PHIL FAQ Topics - Quick Jump Links:

On the Philosophy Major On the Philosophy Minor Course Planning / Scheduling
Add Codes / Prerequisites On Petitioning Courses for PHIL Credit Study Abroad / UCEAP
Honors / Distinction in the Major Independent Studies / Research Philosophy Clubs

On the Philosophy Major:

 

The Philosophy Undergraduate Program offers over 2 Philosophy major tracks (note these are not emphases), the Core and the Ethics & Public Policy (EPP) tracks. Both tracks require the same total units, with the main difference being the additional focus on ethics, social issues, and politics in the Ethics and Public Policy track. Please review our different tracks on our “Majors” page for more information on the differences and their degree sheets. 

Already know which major track you want?:

  • To declare your Philosophy major, you need to fill out a Change of Major Form (also the same form for Double/Triple Majors) as linked and outlined here. After you submit the form on the Student Success Hub, the form will be auto-routed to the Department of Philosophy and then the form will be routed to the College of Letters and Science for final approval.  
    • NOTE: Completion of at least one PHIL course is required to add the major. 
  • Dual College / Change of College students, please email the undergraduate advisor at undergradadvisor@linguistics.ucsb.edu with your perm number and which Linguistics major track you want to either add or switch to as the undergraduate advisor must initiate this form. Please ensure you have discussed adding or changing your college with your respective College Advisor before contacting us.
  • IMPORTANT NOTE 1: Make sure to check the General Catalog for philosophy course prerequisites. GOLD does not accurately reflect Philosophy prerequisites due to the way the major progress coding works.
  • IMPORTANT NOTE 2: The specific Philosophy tracks are not shown on GOLD. A Change of Major is not necessary to switch between the two Philosophy tracks. You can start following the required courses for the other track, and upon completion of your major, the other track will disappear from the major progress check. 
    • Tracks are NOT displayed on any UCSB diplomas

NEXT STEPS:

  • Make sure to download the correct major degree sheet for your catalog year! Your catalog year is determined by which academic year you enter the major.
    • For example, if you’ve entered the PHIL major in either Fall 2024, Winter 2025, Spring 2025, or Summer 2025; you’d follow the 2024-2025 degree sheets.

**Note that processing time may take 2 - 3 weeks, which may affect your pass times! We cannot expedite this process so please plan accordingly.**

-Contact the PHIL Advisor for more complex situations.

To course plan, we recommend all students cross-reference our course offerings for the academic year with their Philosophy major / minor degree sheet. If you have already taken at least 3 lower-division (LD) philosophy courses, then we recommend your next courses for philosophy be in the PHIL 100A-B-C-D-F or 116 series, as they are considered next step (intermediate level) difficulty for upper-division (UD) philosophy courses.

IMPORTANT NOTE:

  • Please WAIT to take PHIL 183 (Beginning Modern Logic) until your senior or end of your junior year UNLESS you are very comfortable with mathematical proofs as the course deals primarily in sentential and predicate logic.
    • Despite being listed as the first course for the UD PHIL major requirements, PHIL 183 is considered one of our most difficult philosophy course.

For other suggestions on which major courses to take, please refer to your specific degree sheet for the courses you will need to take to complete your major requirements.

In addition to major requirements, all students must complete degree requirements:

All students pursuing a bachelor's degree from UCSB in the College of Letters & Science are required to take approximately a total of 180/184 quarter units¹. See below for the approximate breakdown on how these units are typically completed:

  • About 1/3 (~60 units) of the 180/184 units will be satisfied by GEs and Special Subject Areas;
  • Another 1/3 (~60 units) will be satisfied from major requirements;
  • And the last 1/3 (~60 units) can be satisfied through either elective courses, or by another major and/or minor.

Students are expected to complete their GEs and Special Subject Areas around the start of their junior year. In the junior and senior years, students will need to take a mixture of major requirements and electives (and/or the other major/minor requirements) to finish both their major and degree requirements.

¹ See L&S Degree Requirements for more information on general degree requirements

In addition to major requirements, all students must complete degree requirements:

All students pursuing a bachelor's degree from UCSB in the College of Letters & Science are required to take approximately a total of 180/184 quarter units¹. See below for the approximate breakdown on how these units are typically completed:

  • About 1/3 (~60 units) of the 180/184 units will be satisfied by GEs and Special Subject Areas;
  • Another 1/3 (~60 units) will be satisfied from major requirements;
  • And the last 1/3 (~60 units) can be satisfied through either elective courses, or by another major and/or minor.

