MSU Denver

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April 5th

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"Charting the Path to Virtue: Sor Juana's Devotional Exercises"

Philosophy at MSU Denver

“Have the courage to use your own understanding.” -Immanuel Kant

Philosophy begins in wonder. What am I? How can I know things? What is the best life for a human being? What is justice? What is truth? Philosophy is the attempt to understand and answer questions such as these in a rigorous, critical and open-ended manner. No belief is left unquestioned. No prejudice respected. No authority bowed to. Philosophy is unlike other disciplines. It is not learning what others have discovered. It is discovering how to learn, in a genuine and personal way, to use one’s own mind to think about oneself, the world and the relation between the two. Learn more about the mission and goals of the Department of Philosophy at MSU Denver.

We are working on Fall 2023

Spring 2023!

Philosophy Core

History of Ancient Philosophy (Dr. David Sullivan)

History of Modern Philosophy (Dr. Reid)

We are also offering upper division electives:

Epistemology (Dr. Tony Chu, Area 3)

Computers, Ethics, and Society  (Dr. Kate Schmidt, Area 4)

Philosophy of Law (Dr. Brian Hutchinson, Area 4)

Philosophy of Race (Dr. Elizabeth Goodnick, Area 5)

Hinduism (Area 5 or 6)

Existentialsm (Dr. David Sullivan, Area 6)

Senior Seminar ( Dr. Tony Chu)

 

Erica Payne Cody Hickman

The MSU Denver Philosophy Department is exceptional. The instruction is thorough, and the professors are extremely supportive of their students’ success. Through the Philosophy Department, I’ve honed my knowledge and critical thinking skills. I’ve presented my work at conferences, and my growth as a student has been supported by the professors and the staff. I’m extremely happy with the department, and I’m glad that I chose MSU for my undergrad program.

Erica Payne

MSU Denver Philosophy Student

Inspired by my study of John Rawls 'Justice as Fairness' in the MSU Denver’s philosophy department, I went on to complete my law degree at DU’s Sturm College of Law. Thanks to my background in philosophy, I became distinguished in statutory interpretation and legal writing. My career consists almost entirely of using the skills I honed during my philosophy studies, untying complex system-wide "knots” and helping to remove barriers to health-related services for individuals throughout Colorado.

Cody Hickman, J.D., Colorado Department of Health Care Policy & Financing

MSU Denver Philosophy Graduate

Career Options

What can I do with a philosophy degree? A lot. Philosophy may not prepare you for one specific career, but it is particularly good at preparing students for the variety of jobs and careers graduates are likely to have over a lifetime. Philosophy majors do better, professionally and financially, than, for example, business, biology, marketing and political-science majors (don’t believe us?). And if you are considering going on to graduate school, philosophy majors score higher than any other major on the GRE and are in the top ranks for the LSAT, GMAT and MCAT. 

Already have a major? If you want to think more deeply, more critically, from different perspectives, about the things you learn in your major, the philosophy minor is for you. A philosophy minor (only 21 credits) is a great match for majors such as biology, physics, psychology, political science, sociology and anthropology. We also offer a minor in religious studies, in case you would like to critically examine the world’s various religious traditions.

Denver Project for Humanistic Inquiry

The Denver Project for Humanistic Inquiry (D-Phi) aims to enrich Denver’s intellectual and cultural life via many avenues.

D-phi

Department of Philosophy

Contact Us

Need help finding a course? Need an override or advising?

Call Us: 303-615-0900

Stop into the The Department of Philosophy in Central Classroom (CN) 303 or call 303-615-0900. Our Fall Hours are: 

Monday-Friday 8:30-4:00

 

Phone: 303-615-0900

Location: Central Building, 303

Mailing Address:

Metropolitan State University of Denver
Department of Philosophy
P.O. Box 173362, Campus Box 49
Denver, CO 80217

Faculty & Staff

Meet our Faculty

Department Highlights

James Reid

We are excited to announce that our faculty member, Dr. James Reid, won a grant for the preparation of a book interpreting the work of German Romantic philosophical poet Novalis, plus a one-volume selected edition of his philosophical and literary writings from the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH). Congratulations, Dr. Reid!

Bio Award Announcement
Two students sit on the grass while discussing and holding a laptop and a notebook.

Giving to the Department of Philosophy

Your generous donations support MSU Denver students pursue their dreams.

Your tax-deductible donation will help the Department of Philosophy continue to provide a quality and competitive education for our students.

Donate Now
Burning candle on black table. Memory day

Burning candle on black table.

Donate to John Kennedy's Memorial Scholarship

 John Kennedy, a longtime affiliate faculty member, passed away at the end of the Fall 2022 semester. He was known for his kindness and compassion towards colleagues and students and will be missed deeply.  

 

John earned his Bachelor of Arts at MSU Denver, majoring in Philosophy and minoring in History. He went on to earn a Master of Arts in Philosophy at the University of Denver, focusing his studies on Continental Philosophy, especially Kant and Hegel.  

 

John went on to study in Ireland and Iowa, as he put it in his own words. “Later I would have the privilege to read Philosophy at Trinity College, Dublin, Ireland, exploring the thought of George Berkeley with the noted scholar, E.J. Furlong. At the end of this brief excursion I spent a number of years at the University of Iowa as a student in the Graduate Department of Philosophy studying Kant and Ethical Theory with the guidance of Moltke Gram, the noted Kant scholar, as well as other members of their fine faculty.”  

 

John was a valued colleague and friend and his loss has made a profound impact. In memorial of John, we are asking for donations to a scholarship in his honor. The John Kennedy Memorial Scholarship will help Philosophy students further their academic careers here at MSU Denver. You may donate by using this link.  

Donate Now

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