Minor in Political Philosophy
Catalog Year: 2026-2027
Banner Code: LA-MINOR-LA-PPHL
This minor provides students with an intensive study of political philosophy and political theory. Students take courses in the history of political philosophy; the moral evaluation of political institutions; the ethical, social, and political issues raised by globalization; and the conceptual foundations of democracy and human rights. Through this coursework, students are able to study this field from a variety of interdisciplinary perspectives. They develop a deeper philosophical perspective on political institutions and have a solid foundation for further graduate study in philosophy, government, or policy studies.
Faculty
Brandhorst, Cherubin, Mandaville, Miller (Director), Scherer
The University Catalog is the authoritative source for information on program requirements and courses. The Schedule of Classes is the authoritative source for information on classes scheduled for this semester. See the Schedule for the most up-to-date information and see Patriot web to register for classes. Requirements may be different for earlier catalog years. See the University Catalog archives.
Policies
Eight credits of coursework must be unique to the minor and students must earn a minimum grade of 2.00 (grade of C or better) in all courses applied to the minor. For policies governing all minors, see AP.5.3.4 Minors.
Minor Requirements
Total credits: 18
Core Courses
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Select two courses from the following: | 6 | |
| Classical Western Political Theory | ||
| Classical Western Political Theory | ||
| Modern Western Political Theory | ||
| Modern Western Political Theory | ||
| Topics in Contemporary Western Political Theory | ||
| Topics in Contemporary Western Political Theory | ||
| Total Credits | 6 | |
Electives
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Take two Philosophy courses drawn from the PHIL elective list below and/or any PHIL core courses not taken to fulfill core requirements 1 | 6 | |
| Karl Marx's Social and Political Thought | ||
| Philosophy after Auschwitz | ||
| Topics in Environmental Philosophy (Mason Core) | ||
| Ethical Issues in Global Health | ||
| Theories of Justice | ||
| Advanced Topics in Social and Political Philosophy | ||
| Take two Government courses drawn from the GOVT elective list below and/or any GOVT core courses not taken to fulfill core requirements 1 | 6 | |
| Issues in Political Theories and Values | ||
| American Political Thought | ||
| Feminist Political Thought | ||
| Advanced Democratic Theory | ||
| Ethics and International Politics | ||
| Total Credits | 12 | |
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Special topics courses and independent studies courses, when relevant, may also be used to fulfill elective credits with prior written approval of the director.