Students are expected to complete their GEs and Special Subject Areas around the start of their junior year. In the junior and senior years, students will need to take a mixture of major requirements and electives (and/or the other major/minor requirements) to finish both their major and degree requirements.

As the Philosophy major is considered very short (it is possible to complete the major in 3 quarters/1 year), all students will need to take additional elective courses to meet their degree unit requirements. We recommend fulfilling your remaining degree unit requirements by either adding another major or adding a minor. If you have an idea of your post-bachelor plans (career or graduate school), we recommend looking into programs related to those plans. UCSB's Career Services has a list of different career paths and their common major/minor programs.

¹ See L&S Degree Requirements for more information on general degree requirements

 

On the Philosophy Minor:

 

The Philosophy Undergraduate Program offers a Philosophy minor with 2 different options - "mini" versions of our major tracks. Option A is our "mini" version of our Core major track, and Option B our "mini" version of the Ethics and Public Policy (EPP) major track. Please review our “Minors” page for more information and below.

The Core Philosophy Track exposes the student to a wide range of philosophical issues and areas and to the major philosophers in the tradition. It is designed for students who seek thorough and rigorous training in philosophy either as a step towards graduate study in philosophy or as a way of mastering a discipline at the undergraduate level. 

The Ethics and Public Policy Track is designed for students who intend to pursue careers in law, government, and medicine, and in general for those who are interested in moral and legal problems confronting the community and in the responsibilities of the various professions.

Only once you have COMPLETED at least ONE course in Philosophy are you eligible for a Philosophy minor. This means that a passing grade must be recorded in a philosophy course before you may declare the minor. We cannot add you to the minor if a philosophy course has not been completed. 

  • To declare the minor, you must submit the Intent to Minor in Philosophy form on the “Minor” tab of the “Undergraduate” page on our department website.
    • Dropping the Philosophy minor is found on the same page as linked above, on the “Minor” tab of the “Undergraduate” page on our department website.

Only once all grades for your Philosophy minor is posted (i.e., it is listed on your GOLD Course History), please submit the form below. The department will automatically review the form, so there’s no need to follow up - you will receive a copy from DocuSign as confirmation of the completed form. Please make sure the grade for your last course is posted before submitting the form, as it will be rejected if not.

  • PHIL - Minor Clearance Form​​​​​​
  • If you are currently in the last quarter to complete the minor:
    • Fill out the Philosophy Minor Clearance Form ONLY once your grades have been posted for your last course(s) for the minor. Do NOT fill out the form if you have not completed the minor with all grades posted.

To course plan, we recommend all students cross-reference our course offerings for the academic year with their Philosophy major / minor degree sheet. If you have already taken at least 3 lower-division (LD) philosophy courses, then we recommend your next courses for philosophy be in the PHIL 100A-B-C-D-F or 116 series, as they are considered next step (intermediate level) difficulty for upper-division (UD) philosophy courses.

 

 

On Course Planning / Scheduling for Philosophy:

 

For courses that are scheduled to be offered, see the department’s "Courses” page. All course offerings for the academic year are published there. 

  • How about what courses for the next academic year?
    • We usually publish the next academic year’s course offers in the summer prior. For example, the 2025-2026 course offerings were published in Summer 2025.
    • Please be patient as course planning is a long process!

IMPORTANT: Unforeseen incidents may happen where we may not be able to offer the listed course (funding/budget, illness, accidents, etc). Be sure to reach out to the undergraduate advisor if you need assistance with pivoting courses.

  • To course plan, we recommend all students cross-reference our course offerings for the academic year with their Philosophy major degree sheets or minor degree sheet.
    • Make sure to check the General Catalog for philosophy course prerequisites for your courses. GOLD does not accurately reflect many Philosophy prerequisites.
  • Below is an example of how to cross-reference to course plan for the academic year:

All students pursuing a bachelor's degree from UCSB in the College of Letters & Science are required to take approximately a total of 180/184 quarter units¹. See below for the approximate breakdown on how these units are typically completed:

  • About 1/3 (~60 units) of the 180/184 units will be satisfied by GEs and Special Subject Areas;
  • Another 1/3 (~60 units) will be satisfied from major requirements;
  • And the last 1/3 (~60 units) can be satisfied through either elective courses, or by major and/or minor.

Students are expected to complete their GEs and Special Subject Areas around the start of their junior year. In the junior and senior years, students will need to take a mixture of major requirements and electives (and/or the other major/minor requirements) to finish both their major (and/or minor) and degree requirements.

¹ See L&S Degree Requirements for more information on general degree requirements.

