Philosophy, Politics, and Law

The study of the law should be introduced as part of a liberal education, to train and enrich the mind. . . . I am convinced that, like history, economics and metaphysics—and perhaps even to a greater degree than these—the law could be advantageously studied with a view to the general development of the mind.

— Justice Louis Brandeis

Law’s influence on our lives is pervasive. It limits and protects us, from before our birth until after we are long dead. Law shapes our lives in every respect: economic, personal, professional and political. To study law seriously, in all its facets, leads far beyond the narrow confines of legal cases to perennial questions of law’s origins, operation and justification. Its study within the liberal arts crosses disciplinary boundaries; law must be viewed from many different vantage points.

Philosophy, Politics and Law (PPL) is an interdisciplinary BA program designed for both liberal arts students and students interested in law school. Though many enter law school, other majors go on to graduate school or pursue careers in teaching, business or government. Courses for the major, selected for their content, include classes in philosophy, political science and history, along with selected cognate courses from other areas. Students are thus able to tailor the major to suit their own interests and needs.

The director of the philosophy, politics and law program is in the Department of Philosophy. Additional faculty members are also designated as advisors. 

See our website for more information and updates.

Harpur College Requirements

Harpur College students must complete the following requirements in addition to those listed for the major:

  • 126 credits
  • 94 liberal arts and sciences credits
  • Minimum of 46 upper-level credits
  • Completion of the Harpur College writing requirement (four to five courses, as described in the All-College Writing section of the Harpur College Undergraduate Information section of the Bulletin. Maximum of one C/J course and two W courses, may be transferred).
  • Minimum of 44 credits in residence in Harpur College
  • 2.0 or higher GPA

Harpur College requirements are described in detail in the Requirements for Graduation section of the Harpur College Undergraduate Information section of the Bulletin.

Requirements for Philosophy, Politics and Law Major

Students must take a total of 12 courses to fulfill the requirements for the major. Four courses must be in philosophy (146; either 147, 148, 149 or 150; 345; and either 455, 456, 457 or 458, of any letter/title); any two political science courses from list B, at least one of which must be 300-level or above; and any two history courses from list C. The remaining four courses may be selected from among all the classes listed under philosophy, political science, history or cognates. At least half of the courses must be at the 300-level or above.

  •  PHIL 146 – Law and Justice
  • One of the following 100-level PHIL courses:

      • PHIL 147 Markets, Ethics and Law

      • PHIL 148 Medical Ethics

      • PHIL 149 Environmental Ethics & Policy

      • PHIL 150 Technology, Ethics, and Policy
  • One PLSC course in Philosophy, Politics and Law at the 300 level or above from the list, such as:
    • PLSC 300 Political Psychology
    • PLSC 321 American Presidency
    • PLSC 414 The US Supreme Court
    • PLSC 466 Political Islam
  • One additional PLSC course in Philosophy, Politics and Law from the list, such as:
    • PLSC 117 World Politics
    • PLSC 311 Politics of Western Europe
    • PLSC 327 American Foreign Policy
    • PLSC 342 Urban Politics
  • PHIL 345 Philosophy of Law
  • Two courses in History from the list, such as:
    • HIST 130 Modern World History
    • HIST 225 Imperial Russia
    • HIST 263 Sex in American History
    • HIST 354 Civil War America
  • Four courses in Philosophy, Political Science, History, or cognates from the list, such as:
    • ANTH 264 Native American Culture and History
    • ECON 144 Poverty and Discrimination
    • ENVI 239 Environmental Planning Policy
  • One of the following courses in Philosophy
    • PHIL 455 Advanced Philosophy of Law
    • PHIL 456 Problems in Law and Political Theory
    • PHIL 457 Problems in Law and Morality
    • PHIL 458 Problems in Law and History of Philosophy
  • Upper Division Requirement: Students are required to take at least six courses (24 credits) at the 300 level or above

 Requirements for Public Policy BA

The choices of governments, including legal, fiscal and regulatory structures, shape the opportunities and life prospects of citizens as well as the broader trajectories of economies and the global environment.  Students in the Public Policy concentration will acquire skills in both quantitative analysis and normative critique, preparing them to be effective public servants and informed participants in shaping the policy choices of the future.

