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BSocSc - Philosophy as a major

The Bachelor of Social Sciences (BSocSc) will challenge your thinking about the world and the people who live in it. The degree focuses on contemporary social issues, the ways in which humans interact with these issues and how such actions can be monitored and modified.

Philosophy is for thinkers and doers. It's about solving real-life problems, and applying intellectual rigour to how we understand and interact with others, society and the world. Studying Philosophy at Waikato will teach you how to learn, think and write clearly, argue vigorously, and question deeply held assumptions and beliefs.

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Key information

Years: 3
Points: 360
Start Dates: Trimester A (March) and Trimester B (July)
Fees (Domestic): $6,120-$7,130 (approx) per year
Fees (International): $25,160-$32,750 per year
Entry Requirements: Undergraduate International
Faculty:
*Tuition fees shown are indicative only and may change. There are additional fees and charges related to enrolment please see the Table of Fees and Charges for more information. You will be sent an enrolment agreement which will confirm your fees.

Career opportunities

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Degree Planner

Degree planner — BSocSc in Philosophy

Year 1

Any 100 level
PHILO paper

Any 100 level
PHILO paper

One from List A:
Academic Foundations

ARTSC111
Social Science Theory and Action

Field of the Degree
100 Level

Field of the Degree
100 Level

Elective

Elective

Year 2

Any 200 level
PHILO paper

Any 200 level
PHILO paper

Any 200 level
PHILO paper or MAORI202

One from List B:
Cultural Perspectives

One of
PSYCH211 or SSRES200

Elective

Elective

Elective

Year 3

Any 300 level
PHILO paper

Any 300 level
PHILO paper

Any 300 level
PHILO paper

Any 300 level
PHILO paper

One from List C:
Work-Integrated Learning

Elective

Elective

Elective

  • Stream
  • Elective
  • Compulsory

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 major for the Bachelor of Arts and the Bachelor of Social Sciences. Philosophy may also be taken as a second major or as a minor within other undergraduate degrees, subject to academic approval of the School in which the student is enrolled.

To complete Philosophy as a single major, 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, 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.

100 Level

Code Paper Title Occurrence / Location
PHILO102Introduction to Logic20B (Hamilton)
An easy introduction to formal logic comprising an explanation of key concepts such as validity and proof, and an introduction to propositional and predicate logic.
PHILO103Critical Thinking20A (Online), 20A (Tauranga), 20B (Online) & 20G (Online)
This paper helps students to engage critically with the sorts of arguments encountered both inside and outside the University.
PHILO106Social and Moral Philosophy20A (Hamilton) & 20A (Online)
A study of key concepts in areas of applied ethics including abortion, euthanasia, health care, children's rights, pornography, justice, environmental issues, religion and ethics, and other issues.
PHILO150The Big Questions: An Introduction to Philosophy20B (Hamilton) & 20B (Tauranga)
An introduction to philosophical problems in the areas of knowledge and mind, value theory, metaphysics and religion.

200 Level

Code Paper Title Occurrence / Location
MAORI202Ngā Iho Matua: Māori Philosophy20A (Hamilton)
This paper examines the philosophical underpinnings of seminal tikanga Maori concepts, and their influence both historically and in contemporary Maori culture.
PHILO204Wisdom, Language, and Communication20A (Hamilton)
Is language the seat of all knowledge and wisdom? The aim of this paper is to explore growing philosophical debate in epistemology and the philosophy of language.
PHILO208Reason, Science and Pseudoscience20B (Hamilton)
What makes science so successful? In this paper we discuss scientific reasoning, scientific methods and the social structure of science, and provide tools for differentiating science from pseudoscience. No formal knowledge of science or philosophy is required.
PHILO215Moral and Political Philosophy: A Historical Introduction20A (Hamilton) & 20B (Hamilton)
A study of the moral and political philosophy of thinkers such as Plato, Aristotle, Hume and Mill. This paper uses Plato's Republic to introduce students to central issues in Moral and Political Philosophy, including questions about virtue, happiness, justice, liberty, democracy, tyranny, feminism, art, censorship, and moral educat...
PHILO217Environmental Ethics20S (Online)
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 non-human world and ethical issues in environment and development.
PHILO218Ethics at Work20G (Online)
A study of ethics as it relates to business and professional practice in New Zealand including material specifically for interest groups: eg computer science, psychology and social work.
PHILO225Happiness and Wellbeing20A (Hamilton)
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 go well for us.

