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

100 Level 200 Level 300 Level 500 Level 800 Level 900 Level
Code and paper title Points
PHILO102 Introduction to Logic right arrow

An introduction to symbolic logic, including formal testing of arguments for validity in propositional logic and predicate logic.

15 25B (Hamilton) & 25B (Online)
PHILO103 Critical Thinking right arrow

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)
PHILO106 Social and Moral Philosophy right arrow

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)
PHILO150 The Big Questions: An Introduction to Philosophy right arrow

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
MAORI202 Ngā Iho Matua: Māori Philosophy right arrow

This paper examines the philosophical underpinnings of seminal tikanga Māori concepts, and their influence both historically and in contemporary...

15 25A (Hamilton)
PHILO204 Liars, Frauds, and Fake News right arrow

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)
PHILO205 God, Spirituality, and the Afterlife right arrow

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)
PHILO217 Environmental Ethics right arrow

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)
PHILO218 Ethics at Work right arrow

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)
PHILO225 Happiness and Wellbeing right arrow

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
ALPSS390 Directed Study right arrow

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)
EDSOC300 Māori Knowledge and Western Impacts in Education right arrow

This paper explores comparisons between key Western and Māori philosophies. It considers how Māori and Western philosophies respectively describe the...

15 25A (Hamilton)
PHILO305 Philosophy of Religion right arrow

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)
PHILO309 Experiments in Ethics right arrow

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)
PHILO310 Mind, Matter and Consciousness right arrow

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)
PHILO315 Democracy, Justice & Equality right arrow

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)
PHILO316 Philosophy and the Arts right arrow

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
PHILO317 Environmental Ethics right arrow

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)
PHILO318 Ethics at Work right arrow

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)
PHILO355 Reality, Society and Culture right arrow

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
ALPSS500 Academic & Professional Research & Writing right arrow

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)
ALPSS590 Directed Study right arrow

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)
ALPSS591 Research Project right arrow

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)
ALPSS592 Dissertation right arrow

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)
PHILO533 Moral and Political Philosophy right arrow

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)
PHILO536 The Philosophy of Mind right arrow

In this paper we will discuss recent philosophical work on issues concerning consciousness and intentionality.

15 25A (Hamilton)
PHILO545 Aesthetics right arrow

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)
PHILO552 Existence and the Social World right arrow

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)
PHILO588 Foundations of Philosophical Research right arrow

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)
PHILO593 Philosophy Thesis right arrow

An externally examined piece of written work that reports on the findings of supervised research.

90 25X (Hamilton)
Code and paper title Points
PHILO800 Philosophy MPhil Thesis right arrow

120 25X (Hamilton)
Code and paper title Points
PHILO900 Philosophy PhD Thesis right arrow

120 25I (Hamilton) & 25J (Hamilton) & 25K (Hamilton) & 25X (Hamilton)
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2025 Catalogue of Papers information current as of 12 Oct 2024 01:00am