Philosophy Program Map

Students completing Associate Degrees for Transfer are guaranteed admission to the CSU system. Please see the beginning of the "Academic Programs" section for details. Students choosing this major will study a range of philosophical subjects including logic, ethics, metaphysics, and epistemology. They will learn not what to think but how to think, developing skills in analytical and critical thinking and writing that are excellent preparation for professional and other careers, including law and management.

Program detailsAward, code, department, CIP/TOP

Community of interest: SBSC Social/Behavioral Science & Communication
Award: AA-T Degree
Program code: 40923.30AA-T
Department: Philosophy
CIP code: 38.0101: Philosophy.
TOP code: 1509.00 - Philosophy

Map Class Schedule

Program Schedule Report Meet with a counselor

Philosophy

AA-T Degree

The AA-T is designed for transfer preparation to a specific California State University major in academic areas outside STEM and CTE. Like every Butte College associate degree, it has two parts: a general-education curriculum and an academic program of specialization.

About Associate Degrees for Transfer. AA-T and AS-T degrees are aligned with transfer model curricula developed jointly by the Academic Senates and discipline faculty in the California Community College and California State University systems. Completing one with a qualifying GPA guarantees CSU admission with junior standing in a related major (campus assignment depends on space and competitive criteria).

About General Education. GE is an integrated program of learning designed to foster intellectual curiosity, cultural understanding, critical thinking, creative reasoning, oral and written communication, and the capacity for ethical reasoning. By graduation, you'll have developed the ability to think critically, communicate clearly, apply quantitative reasoning, understand how the major academic disciplines ask their questions, comprehend diverse cultures and historical periods, and assess ethical problems — alongside the depth you build in your major.

See the 2025-26 Catalog for official program details

Semester-by-Semester Map

Term 1

Class Schedules

15–18 units

PHIL 2

Introduction to Philosophy

3 units

Meets Area 3B.

This course is an introduction to the nature of philosophical thought and skills. Issues that traditionally have been of central importance in philosophical inquiry will be emphasized. These include the nature and limits of knowledge, reality, and values. (C-ID PHIL 100).

General Education: Area 1A

English Composition

Baccalaureate-level academic writing — expository and argumentative. The foundation for every other course you'll write in.

General Education: Area 2

Mathematical Concepts and Quantitative Reasoning

College-level mathematics or quantitative reasoning — the toolkit behind science, business, and informed citizenship.

General Education: Area 3A

Arts

Engaging with creative work — painting, music, theatre, design — through making, viewing, and interpreting.

General Education: Area 6

Ethnic Studies

The histories, experiences, and contributions of the four autonomous disciplines: Black / African American / Africana studies, Native American studies, Chicano/a/x and Latino/a/x studies, and Asian American studies.

Term 2

Class Schedules

15–17 units

PHIL 6

Introduction to Logic and Critical Thinking

3 units

A study of traditional logic with both deductive and inductive reasoning, including syllogisms, natural deduction, and fallacies. Practical application of basic skills in orderly and accurate reasoning and communication. (C-ID PHIL 110).

General Education: Area 1C

Oral Communication

Public speaking and group discussion — organizing ideas for a live audience, listening actively, responding under pressure.

General Education: Area 4

Taking POLS C1000 or POS 12 is recommended to meet the US-2 graduation requirement for CSU/UC.

Social and Behavioral Sciences

The systematic study of people as members of society — cultural anthropology, cultural geography, economics, history, political science, psychology, sociology — and the methods these disciplines use to ask their questions.

General Education: Area 5A

Physical Science

The physical world — chemistry, physics, geology, astronomy — and how science actually works.

List A (Select one):

Required

3 units

Choose one of 2 choices

PHIL 4
Introduction to Ethics and the Good Life
3 units
course details
This course examines the concept of morality and values, representative ethical theories, and may include their applications to moral problems. (C-ID PHIL 120).
+−
PHIL 10
History of Ancient Philosophy
3 units
course details
This course addresses ancient philosophy with emphasis on the development of Greek philosophy from the Pre-Socratics through Aristotle and may also include Hellenistic, Roman, medieval or non-western thinkers. (C-ID PHIL 130).
+−

Term 3

Class Schedules

15 units

List B (Select two or any List A course not already used):

Required

3 units

Choose 2 of 2 choices

PHIL 8
Methods of Argument
3 units
course details
This course is a study of argumentative writing, including traditional topics in logic. The course will emphasize the application of argumentative methods and models to the analysis of contemporary moral, political, economic, and philosophical issues.
Prerequisite: ENGL C1000 or ENGL C1000E
+−
PHIL 18
Eastern Religions
3 units
course details
This course is an introduction to religious traditions of the East, including Hinduism, Buddhism, Confucianism, and Daoism, with an emphasis on philosophical perspectives expressed in historical and cultural development.
+−

List C (Select one or any List A or List B course not already used or any course articulated as Cal-GETC Area 3B):

3 units

Choose one of 1 choice

PHIL 16
Western Religions
3 units
course details
This course is a study of the origins and development of three Western religious traditions: Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. This course explores ways to study, interpret, and understand the beliefs and practices of these traditions, as well as their changes through history, and the relationship between religion and culture.
+−

General Education: Area 1B

Only necessary if not already met.

Critical Thinking and Composition

Reading and writing about complex texts — analyzing arguments, identifying assumptions, building your own case with evidence.

General Education: Area 4

Social and Behavioral Sciences

Term 4

Class Schedules

15–17 units

General Education: Area 5B

Must have 5C Lab component if not taken in 5A/5C.

Biological Science

Life and living systems — from cells to ecosystems.

Elective (any course numbered 1-99 or C1000-C1999)

Only necessary if the 60 units needed to graduate have not been completed. Consider taking a Cal-GETC General Education course. Visit www.assist.org to see options. Taking ECON 20, HIST 8, HIST 10, HIST 18, or HIST 26 is recommended to meet the US-1 graduation requirement for CSU/UC.

Career Connections

2-Year Degree Paths

Entry points students may pursue after associate-level study, technical preparation, or licensure pathways.

No locally mapped occupations in the current dataset point cleanly to an immediate 2-year outcome for this program.

4-Year Degree Paths

Roles that more often open up after transfer and a bachelor's degree.

No locally mapped occupations in the current dataset are grouped into the 4-year pathway for this program.

Graduate School Paths

Advanced roles commonly associated with graduate, professional, or post-baccalaureate study.

No locally mapped occupations in the current dataset are grouped into the graduate-school pathway for this program.

Source Notes

Course sequencing is generated from the Acadia Program Mapper cache. Career groupings use local CIP-to-SOC mappings and BLS occupation data when available. Confirm education plans with Counseling and Advising.

No NCES/IPEDS CIP-to-SOC mapping was found for this program's CIP code.

Last generated 2026-06-12T23:23+00:00

Program Snapshot

Next Steps

2-Year Degree Paths

4-Year Degree Paths

Graduate School Paths

Source Notes