credits to graduate from VCU. 30 Elective
Open electives 6 Elective
Credits completed at VCU 58 to 60
Bachelor's degree total 120