300 Level

Code Paper Title Occurrence / Location
EDSOC300Maori Knowledge and Western Impacts in Education20A (Online)
This paper explores comparisons between key Western and Maori philosophies. It considers how Maori and Western philosophies respectively describe the self's relationship with thought and knowledge in the context of education.
PHILO304Meaning, Understanding, and Truth20B (Hamilton)
This paper explores philosophical topics in the semantics and metaphysics of meaning, truth, and understanding, and the relationships between them.
PHILO305Philosophy of Religion20B (Hamilton)
The paper examines a selection of topics in contemporary philosophy of religion, e.g. the problem of evil, hell, death, religious experience, radical theism, the challenge of biblical scholarship.
PHILO309Experiments in Ethics20A (Hamilton)
The paper uses thought experiments to introduce students to central issues in contemporary moral philosophy: What makes actions morally wrong? How can we be sure our moral judgments are right?
PHILO317Environmental Ethics20S (Online)
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 our current ethical theories.
PHILO318Ethics at Work20G (Online)
This is an applied ethics paper focussing on the professions, research and business. It examines contemporary issues relevant to a wide range of occupations graduates might enter.
PHILO355The Fundamental Structure of the World20A (Hamilton)
Metaphysics is the philosophic study of ultimate reality, and metametaphysics is the enquiry into the status of metaphysics. This paper explores the most generic and foundational features of reality and then asks of these features whether they carve nature at its joints, surgically or bluntly.
PHILO390Directed Study20A (Hamilton), 20B (Hamilton), 20D (Hamilton) & 20S (Hamilton)
This paper offers students an opportunity to undertake advanced research on a specific topic of philosophical interest.

500 Level

Code Paper Title Occurrence / Location
HISTY516Historical Theories and Methods20A (Hamilton)
This paper prepares students for professional historical practice and higher study through an investigation of relevant historiographical theories and methodologies.
PHILO534The Philosophy of Language20B (Hamilton)
This paper deepens the students understanding of central topics in the philosophy of language. These include: the nature of linguistic meaning, the relation of meaning to truth and reference, what it is to know a language, the relation of language to thought, pragmatic aspects of linguistic communication, and scepticism about lingu...
PHILO560Special Topic: Philosophy of Religion20A (Hamilton) & 20B (Hamilton)
An examination of work in the cognitive science of religion with a focus on its implications for analytic philosophy of religion. Students will familiarize themselves with research in the cognitive science of religion that is relevant to core topics in philosophy of religion and critically evaluate the relationship between them. Th...
PHILO588Foundations of Philosophical Research20A (Hamilton)
In this paper we engage in focused analysis of a range of philosophical topics relevant to the research goals of students. The paper enhances students' knowledge of long standing and contemporary debates in philosophy. Students cultivate their research skills through seminar development and presentation, and gain a grounding in phi...
PHILO589Directed Study20A (Hamilton), 20B (Hamilton), 20G (Hamilton) & 20S (Hamilton)
Students have the opportunity to pursue a topic of their own interest under the guidance of academic staff.
PHILO591Dissertation20A (Hamilton), 20B (Hamilton) & 20D (Hamilton)
A report on the findings of a theoretical or empirical investigation.
PHILO592Dissertation20X (Hamilton)
A report on the findings of a theoretical or empirical investigation.
PHILO593Philosophy Thesis20X (Hamilton)
An externally examined piece of written work that reports on the findings of supervised research.
PHILO594Philosophy Thesis20X (Hamilton)
An externally examined piece of written work that reports on the findings of supervised research.

800 Level

Code Paper Title Occurrence / Location
PHILO800Philosophy MPhil Thesis20X (Hamilton)
No description available.

900 Level

Code Paper Title Occurrence / Location
PHILO900Philosophy PhD Thesis20I (Hamilton) & 20X (Hamilton)
No description available.

Scholarships and prizes

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Subject links

Philosophy Programme

Philosophy is available as a major for the BA and BSocSc. Philosophy may also be taken as a second major or as a supporting subject within other undergraduate degrees, subject to academic approval of the Faculty or School of Studies in which the student is enrolled.

For more information about subject requirements please refer to the catalogue of papers for the most up to date information. If you have any questions and need more advice contact one of our friendly student advisors phone: 0800 800 145 or +64 7 838 4080 or email: wfass@waikato.ac.nz

Please note: For all graduate subject requirements check the information provided in the papers section above.

Contacts

Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences:
Phone: 0800 800 145 or +64 7 838 4030
General and Undergraduate Email Enquiries: phil-fass@waikato.ac.nz
Graduate and Postgraduate Email Enquiries: phil-grad@waikato.ac.nz