Philosophy Courses

Course Levels and Enrollment Guidelines

Explore Life’s Big Questions. Sharpen Your Thinking. Shape Your Future.

At Providence College, the philosophy major offers a rigorous and enriching journey through the great ideas that have shaped human thought across centuries. Students engage deeply with every major era in the history of philosophy—ancient, medieval, modern, and contemporary—while also building a strong foundation in ethics, logic, and metaphysics.

Rooted in the Catholic and Dominican intellectual tradition, our program encourages students to examine fundamental questions about truth, justice, existence, and the good life. With its emphasis on critical thinking, clear writing, and reasoned argument, the philosophy major pairs seamlessly with a wide range of second majors or minors in the arts and humanities, sciences, or business.

Whether you’re preparing for graduate study, professional life, or simply a more thoughtful engagement with the world, philosophy at Providence College offers the tools to think deeply, live wisely, and act justly.

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100-Level Courses

Our 100-level philosophy courses are designed to introduce students to foundational skills and themes in philosophical inquiry. These courses are open to first-year students and sophomores, and include:

• PHL 101 – Logic: An introduction to the principles of correct reasoning and argument analysis.
• PHL 103 – Introduction to Philosophy: A broad survey of major philosophical questions and thinkers.
• PHL 150 – Philosophy and Literature: An exploration of philosophical themes through works of literature.

These courses provide an excellent starting point for students beginning their study of philosophy, whether as a major, a minor, or simply as an intellectual curiosity.

200-, 300-, and 400-Level Courses

Our upper-level philosophy courses—at the 200, 300, and 400 levels—invite students to explore more advanced topics and engage deeply with key areas of philosophical thought. These courses are organized into six broad thematic categories:

1. Ethics, Religion, and Human Life – Examining moral philosophy, theological questions, and the nature of the human condition.
2. Society, Politics, and Culture – Investigating philosophical perspectives on justice, governance, culture, and social institutions.
3. Language, Thought, and World – Exploring the nature of meaning, knowledge, and reality through logic, epistemology, and metaphysics.
4. History of Philosophy – Engaging with the ideas and arguments of major thinkers from ancient to modern times.
5. Contemporary Philosophy – Addressing current philosophical debates and developments in the 20th and 21st centuries.
6. Special Topics – Offering focused studies on particular philosophers, texts, or emerging issues in philosophy.

These courses provide philosophy majors and minors with the flexibility to pursue their intellectual interests while developing critical thinking and analytical skills at an advanced level.

Course Descriptions for all of our courses can be found in the undergraduate catalog.