  •  PHIL 146 – Law and Justice
  • One of the following 100-level PHIL courses:
    • PHIL 147 Markets, Ethics and Law
    • PHIL 148 Medical Ethics
    • PHIL 149 Environmental Ethics & Policy
    • PHIL 150 Technology, Ethics, and Policy
  • PHIL 345 – Philosophy of Law
  • One 400-level PHIL seminar in Public Policy, such as:
    • PHIL 455 Advanced Philosophy of Law
    • PHIL 456A Criminal Law and Responsibility
    • PHIL 456S Free Speech & Freedom of the Press
    • PHIL 457G Sustainability
  • One PLSC course in Philosophy, Politics and Law at the 300 level or above in Public Policy, such as:
    • PLSC 327 American Foreign Policy
    • PLSC 366 US Labor Politics, Policy and Law
    • PLSC 384 Topics in Policy Analysis
  • One additional PLSC course in Philosophy, Politics and Law in Public Policy, such as:
    • PLSC 115 Introduction to Ideas and Politics
    • PLSC 282A Intro to Environmental Policy
    • PLSC 342 Urban Politics
  • Two HIST courses in Philosophy, Politics and Law in Public Policy, such as:
    • HIST 280C History of Social Movements in the Modern US
    • HIST 286H World Climate Catastrophies
    • HIST 386C Human Trafficking in History
    • HIST 482B Latin American Immigration
  • One Quantitative Analysis course in Philosophy, Politics and Law
  • Three additional courses in Philosophy, Politics and Law
  • One course in Statistics, such as:
    • MATH 147 Elementary Statistics
    • ANTH 200 Quant Methods in Anthro
  • Upper Division Requirement: Students must take at least six courses (24 credits) at the 300 level or above
  • Concentration Requirement: Students must take at least six Public Policy courses (24 credits) within the Philosophy, Politics & Law program

Requirements for Global Affairs and International Law BA

Interactions and relationships among the world’s countries are seen to have an ever-increasing impact on markets, economies, societies, cultures, and legal systems. This growing interdependence creates difficult challenges and exciting opportunities for lawyers, judges, businesses and policy makers. Students in the Global Affairs and International Law concentration will acquire knowledge and skills that will prepare them to help firms, organizations and governments meet these challenges and benefit from these opportunities.

  • PHIL 146 – Law and Justice
  • One of the following 100-level PHIL courses:
    • PHIL 147 Markets, Ethics and Law
    • PHIL 148 Medical Ethics
    • PHIL 149 Environmental Ethics & Policy
    • PHIL 150 Technology, Ethics, and Policy
  • PHIL 345 – Philosophy of Law
  • One 400-level PHIL seminar in Global Affairs and International Law, such as:
    • PHIL 456H International Law & Justice
    • PHIL 456K War and Terrorism
    • PHIL 458K What We Owe the Global Poor
  • One PLSC course in Philosophy, Politics and Law in Global Affairs and International Law at the 300 level or above, such as:
    • PLSC 319 Issues in World Politics
    • PLSC 348 Human Rights
    • PLSC 375 International Law
    • PLSC 466 Political Islam
  • One additional PLSC course in Philosophy, Politics and Law in Global Affairs and International Law, such as:
    • PLSC 117 World Politics
    • PLSC 311 Politics of Western Europe
    • PLSC 327 American Foreign Policy
    • PLSC 405 International Politics of Third World
  • Two HIST courses in Philosophy, Politics and Law in Global Affairs and International Law, such as:
    • HIST 130 Modern World History
    • HIST 225 Imperial Russia
    • HIST 333 Human Rights since 1945
    • HIST 341 China and the West
  • Four additional courses in Philosophy, Politics and Law
  • Upper Division Requirement: Students must take at least six courses (24 credits) at the 300 level or above
  • Concentration Requirement: Students must take at least six Global Affairs and International Law courses (24 credits) within the Philosophy, Politics and Law program

Requirements for Political and Ethical Theory BA

As societies change and grow more diverse, how can we enact laws and build social structures that will be fair, inclusive, and respectful to everyone, and that will enable people from many different backgrounds to lead happy, flourishing lives?  Students in the Political and Ethical Theory concentration will learn how to draw on classic texts and ideas from the history of philosophy, as well as empirical results from the social sciences, so as to engage with clarity, insight and intellectual seriousness in contemporary conversations about equity, inclusiveness, freedom, justice and progress. 

