The BA in Philosophy syllabus is designed in six semesters and deals with Indian and Western traditions. The most important subjects are the following ones: Indian Philosophy, Western Philosophy of Descartes to Kant, Greek Philosophy, Logic, Ethics, and Epistemology. The educational program seeks to develop research and rational reasoning by exposing students to introductory courses and debate about the major philosophical theories.
Further through their studies, the students are taught applied ethics, social and political philosophy, analytic philosophy, and philosophy of religion. Advanced electives consider modern issues such as bioethics, feminism, philosophy of mind, aesthetics and philosophy of law. Analytical, oral and written communication skills can be enhanced by attending skill-enhancement courses and seminars.
The course combines lectures, tutorials and projects to have a self-ordered comprehension of logic, metaphysics and moral philosophy. Such a versatile approach is provided with theory and practical skill to solve various problems in ethics and social standards.
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BA Philosophy Syllabus Semester-Wise Syllabus 2025
The syllabus of BA Philosophy focuses on the basic courses, which include Logic, Introduction to Philosophy, Indian and Western Philosophy, and Ethics as per the curriculum. This course at Lady Shri Ram College for Women, University of Delhi, attaches importance to other academic skills such as critical thinking, writing, classroom discussions to enhance the comprehension of philosophical concepts and arguments by the students.
BA Philosophy Syllabus For Private Institute
The three year BA in Philosophy course that teaches core papers in Indian and Western philosophy, logic, ethics, and critical analysis is offered at K J Somaiya College of Arts and Commerce, Maharashtra.
BA Philosophy Exam Pattern
The following is the BA Philosophy exam pattern in the format adopted by the renowned universities like University of Delhi and others. The structure will involve a balance between theoretical knowledge, rational thinking and interpretive skills and ongoing evaluation during the degree.
- Internal assessment is continuous to maintain active activity in the form of assignments, written exercises, oral presentations, attendance and participation.
- Certain semesters comprise special ability or skill development courses and these are usually assessed through practice based tasks, presentation or application-related tasks,
- Logic papers also include deductive and inductive problem solving, symbolization and argument analysis both in exams and in the internal assessment.
- Some programmes in their final year take an extended essay or dissertation on a philosophical subject, considered on both written submission and viva-voce.
- Exams will usually include a combination of essay questions (theory and critique), short writing on important terms or concepts, the analysis of texts and commentaries, and problem sets or formal proofs.
- Generic electives, which may be within a particular discipline, e.g. Bioethics or Philosophy of Science, and discipline-specific electives, e.g. Feminism or Indian Theories of Consciousness, can be chosen by students and are assessed in the same manner as core courses.
FAQs
Which of the major philosophical traditions get focus in the BA Philosophy curriculum?
The syllabus consists of Indian and Western philosophies, classical and contemporary (like Vedanta, Buddhism, Jainism, Greek, Rationalist, Empiricist and Modern European philosophy).
Do the BA Philosophy course offer separate papers on branches such as metaphysics and epistemology, or are they offered as components of other papers?
Both metaphysics and epistemology are addressed both as independent papers and as a part of Indian and Western philosophical tradition. They are addressed in core modules and elective modules.
Are philosophy of mind and consciousness courses present in the BA Philosophy syllabus?
It has an important part, namely philosophy of mind, dealing with mind-body dualism, consciousness, perception, AI discussions, Indian theories of consciousness. Others also give this in a discipline specific elective at the university level.
Does the BA Philosophy syllabus discuss such areas as ethics and political philosophy with an Indian approach or a global approach?
The two perspectives are combined. The Indian sense of morality and social thought is introduced like the Western theories of ethics and politics. Study across cultures can be found by examining law, society and political thought cases.
How and to what extent are later movements such as existentialism or analytic philosophy taken in BA Philosophy curriculum?
Special papers covering existentialism, phenomenology, analytic philosophy and continental philosophy are found in the later semesters, and the students are able to pursue contemporary issues and arguments.
What are the elective or specialization papers that can be done in BA Philosophy?
Electives can consist of aesthetics, philosophy of feminism, applied ethics, philosophy of mind, psychology, meta-ethics, comparative religion, and advanced logic with the option of customizing the interests.
Does the BA Philosophy syllabus encounter non-Western philosophies in cultures other than Indian?
There are also syllabuses of Chinese, Buddhist, Jain and other Asian philosophy, taught either as optional courses, or as comparative courses.
Are there modern problems such as gender studies, environmental philosophy and philosophy of technology included in BA Philosophy syllabus?
Electives on feminism, applied ethics and environmental philosophy are common in many programs. The philosophical implications of technology are discussed on some new syllabuses as well.