 

On Add Codes / Prerequisites / Crashing for Philosophy:

 

All approval codes are distributed by the course instructor or only with instructor approval. You must reach out to the instructor listed on GOLD for permission.

  • Please do not ask the undergraduate advisor for an add code. We cannot give out add codes without the instructor’s permission.

Can't find your instructor's email? Check our "People" page on our website.

Only by the instructor’s discretion can you bypass a course you do not meet the prerequisites. Reach out to the instructor with your reasoning for bypassing the course. Only if they approve can you enroll in the course. 

  • All approval codes are distributed by the course instructor or only with instructor approval. You will have to reach out to the instructor listed on GOLD. Can't find your instructor's email? Check our "People" page on our website.
    • Please do not ask the undergraduate advisor for an add code. We cannot give out add codes without the instructor’s permission.

 

On Petitioning Courses for Philosophy major or minor credit:

 

For Other Courses (e.g., non-UCSB, or UCSB but non-Philosophy): 

  • This applies to any non-UCSB course or a non-Philosophy course, either from UCSB or from another institution, that you believe should count towards your major/minor.

To petition for a course that falls in this situation, send us an email with your UCSB email at ug_advisor@philosophy.ucsb.edu with the following:

  • Your Perm#; 
  • Campus Name (if not from UCSB);
  • Course# & Course Title;
  • Course Syllabus *REQUIRED* (PDF attachment);
  • Your Major Track (Core or EPP) or Minor Option (A or B) you are completing;
  • The specific Major Area(s) or specifc Minor Section [Option (A or B) or UD PHIL elective(s)], you’d like to petition the course(s) towards.

Once a decision is made by the department, you will be notified via email. Note that there is no guarantee of approval!

IF APPROVED, NEXT STEPS:

 

  1. Send Transcripts: Make sure your transcripts have been sent to UCSB’s Admissions office or to GraduationMatters@sa.ucsb.edu (if graduating soon) and fully processed. 
    1. The Philosophy department does not process nor handle transcript status; please reach out to the sources above for transcript status.
  2. Confirm in GOLD: You can confirm your courses have been processed by checking your Course History (GOLD > Progress > Progress Check > Course History).
  3. Notify the Advisor: Once the course appears in your GOLD Course History, reply to the original email where your petition was approved.
  4. Finalize: We can only officially apply your course to your major after it is visible in your GOLD records.

For UCEAP Philosophy courses: 

Upper-division Philosophy courses taken through UCEAP will automatically apply as *PHIL electives (*as long they are upper-division courses, which you may check on the UCEAP course catalog here) once your transcripts are processed. No petition is needed for this.

However, you MUST petition if you want the course to fulfill a specific area requirement (e.g., non-Area E for the EPP track, or non-Area D for the Core track).

  • To petition for a specific area, send us an email with your UCSB email at ug_advisor@philosophy.ucsbd.eu with the following:
    • Your Perm#; 
    • The UCEAP Course# & Course Title;
    • Course Syllabus (*required*);
    • Your  Major Track (Core or EPP) or Minor Option (A or B) you are completing;
    • The Major Area(s) or Minor Section [option (A or B) or UD elective(s)], you’d like to petition the course(s) towards.

Once a decision is made by the department, you will be notified via email. Note that there is no guarantee of approval!

IMPORTANT NEXT STEPS FOR UCEAP/TRANSFERRED ↓COURSES BELOW IF PETITIONING & APPROVED↓ 

As a reminder, ALL upper-division Philosophy courses taken through UCEAP will automatically apply as Philosophy major or minor electives once your transcripts are processed. No petition is required for this.

However, if you are petitioning course(s) to towards either Area(s) A-D (Option B in minor) for the EPP section, or Area(s) A-C (Option A in minor) for the Core track), then you must follow the steps below:

For Approved UCEAP Courses:

Once you have received an approval email for your petition, follow these steps after your UCEAP program is complete:

  1. Send Transcripts: Make sure your transcripts have been sent to UCSB’s Admissions office or to GraduationMatters@sa.ucsb.edu (if graduating soon) and fully processed. 
    1. The Philosophy department does not process nor handle transcript status; please reach out to the sources above for transcript status.
  2. Confirm in GOLD: You can confirm your courses have been processed by checking your Course History (GOLD > Progress > Progress Check > Course History).
  3. Notify the Advisor: Once the course appears in your GOLD Course History, simply reply to the original email where your petition was approved.
  4. Finalize: We can only officially apply your course to your major after it is visible in your GOLD records.

