Students enrolled in the Barrett Honors College may pursue the certificate in Philosophy, Politics, and Law. This interdisciplinary program affords an opportunity to engage in a focused program of study that brings analytical rigor to bear on the philosophical issues involved in law and politics. The concentration comprises six courses (18 credit hours), two of which are offered through the Barrett. One of these courses, normally taken in the student's second year at ASU, is a seminar on law, justice and morality (HON 310); the second is a junior-senior seminar on theories of justice, or a related topic in philosophy, politics, and law, that entails an extended paper (HON 410). The remaining four courses must be approved by the PPL Council and selected from courses regularly offered in Philosophy, Political Science, and other areas.
The PPL Council consists of the PPL director and several members of the ASU faculty whose research and teaching focus on political, legal, and moral philosophy. ASU has exceptional resources in this area, with more than a dozen faculty members--in the Department of Philosophy, the Department of Political Science, Barrett, the Sandra Day O'Connor College of Law, and other departments--working in this field. Among them are several professors who have won teaching awards and national or international honors for their scholarship.
The PPL Program aims to sharpen the critical, conceptual, and analytical skills that law schools and graduate programs in philosophy, political science, and other fields require. By engaging students in the analysis of classical and contemporary political, legal and moral concerns, moreover, PPL hopes to prepare them for public service, whether it be as lawyers or scholars, in government or in "watch-dog" groups, or simply as active and responsible citizens.
Certificate Requirements
Required courses
HON 310, Justice and Law (3 credits)
HON 410, Philosophy, Politics and Law (3 credits)
Elective courses (at least four of the following)
PHI 305, Ethical Theory (3 credits)
PHI 307, Philosophy of Law (3 credits)
PHI 309, Social and Political Philosophy (3 credits)
PHI 310, Environmental Ethics (3 credits)
PHI 335, History of Ethics (3 credits)
POS 340, History of Political Philosophy I (3 credits)
POS 341, History of Political Philosophy II (3 credits)
POS 346, Problems of Democracy (3 credits)
POS 442, American Political Thought (3 credits)
POS 445, Asian Political Thought (3 credits)
In keeping with the interdisciplinary nature of the program, students may count no more than three courses from any one department towards the PPL certificate. The PPL Director will maintain a list of approved courses, and students may petition the Council to add a course to that list. PPL students will be encouraged, but not required, to write their honors thesis in the field and under the supervision of a PPL faculty member.
For more information about the PPL Certificate, Contact Dr. Richard Dagger.