  • PHIL 146 – Law and Justice
  • One of the following 100-level PHIL courses:
    • PHIL 147 – Markets, Ethics and Law
    • PHIL 148 – Medical Ethics
    • PHIL 149 – Environmental Ethics & Policy
    • PHIL 150 Technology, Ethics, and Policy
  • PHIL 345 – Philosophy of Law
  • One 400-level PHIL seminar in Political and Ethical Theory, such as:
    • PHIL 455 Advanced Philosophy of Law
    • PHIL 456 Problems in Law & Political Theory
    • PHIL 457 Problems in Law & Morality
    • PHIL 458 Problems in Law & Hist of Phil
  • One PLSC course in Philosophy, Politics and Law at the 300 level or above in Political and Ethical Theory from the list such as:
    • PLSC 325 Ethics & US Foreign Policy
    • PLSC 333 Civil Rights and Liberties
    • PLSC 348 Human Rights
  • One additional PLSC course in Philosophy, Politics and Law in Political and Ethical Theory from the list, such as:
    • PLSC 115 Introduction to Ideas and Politics
    • PLSC 325 Ethics & US Foreign Policy
    • PLSC 373 American Political Thought
  • Two HIST courses in Philosophy, Politics and Law in Political and Ethical Theory from the list, such as:
    • HIST 130 Modern World History
    • HIST 281E Machiavelli and the Renaissance
    • HIST 300 Ancient Law and Society
    • HIST 389 U.S. Legal History since 1890
  • Four additional courses in Philosophy, Politics and Law in Political and Ethical Theory
  • Upper Division Requirement: Students must take at least six courses (24 credits) at the 300 level or above
  • Concentration Requirement: Students must take at least six Political and Ethical Theory courses (24 credits) within the Philosophy, Politics and Law program

Notes:

(1) Students must earn a grade of C- or higher in courses fulfilling the major and courses cannot be taken Pass/Fail.

(2) Substitution of courses (except courses from other universities automatically transferred into the PPL major) must be approved by the student's PPL advisor. Substitutions of ºÚÁÏÊÓƵ courses not currently included in the major will be granted only in unusual circumstances, and are considered only in the senior year. Courses taken at other universities, similar to courses in the PPL major, may be approved for inclusion in the major by the student’s PPL advisor.

(3) See our website for updates in course offerings.

(4) Students interested in becoming a PPL major should see the Philosophy Department secretary for instructions on how to meet with a PPL advisor.

Honors in Philosophy, Politics and Law

Honors may be pursued through the unique Pell Honors Program, led each year by a faculty member in the Philosophy Department. The Pell program is supported by the generous contributions of Owen Pell ’80, LLD '11, who shares the vision that students in the liberal arts should have opportunities to pursue intensive writing and research with individual faculty. The program includes the development of an independent research paper, participation in a juried conference and the possibility of publication in a book series through an academic press. Honors may also be pursued through independent study with a faculty member in any PPL-related discipline. Your advisor will have details about requirements.

Institute for Philosophy, Politics and Law

PPL hosts various activities through its PPL Institute, including a visiting scholars program, a PPL lecture series, informational sessions about law school and other professions, and regular lunches between PPL students and faculty. The institute hosts most of the non-curricular activities of the PPL program and is made possible through the generous contributions of PPL alumni.

Addendum: MATH 148 and BE 304 removed on 6/6/2023; PHIL 150 Technology, Ethics, and Policy added to each track on 6/16/2023; Changed Global and International Affairs to Global Affairs and International Law on 6/16/23.