 

 

On Study Abroad / UCEAP:

 

It’s not necessary to make an appointment to have your APF signed; you can just send us an email here (make sure you are using your UCSB email). 

Of course, if you’re still welcome to make an appointment, if you’d like to discuss things in further detail. Please make sure you include all of the following in your email:

  • Your perm#.
  • If you plan to use any of your UCEAP courses for PHIL major credit.
    • If you do, make sure to check our section on “Petitioning Courses". Note that there is no guarantee of approval!
  • Which Area(s)/Option(s) you want to petition your course(s) towards in your PHIL major or minor.
  • The Quarter(s)you plan on doing study abroad, and;
  • Your estimated Graduation Quarter 

For UCEAP Philosophy courses: 

Upper-division Philosophy courses taken through UCEAP will automatically apply as *PHIL electives (*as long they are upper-division courses, which you may check on the UCEAP course catalog here) once your transcripts are processed. No petition is needed for this.

However, you MUST petition if you want the course to fulfill a specific area requirement (e.g., non-Area E for the EPP track, or non-Area D for the Core track).

  • To petition for a specific area, send us an email with your UCSB email at ug_advisor@philosophy.ucsbd.eu with the following:
    • Your Perm#; 
    • The UCEAP Course# & Course Title;
    • Course Syllabus (*required*);
    • Your  Major Track (Core or EPP) or Minor Option (A or B) you are completing;
    • The Major Area(s) or Minor Section [option (A or B) or UD elective(s)], you’d like to petition the course(s) towards.

Once a decision is made by the department, you will be notified via email. Note that there is no guarantee of approval!

IMPORTANT NEXT STEPS FOR UCEAP/TRANSFERRED COURSES 

As a reminder, ALL upper-division Philosophy courses taken through UCEAP will automatically apply as Philosophy major or minor electives once your transcripts are processed. No petition is required for this.

However, if you are petitioning course(s) to towards either Area(s) A-D (Option B in minor) for the EPP section, or Area(s) A-C (Option A in minor) for the Core track), then you must follow the steps below:

For Approved UCEAP Courses:

Once you have received an approval email for your petition, follow these steps after your UCEAP program is complete:

  1. Send Transcripts: Make sure your transcripts have been sent to UCSB’s Admissions office or to GraduationMatters@sa.ucsb.edu (if graduating soon) and fully processed. 
    1. The Philosophy department does not process nor handle transcript status; please reach out to the sources above for transcript status.
  2. Confirm in GOLD: You can confirm your courses have been processed by checking your Course History (GOLD > Progress > Progress Check > Course History).
  3. Notify the Advisor: Once the course appears in your GOLD Course History, simply reply to the original email where your petition was approved.
  4. Finalize: We can only officially apply your course to your major after it is visible in your GOLD records.

 

On Honors / Distinction in the Philosophy Major:

 

General information can be found on the “Honors” page of the department website.

  • Forms for the honor courses can be found on the “Petitions” page of the department website.
  • You can reach out to the advisor for an appointment if you have further questions. 

PLEASE NOTE: The Philosophy departmental honors program is completely separate from the L&S college honors program.

 

On Independent Studies / Research:

 

The Philosophy Department offers academic credit through PHIL 199: Independent Studies / Research in Philosophy for students interested in further philosophy-related areas that may not be offered.

Faculty Research / Independent Studies Opportunities: Many faculty oversee research or independent studies opportunities or can connect you with them. Start by reaching out to professors whose work matches your interests.

Not sure where to begin? Contact Professor Teresa Robertson Ishii, our undergraduate faculty director. A full list of faculty and their specializations is available on the Philosophy website's "People" page.

How to enroll: For enrollment in PHIL 192, PHIL 199, PHIL 197A-B, or Honors Contracts, fill out the associated petition linked on the “Petitions” page of the department website. Once the DocuSign form has been completed, an approval code (if required) will be emailed to you.

*IMPORTANT: Be sure to submit these forms prior to Week 3 of the quarter!*

These opportunities are announced throughout the year on the Philosophy Undergraduate email listserv. All Philosophy major and minor students are added to this email listserv.

If you are not a Philosophy major or minor student, but would like to be to be added to the mailing list, please email the undergraduate advisor.

You can also find out about research assistant opportunities by contacting individual faculty or graduate students or through the Faculty Research Assistant Program Directory.

 

On Philosophy Clubs:

 

The Philosophy department has several active philosophy clubs! See our section named "Student Life" to see more about our different clubs.

