School of Liberal Arts
Indianapolis
Chairperson
Professor Michael Burke
Departmental URL
www.iupui.edu/~philosop
Program URL
www.iupui.edu/~philosop/graduate.htm
Departmental E-mail
cdwaal@iupui.edu (American Philosophy)
jeberl@iupui.edu (Bioethics)
Graduate Faculty
Degree Offered
Master of Arts in Philosophy
Ph.D Minor
Departmental Requirements
Courses
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(An asterisk [*] denotes associate membership in University Graduate School faculty.)
Professors
Michael Burke, Edmund Byrne (Emeritus), Anne Donchin (Emerita), Nathan Houser, Laurence Lampert, Eric Meslin (Philosophy and Medicine), Paul Nagy (Emeritus, American Studies)
Associate Professors
André De Tienne*, Richard Gunderman (Philosopohy and Medicine), Ursula Niklas, John Tilley
Assistant Professors
Cornelis de Waal*, Jason T. Eberl*, Timothy D. Lyons*
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Master of Arts in Philosophy
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The Department of Philosophy M.A. program offers two concentrations: Bioethics and American Philosophy
Admission Requirements
Applicants are expected to have a bachelor's degree from an accredited university or its equivalent, with a grade point average of at least 3.0 overall (on a 4.0 scale) and at least 3.0 in the student's major. There is no specific major requirement, but applicants must show a record of course work (or equivalent experience) demonstrating that they are sufficiently prepared to do graduate work in philosophy. For applicants interested in the bioethics track, professional training or experience that involved health care ethics could be accepted in lieu of coursework. Applicants must also show an appropriate level of achievement on the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) General Test.
Program Requirements
Students are required to take a minimum of 30 credit hours, including a 6 credit hour thesis written under the guidance of an appropriate faculty committee (Students who elect the bioethics concentration may substitute for the thesis a 6 credit hour research project, completed under the guidance of an appropriate faculty committee. Examples of admissible research projects: research that leads to a paper of sufficient length and quality to be considered for publication in a peer-reviewed journal; a comprehensive briefing paper for a legislative hearing; an analysis of a hospital, institutional, or research policy.)
The program is divided into three modules. Students must complete 6 credit hours in core areas of philosophy (module 1), 18 credit hours in concentration-specific courses (module 2), and 6 credit hours toward a thesis or research project (module 3). Students must attend and complete these courses at IUPUI, excepting those courses accepted for transfer. At least 15 credit hours must be taken at IUPUI. No course with a grade lower than a B will count toward the degree.
Module 1: Philosophy Core (6 cr. required)
PHIL P525 Topics in the History of Philosophy (3 cr.)
PHIL P540 Contemporary Ethical Theories (3 cr.)
PHIL P543 Contemporary Social and Political Philosophy (3 cr.)
PHIL P553 Philosophy of Science (3 cr.)
PHIL P560 Metaphysics (3 cr.)
PHIL P562 Theory of Knowledge (3 cr.)
Module 2:
Concentration-specific courses (18 cr. required)
Bioethics
- Required foundational course (3 cr.)
PHIL P547 Foundations of Bioethics (3 cr.)
- Concentration-specific electives (15 cr. required)
- Areas of central importance (6 cr. required)
PHIL P548 Clinical Ethics Practicum (3 cr.)
LAW D838 Bioethics and Law (3 cr.)
MHHS M504 Introduction to Research Ethics (3 cr.)
- Specialized electives (9 cr. required)
ANTH E445 Medical Anthropology (3 cr.)
COMM G510 Health Provider-Consumer Communication (3 cr.)
HIST H546 History of Medicine (3 cr.)
NURS N534 Ethical and Legal Perspectives in Advanced Nursing Practice (2 cr.)
PHIL P549 Bioethics and Pragmatism (3 cr.)
PHIL P555 Ethical and Policy Issues in International Research (3 cr.)
PHIL P590 Intensive Reading (1-4 cr.) [Only with track-specific content]
PHIL P600 Topics in Philosophy (3 cr.) [When content is track specific]
PHIL P696 Topics in Biomedical Ethics (3 cr.)
PHIL P730 Seminar in Contemporary Philosophy (4 cr.) [When content is track specific]
SOC R515 Sociology of Health and Illness (3 cr.)
