Logic Requirement
The logic requirement for graduate students can be fulfilled in several ways.
For students who began the graduate program in September 2022 or earlier:
(1) Standardly, students attend lectures for PHIL 250, and enroll with the instructor of the class in an independent study. Graduate students are expected to undertake additional work so that their coursework is at the 300- or 400- level.
Other possible ways to fulfill the logic requirement are listed below; however, whether or not coursework falling under the following rubrics does fulfill the requirement is at the discretion of the logic advisor.
(2) Coursework at another institution deemed equivalent to or exceeding that described in (1).
(3) Coursework at another institution deemed equivalent to part of that described in (1), plus completion of some portion of that described in (1).
(4) A 300- or 400-level class in formal logic taught at Northwestern University. However, no course used to fulfill the logic requirement may also be used to fulfill a part of the language requirement.
For incoming students in the graduate program, beginning in the 2023-24 academic year:
(1) Standardly, students attend lectures for PHIL 150 and PHIL 250, and enroll with the instructors of the class in an independent study (PHIL 399). Graduate students are expected to undertake additional work so that their coursework is at the 300 level.
Other possible ways to fulfill the logic requirement are listed below; however, whether or not coursework falling under the following rubrics does fulfill the requirement is at the discretion of the logic advisor.
(2) Achievement on a departmental logic placement exam or coursework at another
institution deemed equivalent to or exceeding that described in (1). (3) Achievement on a departmental logic placement exam or coursework at another institution deemed equivalent to part of that described in (1), plus completion of some portion of that described in (1).
(4) A 300- or 400-level class in formal logic taught at Northwestern University. However, no course used to fulfill the logic requirement may also be used to fulfill a part of the skills requirement.
Procedure:
- Students may opt simply to take both PHIL 150 and PHIL 250. This is what is expected of students with no logic background.
- Students may opt to take the logic placement exam, which will determine whether the student has fulfilled the logic requirement, or if the student must take PHIL 250 or both 150 and 250.
- Students who do neither of the preceding must consult with the logic advisor regarding previous logic coursework. After reviewing syllabi and course materials the logic advisor determines one of the following:
- The student must take both PHIL 150 and PHIL 250 to fulfill the requirement
- The student must take PHIL 250 to fulfill the requirement
- The student has fulfilled the requirement
Students falling under (a) and (b) above may still opt to take the placement exam. The student’s placement will be that according to the exam if said placement is more advanced than that indicated by the advisor’s assessment of coursework.