Introduction

Please click here to see the Philosophy department information.

Ethical concerns have become a major theme both with respect to our community life and with respect to the professions. Often the demand for more ethics education is met with brief introductory courses or highly specific professional ethics seminars, yet ethics has become such a complex field that a genuine understanding of ethical choices and action requires a more thorough education in both general ethics and professional ethics. In response to the need for better ethics education, the Philosophy Department at the University of Colorado Denver offers a carefully planned program, including courses in the foundation and history of Ethical Theory, as well as in the application of such theories.

These program requirements are subject to periodic revision by the academic department, and the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences reserves the right to make exceptions and substitutions as judged necessary in individual cases. Therefore, the College strongly urges students to consult regularly with their major, minor and CLAS advisors to confirm the best plans of study before finalizing them.

Program Delivery

• This is an on-campus program.

Declaring This Minor

For those students who major in Philosophy and Minor in Ethics, no course can satisfy the requirement for both. For example, if a student takes PHIL 4150: Twentieth Century Ethics, it cannot satisfy the requirement in the major for a course in 19th or 20th-century philosophy.

• Please see or email the departmental advisor: Mark Tanzer (mark.tanzer@ucdenver.edu)

• Click here to go to information about declaring a minor.

General Requirements

Students must satisfy all requirements as outlined below and by the department offering the minor.

• Click here for information about Academic Policies

Program Requirements

1. Students must complete a minimum of 15 credit hours approved for the minor.

2. Students must complete a minimum of six upper-division (3000-level and above) PHIL credit hours.

3. Students must earn a minimum grade of C- (1.7) in all courses that apply to the minor and must achieve a minimum cumulative minor GPA of 2.0. All graded attempts in required and elective courses are calculated in the minor GPA. Courses taken using P+/P/F or S/U grading cannot apply to minor requirements.

4. Students must complete a minimum of nine PHIL credit hours with CU Denver faculty.

Program Restrictions, Allowances and Recommendations

1. For those students who major in philosophy, up to two courses can satisfy the requirements for both programs.

2. Religious Studies courses cannot be used to fulfill the requirements for the minor.

3. Courses taken at other institutions must either be transferred as a direct equivalent to a CU Denver course or be approved by an advisor in the Philosophy Department for application towards the minor.

4. Courses not specifically listed here but offered by the Department may count toward the degree upon the approval of the Department Undergraduate Advisor.

Course List

Code	Title	Hours
Complete the following required course:		3
PHIL 1020	Right, Wrong, and Seeing the Difference: Introduction to Ethics
Complete any four of the following Ethics elective courses:		12
PHIL 3030	Philosophies of the Good Life & Happiness
PHIL 3200	Justice, Freedom, and Power: Social and Political Philosophy
PHIL 3150	History of Ethics
PHIL 3250	Business, Society, and Moral Responsibility
PHIL 3280	War and Morality
PHIL 3340	Investigating Nature: Introduction to the Philosophy of Science
PHIL 3430	How to think green: Environmental Ethics
PHIL 3500	Ideology and Culture: Racism and Sexism
PHIL 3550	Philosophy of Death and Dying
PHIL 4150	Twentieth Century Ethics
PHIL 4220	Art, Beauty, and Aesthetic Criticism: Philosophy of Art
PHIL 4242	Medicine, Health Care, and Justice: Bioethics
PHIL 4260	Why Obey the Law? Introduction to Philosophy of Law
PHIL 4600	Questioning Religious Belief and Practice: Introduction to Philosophy of Religion
Total Hours		15

Learning Outcomes for an Ethics minor:

• Recognize and comprehend the salient elements of philosophy's significant historical figures, periods, and areas.
• Understand how philosophical frameworks and theories expand the meanings and implications of existing cultural areas (e.g. those found in science technology, the arts, politics, medicine, and social justice).                                                                                            

More specifically, the above includes training (most typically in writing) about how to:

• Interpret texts by careful reading and synthesis of meanings.
• Identify and criticize philosophical arguments.
• Develop original arguments supported by texts and logical reasoning.
• Outline major philosophical frameworks.

More information about our Ethics minor can be found on our website.