Undergraduate Advising
Majors in the College of Liberal & Creative Arts (LCA) should consult with two advisors each semester:
- an advisor in the major and
- a general education and university requirements advisor in the Undergraduate Advising Center
Students who are completing a minor or an additional major should see an advisor in those programs as well.
Graduate Advising
- View our advising information below
- The Division of Graduate Studies offers counseling and advising regarding issues ranging from applications to graduation.
Undergraduate Advising
| Advisor | Focus |
|---|---|
| Arezoo Islami | B.A./Minor in Philosophy |
| Shelley Wilcox | B.A./Minor in Philosophy and SF Scholars |
| Itzel Garcia | B.A. in Philosophy and Philosophy: Concentration in Law |
| Carlos Montemayor | B.A. in Philosophy and Philosophy: Concentration in Law |
| Alice Sowaal | B.A./Minor in Philosophy and Religion |
Please email phlsphr@sfsu.edu with questions about and assistance with petitions.
As Associate Chair, Dr. Wilcox is the main approver for graduation applications, major/minor declarations and waivers of college regulations. Please contact phlsphr@sfsu.edu to have your forms reviewed before submission.
Shelley Wilcox, Professor, Associate Chair
Email: swilcox@sfsu.edu
Graduate Advising
| Olivia Walters | Professor Reid | Professor Montemayor |
|---|---|---|
|
Graduate Program Administrative Assistant Email: grdphl@sfsu.edu Olivia handles the administrative aspects of the graduate program and is the first point of contact for general inquiries and assistance. Please consult with her regarding your graduation paperwork and scheduling your thesis defense. |
Graduate Coordinator for Incoming Students Email: jwreid@sfsu.edu Make an appointment by emailing Dr. Reid directly. Professor Reid handles all matters regarding recruitment and admissions and serves as the advisor for students before they have completed PHIL 715. |
Graduate Coordinator for Continuing Students Email: cmontema@sfsu.edu Professor Montemayor handles all matters regarding continuing students. This includes petitions concerning prerequisites, Advancement to Candidacy (ATC) and Proposal for Culminating Experience (PCE) forms. Additionally, he handles paperwork regarding probation, declassification, and disqualification. |
Students need not have completed an undergraduate major in philosophy to be considered for the M.A. program.
Applicants’ prior academic work will be evaluated to see that a number of undergraduate courses have been fulfilled with the grade of 3.0 or better (B) and that the courses reach the level of upper-division coursework in philosophy at SF State. The sole exception to the upper-division coursework criterion is for the Logic (PHIL 205), a lower-division course. Please note that the Department of Philosophy offers a Formal Logic Challenge Exam.
Required undergraduate courses:
- Logic (must be equivalent to PHIL 205)
- Ancient Philosophy (PHIL 301) [or PHIL 410 in Fall 2021]
- Modern Philosophy (PHIL 303)
- Ethics (PHIL 450)
- One course in Metaphysics and Epistemology (broadly construed):
- Philosophy of Science (PHIL 350)
- Metaphysics (PHIL 605)
- Theory of Knowledge (PHIL 610)
- Philosophy of Perception (PHIL 611)
- Philosophy of Mind (PHIL 620)
- Philosophy of Language (PHIL 630)
Once a student has completed a Proposal for Culminating Experience (PCE), their thesis committee chair will serve as the student’s advisor.
Note: Special paperwork is required to allow semi-retired faculty and lecturers in Philosophy or other departments to serve as readers (no such faculty may serve as thesis chairs).
Eligible chairs are the following:
- Dr. Azadpur, azad@sfsu.edu
- Dr. Islami, arezooi@sfsu.edu
- Dr. Landy, landy@sfsu.edu
- Dr. Montemayor, cmontema@sfsu.edu
- Dr. Reid, jwreid@sfsu.edu
- Dr. Salzberger, salzberger@sfsu.edu
- Dr. Sowaal, asowaal@sfsu.edu
- Dr. Wilcox, swilcox@sfsu.edu
Students are strongly urged to consult with the graduate coordinator and their faculty advisors at least once each semester.
The following advising schedule should be kept by new and continuing graduate students:
New students should seek out advising with Professor Jeremy Reid prior to registering for courses.
Continuing students should meet with their advisor at the beginning of each semester in order to discuss their progress in the program.
Students should consult with Professor David Landy about when to take PHIL 896, which is the comprehensive examination. In addition to this, continuing students should consult with either Olivia Walters, the Graduate Program Assistant, or David Landy on graduation paperwork such as the ATC and PCE forms.