Interested in furthering your understanding of ethics? See "Ethics Bowl" under Student Life. Our team participates both nationally and regionally in Intercollegiate Ethics Bowl (IEB) competitions hosted by the Association for Practical and Professional Ethics (APPE).

Interested in minority participation in academic philosophy? See "Minorities and Philosophy" (MAP) under Student Life on our website. Through MAP’s network, students can exchange ideas on topics related to minorities and philosophy, meet and support peers, and learn from other philosophy departments. Participation, membership, and leadership positions are available to all. MAP also has a Reading Group as found here.

Want to discuss and read more about any of these philosophy topics?:

  • Ancient Philosophy
  • Feminist Philosophy
  • Political Philosophy
  • Logic and Philosophy of Science

See "Reading Groups" under Student Life on our website.

 

On Getting Started as a New Student:

 

We recommend that 1st and 2nd years primarily focus on completing the majority of their GE and Special Subject Areas before they start on their major requirements. Generally speaking, Philosophy majors do not start on upper-division major requirements until the start of their junior (3rd) year.

In addition to completing all College of L&S GEs, all new students can prepare by:

  • Taking PHIL 3 or the equivalent (see Assist.org and the question "How do my transfer courses articulate?" below).
  • Take at least 3 lower-division (LD) philosophy courses - we do not require specific LD philosophy courses for the major.
  • You can see more information about our major or minor requirements on our PHIL FAQ. 

If you have taken philosophy courses at your California Community College, please make sure that the philosophy advisor is aware of this by reaching out to us ug_advisor@philosophy.ucsb.edu with your perm number and attach your unofficial transcripts.

If you are a freshman or sophomore, please refer to the above answer. If you have already taken at least 3 lower-division (LD) philosophy courses then see below.

If you have taken philosophy courses at your California Community College, please make sure that the philosophy advisor is aware of this by reaching out to us ug_advisor@philosophy.ucsb.edu with your perm number and attach your unofficial transcripts.

For transfer students, or any incoming new student who have completed the above, then we recommend your next courses for philosophy be in the PHIL 100A-B-C-D-F or 116 series, as they are considered next step (intermediate level) difficulty for upper-division (UD) philosophy courses. These courses also count towards your major requirements for both major tracks.

To course plan, we recommend all students cross-reference our course offerings for the academic year with their Philosophy major / minor degree sheet.

IMPORTANT NOTE:

  • Please WAIT to take PHIL 183 (Beginning Modern Logic) until your senior or end of your junior year UNLESS you are very comfortable with math (mathematical proofs) as the course deals primarily in sentential and predicate logic.
    • Despite being listed as the first course for the UD PHIL major requirements, PHIL 183 is considered one of our most difficult philosophy course.

For other suggestions on which major courses to take, please refer to your specific degree sheet for the courses you will need to take to complete your major requirements and the "Major Requirements" or "Minor Requirements" on the PHIL FAQ.

In addition to major requirements, all students must complete degree requirements:

All students pursuing a bachelor's degree from UCSB in the College of Letters & Science are required to take approximately a total of 180/184 quarter units¹. See below for the approximate breakdown on how these units are typically completed:

  • About 1/3 (~60 units) of the 180/184 units will be satisfied by GEs and Special Subject Areas;
  • Another 1/3 (~60 units) will be satisfied from major requirements;
  • And the last 1/3 (~60 units) can be satisfied through either elective courses, or by another major and/or minor.

Students are expected to complete their GEs and Special Subject Areas around the start of their junior year. In the junior and senior years, students will need to take a mixture of major requirements and electives (and/or the other major/minor requirements) to finish both their major and degree requirements.

¹ See L&S Degree Requirements for more information on general degree requirements

 

You may check to see how your transfer courses may articulate by using Assist.org

What is Assist.org? 

Assist.org is the official course transfer and articulation system for California colleges and universities. 

How to Use Assist.org? 

  1. Log in to Assist

  2. Use the box below

  4. Type in the name of the California community college, CSU, or UC (other then UCSB) under Institution 

  5. Type in "University of California, Santa Barbara" under Agreements with Other Institutions

  6. Click View Agreements 

  7. Select View Agreement by "Major"

  8. Select "Philosophy, B.A."

  9. Scroll down to "PREPARATION FOR THE MAJOR" and see if your course is equivalent to UCSB's "PHIL 3" and if you have any other PHIL course equivalents. 

If you have taken philosophy courses at your California Community College, please make sure that the philosophy advisor is aware of this by reaching out to us ug_advisor@philosophy.ucsb.edu with your perm number and attach your unofficial transcripts.