SOC S560 Topics: Death and Dying (3 cr.)
American Philosophy
- Required foundational course (3 cr.) PHIL P558 American Philosophy (3 cr.)
- Concentration specific electives (9 cr. required)
P503 The Semiotics of C. S. Peirce (3 cr.)
P507 American Philosophy and the Analytic Tradition (3 cr.)
P514 Pragmatism (3 cr.)
P549 Bioethics and Pragmatism (3 cr.)
P590 Intensive Reading (1-4 cr.) [Only with track-specific content]
P600 Topics in Philosophy (3 cr.) [When content is track specific]
P650 Topics in Semiotic Philosophy (3 cr.)
P701 Peirce Seminar (3 cr.)
P730 Seminar in Contemporary Philosophy (4 cr.) [When content is track specific]
P748 Seminar in American Philosophy (3 cr.)
- Open electives (6 cr. required)
These include all of the courses above, as well as all other graduate courses offered in the IUPUI Department of Philosophy. The latter include:
PHIL P520 Philosophy of Language (3 cr.)
PHIL P542 The Ethics and Values of Philanthropy (3 cr.)
Module 3: Thesis or Research Project (6 cr. required)
PHIL P803 Master's Thesis in Philosophy (3-6 cr.)
Although IUPUI does not offer a doctoral degree program in philosophy, a doctoral minor in philosophy is available to graduate students outside the philosophy department. See the department chair for details.
Course Requirements
To earn a doctoral minor in philosophy at IUPUI, a student outside the department must earn a minimum grade point average 3.0 (B) in 13 credit hours of graduate-level courses including 3 credits in the core course (P500), 6 in philosophical area and/or applied philosophy courses, and 4 in the culminating seminar (P730).
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Philosophy Courses
Courses Offered in Other Departments
P500 Philosophy Proseminar (3 cr.)
P503 The Semiotics of C. S. Peirce (3 cr.) A general introduction into the semiotics of C. S. Peirce.
P507 American Philosophy and the Analytic Tradition (3 cr.) An overview of the development of American philosophy with a special focus on its contribution to and influence on the American analytic tradition. This course discusses the views of such philosophers as C. I. Lewis, Rudolph Carnap, W. V. O. Quine, Donald Davidson, Hillary Putnam, and Susan Haack.
P514 Pragmatism (3 cr.) This course examines what pragmatism stood for in its formative years and what it has become; then, after studying some conflicting views of well-known pragmatists, it considers what pragmatism might become. Part of the course is devoted to the contributions of pragmatism to different areas within philosophy.
P520 Philosophy of Language (3 cr.) Advanced study of selected topics.
P525 Topics in the History of Philosophy (3 cr.) An advanced study of important themes or major figures in the history of philosophy. May be repeated for credit if topics vary.
P540 Contemporary Ethical Theories (3 cr.) Fundamental problems of ethics in contemporary analytic philosophy from G. E. Moore's Principia Ethica to the present.
P542 The Ethics and Values of Philanthropy (3 cr.) An inquiry into the ethics and values of philanthropy rooted in a general understanding of philanthropy, as voluntary action for the public good, as an ethical ideal. A consideration of philanthropic activity in light of this ideal.
P543 Contemporary Social and Political Philosophy (3 cr.)
P547 Foundations of Bioethics (3 cr.) A rigorous examination of bioethical theory and practice. Stress is placed on moral and conceptual issues embedded in biomedical research, clinical practice, and social policy relating to the organization and delivery of health care.
P548 Clinical Ethics Practicum (3 cr.) Application of the methods of philosophical analysis to current ethical issues arising in IU-affiliated hospitals and clinics. The practicum gives students firsthand experience of clinical ethics problems in "real time," showing them both the need for conceptual frameworks and the difficulties associated with them.
P549 Bioethics and Pragmatism (3 cr.) A survey of recent contributions of American philosophy to bioethics. The course strongly focuses on a growing group of philosophers and ethicists who seek their inspiration in Dewey, James, Peirce, Royce, and Mead, while dealing with contemporary issues in medical ethics.
