PhilosophySubject regulations
Philosophy exposes and addresses problems, including ethical problems, problems about science, logical problems and problems about the nature of reality.
Philosophy is available as a first major for the Bachelor of Arts (BA), the Bachelor of Climate Change (BCC), and the Bachelor of Social Sciences (BSocSc). Philosophy may also be taken as a second major or minor in other undergraduate degrees, subject to approval of the Division in which the student is enrolled.
To complete Philosophy as a single major for the BA, BCC and BSocSc, students must gain 135 points from papers listed for Philosophy, including 105 points above 100 level, and 60 points above 200 level.
To complete Philosophy as part of a double major for the BA, BCC, BSocSc or other undergraduate degree, students must gain 120 points from papers listed for Philosophy, including 90 points above 100 level, and 45 points above 200 level.
To complete a minor in Philosophy, students must complete 60 points from the papers listed for the Philosophy major, including at least 30 points above 100 level.
Other qualifications
Prescriptions for:
Philosophy papers
Code and paper title | Points | |
---|---|---|
PHILO102Introduction to Logic An introduction to symbolic logic, including formal testing of arguments for validity in propositional logic and predicate logic. | 15 | 25B (Hamilton) & 25B (Online) |
PHILO103Critical Thinking This paper helps students to engage critically with the sorts of arguments encountered both inside and outside the University. | 15 | 25A (Hamilton) & 25A (Online) & 25H (Online) |
PHILO106Social and Moral Philosophy An investigation of contemporary moral and social issues from a practical ethics perspective. Issues may include abortion, animal welfare... | 15 | 25A (Hamilton) & 25A (Online) & 25A (Tauranga) |
PHILO150The Big Questions: An Introduction to Philosophy An introduction to philosophy that investigates a range of big questions. The big questions may include: does God exist?, does my morality apply to... | 15 | 25B (Hamilton) & 25B (Online) & 25B (Tauranga) |
Code and paper title | Points | |
---|---|---|
MAORI202Ngā Iho Matua: Māori Philosophy This paper examines the philosophical underpinnings of seminal tikanga Māori concepts, and their influence both historically and in contemporary... | 15 | 25A (Hamilton) |
PHILO204Liars, Frauds, and Fake News Is language the seat of all knowledge and wisdom? The aim of this paper is to explore growing philosophical debates in epistemology and the... | 15 | 25H (Online) |
PHILO205God, Spirituality, and the Afterlife This paper analyses a range of conceptions of God (Ultimate reality), spirituality, and the afterlife in order to explore our place in the universe... | 15 | 25B (Hamilton) & 25B (Tauranga) |
PHILO217Environmental Ethics A study of ethical questions about the relation of humans to the rest of the natural world, including the attribution of value and rights to the... | 15 | 25H (Online) |
PHILO218Ethics at Work A study of ethics as it relates to business and professional practice in New Zealand including material specifically for interest groups: eg computer... | 15 | 25G (Online) |
PHILO225Happiness and Wellbeing Drawing on ancient wisdom and modern science, this paper investigates the meaning and value of happiness, and the role it plays in making our lives... | 15 | 25A (Hamilton) & 25A (Online) & 25A (Tauranga) |
Code and paper title | Points | |
---|---|---|
ALPSS390Directed Study This paper allows students from the Division of Arts, Law, Psychology, and Social Sciences to undertake research on a specific topic related to their... | 15 | 25X (Hamilton) |
EDSOC300Māori Knowledge and Western Impacts in Education This paper explores comparisons between key Western and Māori philosophies. It considers how Māori and Western philosophies respectively describe the... | 15 | 25A (Hamilton) |
PHILO305Philosophy of Religion According to the dominant conception of God in Western philosophy of religion, God is a person (without a body) who is omnipotent, omniscient, and... | 15 | 25A (Online) |
PHILO309Experiments in Ethics The paper uses thought experiments to introduce students to central issues in contemporary moral philosophy. The issues may include: What makes an... | 15 | 25B (Hamilton) |
PHILO310Mind, Matter and Consciousness Are mental states just brain states? If not, what are they? Can we account for consciousness in purely physical terms? PHILO310 covers these central... | 15 | 25A (Hamilton) |
PHILO315Democracy, Justice & Equality This course provides students with an in-depth introduction to contested topics in modern political philosophy. Students will be expected to analyse... | 15 | 25A (Hamilton) |
