
Nathan Carson, Ph.D.
School of Humanities, Religion and Social Sciences
Explore Philosophy, B.A.
As a philosophy major at Fresno Pacific University, your pursuit of wisdom and truth will help you explore the unsettling questions of reality, knowledge, morality, God, evil, freedom, and the soul.
Through rigorous coursework you’ll become familiar with classic and foundational texts in philosophy, ethics and reasoning. Through critique and argumentation, you’ll learn to think for yourself while engaging in discussions and interactive class projects.
Whether you spend a week in silence studying the vice of vanity, express philosophy through creative writing or visual art, or publish your best work in a philosophy journal, you’ll learn from top Christian philosophers committed to your intellectual and personal formation.
Program Director: Nathan P. Carson, Ph.D.
Students may take either a major or a minor in philosophy. Both the major and the minor are understood to be essential elements of a liberal arts education through their articulation of a self-reflective and critical mode of thinking.
Many students take a major or minor in philosophy as a value-added course of study to supplement their professional, career major.
The philosophy major is intended to acquaint students with some of the classic texts of the discipline and with its different areas of inquiry.
The philosophical core requirements equip students in ethical reflection and logical argumentation, as well as in the history of philosophy. Students are also encouraged to strengthen their philosophical training through various constructive topical courses (such as philosophy of religion, epistemology, etc.), when they are offered as electives.
Main Campus Fresno
*An upper-division course from another program may count toward the philosophy major if the course is pertinent to the philosophy major and approved by the philosophy program director. In addition to PHIL 100 , philosophy majors are strongly encouraged to take PHIL 103 , PHIL 331 and PHIL 335 before taking other upper-division courses.
** Multiple iterations of PHIL 286 or PHIL 486 can be taken, when the topic designation of each course is distinct from other iterations student has completed.
Whether you're a high school student, transfer student or parent, you'll find all the resources you need including application steps, tuition & financial aid, transfer and orientation information.
Fresno Pacific University’s accepted students have average GPAs of 3.2-3.6. Please speak with an admission counselor to discuss your eligibility.
All application materials should be submitted online or mailed to:
Office of Undergraduate Admission
Fresno Pacific University
1717 S. Chestnut Ave. #2005
Fresno, CA 93702
ugadmis@fresno.edu
Philosophy (AA-T) to Philosophy, B.A.
BA courses fulfilled through ADT:
ADT Guarantee is the completion of BA/BS degree in 68 units.
For those students who have applied to FPU’s traditional undergraduate program within the past 2 years and did not attend. Students who applied more than 2 years ago will need to resubmit a full application for admission:
Former FPU students who have not been enrolled in and/or have not submitted a leave of absence form for the previous semester are required to re-apply for admission to FPU:
Students interested in taking classes, usually for personal or professional development, or to transfer to another institution, and is not interested in a degree from FPU. Non-degree students are not eligible for federal, state or institutional aid. Other requirements, class limits and pre-requisites may apply. See the academic catalog for more information:
Students wishing to audit a class at FPU may apply for audit status. Audit classes are not eligible for financial aid and students will not receive course credit.
Earning a degree in four years allows you to get a head start on achieving your goals of entering the work force or starting graduate school. FPU guarantees graduation within four years in the traditional undergraduate areas of study. We commit to providing the courses, advising, instruction and preparation. If you fulfill your responsibilities and are unable to graduate in four years, you will receive the needed courses the following semester at no cost in tuition or fees.
This guarantee is limited to basic graduation requirements of 120 minimum units including general education, upper-level and elective courses sufficient for a single major with no minor.
FPU guarantees a student with an Associate Degree for Transfer (ADT) from the California Community College system, can complete their degree in just two years. If a student meets the qualification requirements, fulfills the responsibilities under the program, and are unable to complete their major in a 2-year period, FPU will assume all additional tuition costs needed to complete their undergraduate degree at FPU.