P553 Philosophy of Science (3 cr.) A study of theories with regard to the nature, purpose, and limitations of science. Attention is given to the cognitive significance of theories, the scientific method (hypothesis formation, theory construction, and testing), research paradigms, reductionism, and social epistemology.
P555 Ethical and Policy Issues in International Research (3 cr.) Examines ethical and policy issues in the design and conduct of transnational research involving human participants. Topics discussed include: economic and political factors; study design; the role of ethics review committees; individual and group recruitment/informed consent; end of study responsibilities; national and international guidelines.
P558 American Philosophy (3 cr.) General introduction to American philosophy.
P560 Metaphysics (3 cr.) In-depth discussion of representative contemporary theories.
P562 Theory of Knowledge (3 cr.) Advanced study of selected topics.
P590 Intensive Reading (1-4 cr.) A tutorial course involving in-depth consideration of a specific philosophical area or problem or author. May be repeated for credit.
P600 Topics in Philosophy (3 cr.) This course addresses some particular topic within philosophy. May be repeated for credit.
P650 Topics in Semiotic Philosophy (3 cr.) An examination of various historical and theoretical issues arising from the philosophical study of semiosis-the general phenomenon of representation, objectification, signification, and interpretation-through the work of mostly American philosophers from the late nineteenth century to the present, with an emphasis on the impact of Peirce's semiotic philosophy.
P696 Topics in Biomedical Ethics (3 cr.) Selected topics in bioethics, such as international research ethics; ethical issues in pediatrics; ethical issues in genetics.
P701 Peirce Seminar (3 cr.) This course is designed to give students a firm and broad understanding of the philosophy of Charles S. Peirce.
P730 Seminar in Contemporary Philosophy (4 cr.) Selected topics on the works of twentieth-century philosophers. May be repeated for credit.
P748 Seminar in American Philosophy (3 cr.) Different topics course which students can take repeatedly for credit. Sample topics include American Phenomenology (De Tienne), American Realism (De Waal), Emerson (Hanson), James (Nagy), Royce (De Tienne), Dewey (Nagy), and Mead (De Waal).
P803 Master's Thesis in Philosophy (cr. arr.)
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Anthropology
E445 Medical Anthropology (3 cr.) A cross-cultural examination of a biocultural systems model of human adaptation in health and disease, including: the interaction of biology, ecology, and culture in health; ethnomedical systems in the cross-cultural conception, presentation, diagnosis, and treatment of disease; and sociocultural change and health. This course has been approved for graduate credit.
Communication and Culture
C510 Health Provider-Consumer Communication (3 cr.)
History
H546 History of Medicine (3 cr.) History of medicine and public health in Europe and America, including ancient and medieval background, with focus on the development of modern health sciences since 1800.
Law
D838 Bioethics and Law (3 cr.) Biological, ethical, and legal aspects of medical genetics, euthanasia, procreational technologies, abortion, organ transplants, "Baby Doe" cases, or other topics of current interest.
Medical Humanities/Health Studies
M504 Introduction to Research Ethics (3 cr.) Ethical issues in designing, conducting, analyzing and presenting research; includes historical and theoretical background as well as case studies of such issues as scientific misconduct, data management and reporting, publication practices, intellectual property, funding of research and conflict of interest, human subject research and institutional review boards, and public perceptions of science.
Nursing
N534 Ethical and Legal Perspectives in Advanced Nursing Practice (2 cr.) This course discusses and analyzes major ethical and legal terms and the principles underlying legal and ethical health care practices. Students analyze selected theories/concepts/ principles of ethics and law within a framework of ethical decision making in advanced nursing practice.
Sociology
R515 Sociology of Health and Illness (3 cr.) Surveys important areas of medical sociology, focussing on social factors influencing the distribution of disease, help-seeking and health care. Topics covered include social epidemiology, the health care professions, socialization of providers and issues of cost and cost containment.
R527 Sociology of Death and Dying (3 cr.) This course explores the human confrontation with mortality from a social, historical, and moral perspective. Topics to be discussed include Western attitudes towards death, medicalization of dying, human implications of high-tech dying, the right-to-die movement, funeral rituals, the death of children, and the violent death of suicide and genocide.
S560 Topics in Sociology (Death and Dying) (3 cr.)
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