PHILO316Philosophy and the Arts The course examines philosophical questions to do with the nature and meaning of works of art, the appreciation and evaluation of them, and their... | 15 | No occurrences |
PHILO317Environmental Ethics Do we have moral obligations toward nature? How should human beings treat the natural world? This paper examines questions such as these in light of... | 15 | 25H (Online) |
PHILO318Ethics at Work This is an applied ethics paper focussing on the professions, research and business. It examines contemporary issues relevant to a wide range of... | 15 | 25B (Online) & 25G (Online) |
PHILO355Reality, Society and Culture What are social objects like political borders, money, and teams? What about genders, races, musical works, fictional characters, or persons? This... | 15 | No occurrences |
Code and paper title | Points | |
---|---|---|
ALPSS500Academic & Professional Research & Writing In this course, students will gain the skills and confidence to seamlessly transition from study to work. This course works to enhance the 'skills... | 30 | 25A (Online) & 25B (Online) |
ALPSS590Directed Study This paper allows students from the Division of Arts, Law, Psychology and Social Sciences to undertake research on a specific topic related to their... | 30 | 25X (Hamilton) |
ALPSS591Research Project A research report on the findings of a theoretical or empirical or practice-led investigation (up to 12,500 words maximum). | 30 | 25X (Hamilton) & 25X (Tauranga) |
ALPSS592Dissertation A research report on the findings of a theoretical or empirical or practice-led investigation (up to 25,000 words maximum). | 60 | 25X (Hamilton) & 25X (Tauranga) |
PHILO533Moral and Political Philosophy This paper will cover a range of current topics in moral and political philosophy. The exact content will be guided by choices made in class, but... | 15 | 25A (Hamilton) |
PHILO536The Philosophy of Mind In this paper we will discuss recent philosophical work on issues concerning consciousness and intentionality. | 15 | 25A (Hamilton) |
PHILO545Aesthetics This paper covers a range of topics in contemporary aesthetics, including: What is art? What is the difference between art and craft? Are aesthetic... | 15 | 25A (Hamilton) |
PHILO552Existence and the Social World This paper covers contemporary research in metaphysics, including work on social ontology and the methods that should be used in doing metaphysics. | 15 | 25B (Hamilton) |
PHILO560Special Topic: Virtues and Vices The paper draws on research in Philosophy and Psychology to examine key questions about character and virtue education: Which traits are virtues... | 15 | 25B (Hamilton) |
PHILO588Foundations of Philosophical Research In this paper we engage in focused analysis of a range of philosophical topics relevant to the research goals of students. The paper enhances... | 30 | 25B (Hamilton) |
PHILO593Philosophy Thesis An externally examined piece of written work that reports on the findings of supervised research. | 90 | 25X (Hamilton) |
Code and paper title | Points | |
---|---|---|
PHILO800Philosophy MPhil Thesis | 120 | 25X (Hamilton) |
Code and paper title | Points | |
---|---|---|
PHILO900Philosophy PhD Thesis | 120 | 25I (Hamilton) & 25J (Hamilton) & 25K (Hamilton) & 25X (Hamilton) |
- PHILO102Introduction to Logic
An introduction to symbolic logic, including formal testing of arguments for validity in propositional logic and predicate logic.
Points1525B (Hamilton) & 25B (Online)PHILO103Critical ThinkingThis paper helps students to engage critically with the sorts of arguments encountered both inside and outside the University.
Points1525A (Hamilton) & 25A (Online) & 25H (Online)PHILO106Social and Moral PhilosophyAn investigation of contemporary moral and social issues from a practical ethics perspective. Issues may include abortion, animal welfare...
Points1525A (Hamilton) & 25A (Online) & 25A (Tauranga)PHILO150The Big Questions: An Introduction to PhilosophyAn introduction to philosophy that investigates a range of big questions. The big questions may include: does God exist?, does my morality apply to...
Points1525B (Hamilton) & 25B (Online) & 25B (Tauranga) - MAORI202Ngā Iho Matua: Māori Philosophy
This paper examines the philosophical underpinnings of seminal tikanga Māori concepts, and their influence both historically and in contemporary...
Points1525A (Hamilton)PHILO204Liars, Frauds, and Fake NewsIs language the seat of all knowledge and wisdom? The aim of this paper is to explore growing philosophical debates in epistemology and the...
Points1525H (Online)PHILO205God, Spirituality, and the AfterlifeThis paper analyses a range of conceptions of God (Ultimate reality), spirituality, and the afterlife in order to explore our place in the universe...