Total Cost Item | Amount |
---|---|
12-18 units (full time) per year | $34,960 |
Student body fee | $598 |
Total Tuition and Fees | $35,548 |
Room | $5,018 |
Board | $5,130 |
Total Tuition, Fees & Board | $45,696 |
Per-Unit Costs | Amount |
---|---|
Per unit / Overload | $1,248 |
Summer Session | $500 |
Private Music Instruction | $400 |
Total Cost Item | Amount |
---|---|
12-18 units (full time) per year | $33,614 |
Student body fee | $574 |
Total Tuition and Fees | $34,188 |
Room and Board | $8,884 |
Total Tuition, Fees & Board | $43,072 |
Per-Unit Costs | Amount |
---|---|
Per unit / Overload | $1,218 |
Summer Session | $400 |
Private Music Instruction | $400 |
Total Cost Item | Amount |
---|---|
12-18 units (full time) per year | $32,954 |
Student body fee | $498 |
Total Tuition and Fees | $33,452 |
Room and Board | $8,710 |
Total Tuition, Fees & Board | $42,162 |
Per-Unit Costs | Amount |
---|---|
Per unit / Overload | $1,177 |
Summer Session | $300 |
Private Music Instruction | $400 |
Module* | Fall | Spring |
---|---|---|
Modules | $4,313 | $4,313 |
Jost Modules | $4,619 | $4,619 |
* Full Access Meal Plan Included in Cost (Full Access Required)
Suites & Houses | Fall | Spring |
---|---|---|
Room only | $2,068 | $2,068 |
Room-70 Block Meal Plan (included in cost) | $2,719 | $2,719 |
Room - 140 Block Meal Plan (included in cost) | $3,276 | $3,276 |
Room - Full Access Meal Plan (included in cost) | $4,400 | $4,400 |
Jost Hall (4 person), Willow Gardens (4 person) & Kriegbaum Apartments (3 person) | Fall | Spring |
---|---|---|
Apartment - Room only | $2,694 | $2,694 |
Apartment - 70 Block Meal Plan (included in cost) | $3,345 | $3,345 |
Apartment - 140 Block Meal Plan (included in cost) | $3,902 | $3,902 |
Apartment - Full Access Meal Plan (included in cost) | $5,026 | $5,026 |
Willow Gardens & Jost Hall Apartments: 3 Person | Fall | Spring |
---|---|---|
Apartments - Room only | $3,306 | $3,306 |
Apartments - 70 Block Meal Plan (included in cost) | $3,958 | $3,958 |
Apartments - 140 Block Meal Plan (included in cost) | $4,514 | $4,514 |
Apartments - Full Access Meal Plan (included in cost) | $5,639 | $5,639 |
Stand-Alone Meal Plans | Fall | Spring |
---|---|---|
70 Block | $651 | $651 |
140 Block | $1,208 | $1,208 |
Full Access Meal Plan | $2,332 | $2,332 |
* Residents living in the Houses or Willow Gardens Apartments may stay over Christmas break at no extra charge providing they are returning for spring semester. Otherwise, residents must check out at the regular fall check-out dates.
If you have questions that pertain specifically to housing or what housing you qualify for, please contact Residence Life at (559) 453-5696. Or visit our website at studentlife.fresno.edu/living-campus.
Based on a student’s academic GPA. Academic GPA’s are calculated by FPU on a weighted, 4.0 scaled and based on core academic classes in grades 10-12. Renewable if a minimum GPA is maintained.
Name | GPA | Amount |
---|---|---|
Paragon | Full Tuition | |
President's | 4.00 GPA and above | $18,000 |
Dean's | 3.75-3.99 GPA | $15,000 |
Heritage | 3.50-3.75 GPA | $14,000 |
Faculty | 3.25-3.49 GPA | $12,000 |
Founder's | Below a 3.0 GPA | $8,000 |
To be considered for a Transfer Academic Scholarship, you must have 12 or more transferable, post-high school units. GPA’s are based on transferable units and calculated by FPU.
Name | GPA | Amount |
---|---|---|
Transfer Scholar | 3.50 GPA and above | $14,000 |
Transfer Achievement | 3.0-3.49 GPA | $10,000 |
Transfer Academic | 2.40-2.99 GPA | $7,500 |
Transfer Partnership | Below a 2.4 GPA | $6,000 |
Name | Amount |
---|---|
Athletic | $500 to Full Tuition |
Music | $400 to $10,000 |
Theatre Arts | $500 to $4,000 |
Art/Design | $500 to $4,000 |
Name | Amount |
---|---|
FPU Possibilities Scholarship | Full Tuition |
Church Match | $500 to $1,500 |
International Scholarship | up to $6,000 |
Mennonite Brethren Award | $4,000 |
Out of State Student Scholarship | $4,000 |
Other Awards | $100 to $10,000 |
Name | Amount |
---|---|
Cal Grant A | $9,358 |
Cal Grant B | $1,648 |
Pell Grants | $750 to $7,395 |
Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant | $1,000 |
Name | Amount |
---|---|
Federal Direct | $3,500 to $7,500 |
PLUS Loan | Up to remaining cost |
Workstudy | Contingent on employment |
Alumni, parents, friends, businesses and foundations have generously provided a special set of scholarships available to students attending Fresno Pacific.
Alexandra Green
The grants, the academic awards, the transfer scholarship – all of it makes it so much more affordable to attend FPU. I know that school isn’t cheap for anyone, but FPU helped me realize that I could actually come to this school because they were going to help me so much financially.
Now that you’ve seen the financial aid opportunities available to FPU students, we can estimate what your true cost may be to attend Fresno Pacific. Please keep in mind that this is just a computer generated, general estimate and may not capture all aid available, please work with your FPU Student Financial Services advisor to discover your true net price.
With this cross-disciplinary degree, you'll gain the foundation for a broad range of careers. Our graduates possess the critical thinking skills in high demand in today's evolving job market and are well equipped to enter a variety of graduate programs and careers, traditionally scoring higher than all other majors in graduate school placement exams. Philosophy is also a top degree for entering law school and medical school.
The staff in our Career Development and Experiential Learning Center are here to help you prepare to enter the working world. Whether your a freshman or an FPU alum, there are a number of resources and trainings offered to help you find the internship and job you’re looking for.