Points1525B (Hamilton) & 25B (Tauranga)PHILO217Environmental EthicsA study of ethical questions about the relation of humans to the rest of the natural world, including the attribution of value and rights to the...
Points1525H (Online)PHILO218Ethics at WorkA study of ethics as it relates to business and professional practice in New Zealand including material specifically for interest groups: eg computer...
Points1525G (Online)PHILO225Happiness and WellbeingDrawing on ancient wisdom and modern science, this paper investigates the meaning and value of happiness, and the role it plays in making our lives...
Points1525A (Hamilton) & 25A (Online) & 25A (Tauranga) - ALPSS390Directed Study
This paper allows students from the Division of Arts, Law, Psychology, and Social Sciences to undertake research on a specific topic related to their...
Points1525X (Hamilton)EDSOC300Māori Knowledge and Western Impacts in EducationThis paper explores comparisons between key Western and Māori philosophies. It considers how Māori and Western philosophies respectively describe the...
Points1525A (Hamilton)PHILO305Philosophy of ReligionAccording to the dominant conception of God in Western philosophy of religion, God is a person (without a body) who is omnipotent, omniscient, and...
Points1525A (Online)PHILO309Experiments in EthicsThe paper uses thought experiments to introduce students to central issues in contemporary moral philosophy. The issues may include: What makes an...
Points1525B (Hamilton)PHILO310Mind, Matter and ConsciousnessAre mental states just brain states? If not, what are they? Can we account for consciousness in purely physical terms? PHILO310 covers these central...
Points1525A (Hamilton)PHILO315Democracy, Justice & EqualityThis course provides students with an in-depth introduction to contested topics in modern political philosophy. Students will be expected to analyse...
Points1525A (Hamilton)PHILO316Philosophy and the ArtsThe course examines philosophical questions to do with the nature and meaning of works of art, the appreciation and evaluation of them, and their...
Points15No occurrencesPHILO317Environmental EthicsDo we have moral obligations toward nature? How should human beings treat the natural world? This paper examines questions such as these in light of...
Points1525H (Online)PHILO318Ethics at WorkThis is an applied ethics paper focussing on the professions, research and business. It examines contemporary issues relevant to a wide range of...
Points1525B (Online) & 25G (Online)PHILO355Reality, Society and CultureWhat are social objects like political borders, money, and teams? What about genders, races, musical works, fictional characters, or persons? This...
Points15No occurrences - ALPSS500Academic & Professional Research & Writing
In this course, students will gain the skills and confidence to seamlessly transition from study to work. This course works to enhance the 'skills...
Points3025A (Online) & 25B (Online)ALPSS590Directed StudyThis paper allows students from the Division of Arts, Law, Psychology and Social Sciences to undertake research on a specific topic related to their...
Points3025X (Hamilton)ALPSS591Research ProjectA research report on the findings of a theoretical or empirical or practice-led investigation (up to 12,500 words maximum).
Points3025X (Hamilton) & 25X (Tauranga)ALPSS592DissertationA research report on the findings of a theoretical or empirical or practice-led investigation (up to 25,000 words maximum).
Points6025X (Hamilton) & 25X (Tauranga)PHILO533Moral and Political PhilosophyThis paper will cover a range of current topics in moral and political philosophy. The exact content will be guided by choices made in class, but...
Points1525A (Hamilton)PHILO536The Philosophy of MindIn this paper we will discuss recent philosophical work on issues concerning consciousness and intentionality.
Points1525A (Hamilton)PHILO545AestheticsThis paper covers a range of topics in contemporary aesthetics, including: What is art? What is the difference between art and craft? Are aesthetic...
Points1525A (Hamilton)PHILO552Existence and the Social WorldThis paper covers contemporary research in metaphysics, including work on social ontology and the methods that should be used in doing metaphysics.
Points1525B (Hamilton)PHILO560Special Topic: Virtues and VicesThe paper draws on research in Philosophy and Psychology to examine key questions about character and virtue education: Which traits are virtues...
Points1525B (Hamilton)PHILO588Foundations of Philosophical ResearchIn this paper we engage in focused analysis of a range of philosophical topics relevant to the research goals of students. The paper enhances...
Points3025B (Hamilton)PHILO593Philosophy ThesisAn externally examined piece of written work that reports on the findings of supervised research.
Points9025X (Hamilton) - PHILO900Philosophy PhD ThesisPoints12025I (Hamilton) & 25J (Hamilton) & 25K (Hamilton) & 25X (Hamilton)
2025 Catalogue of Papers information current as of 28 Feb 2025 01:00am