The College of Arts and Sciences, in conjunction with the Marianists of Bangalore, India, offers the B.A. with a major in philosophy and a minor in religious studies. Students come from various parts of India and are selected after several years of study and service. The program began in April 1998.

The campus includes a classroom building with a growing library, much of which has been developed through donations from UD faculty. The campus also includes living space and a central chapel. It is a living community where students embrace the importance of learning while leading and serving.

Faculty from the Dayton campus join faculty in India to deliver the curriculum. UD graduates have frequently donated a semester, or even a year, serving as tutors for students in the program.

The University of Dayton's Department of Philosophy hosts a chapter of the national philosophy honor society, Phi Sigma Tau. Students' eligibility to join the society depends upon the number of credit hours they have completed in philosophy, their grade point average, and class rank. Phi Sigma Tau members can submit papers and book reviews for publication in the undergraduate philosophy journal Dialogue.

Phi Sigma Tau holds an annual initiation ceremony and dinner at which one of the philosophy faculty members gives a talk. Previous addresses include: Dr. Marilyn Fischer, "If Jane Addams were Reporting from Baghdad;" Dr. Dan Fouke, "John Toland's Pantheism: Philosophy in a Burlesque Mode;" Dr. Patricia Johnson, "On Being a Friend;" and Dr. Rebecca Whisnant, "Rethinking Nonviolence: Intimate Abuse and the Needs of Survivors."

Phi Sigma Tau offers a setting in which our students can pursue philosophical reflection and dialogue together with philosophy faculty outside of formal classroom work.

Phi Sigma Tau, the international honors society for philosophers

The Richard R. Baker Philosophy Colloquium brings outstanding scholars from across the country to campus to present and discuss their research. The  colloquium focuses either on a set of philosophical issues or on the work of a renowned individual philosopher. Philosophy students are encouraged to attend the colloquium and meet the participants. The Department of Philosophy often schedules a mini-course or upper-level seminar that addresses the colloquium theme so that students can gain some background on the topic before attending the conference.

Past Colloquia

Previous colloquium topics have included "Environmental Philosophy and the Duties of citizenship," "International Human Rights and Global Justice," "Exploring Jane Addams," "Philosophy and Psychopathology," "Ethics and the Professions," "Ecofeminist Perspectives," "Moral Agency and the Fragmented Self," and "Christian Humanism and Secular Humanism." Some colloquia have focused on major figures in the history of philosophy, such as Plato, Aristotle, Augustine, Aquinas, and Sartre.

The Thompson lecture in Christian Philosophy brings scholars from across the country to the University of Dayton to present and discuss their research. There will be opportunities for Philosophy majors to meet with the scholars while they are on campus. Registration is not required.

The Department of Philosophy presents four awards each year to students majoring in philosophy:

• The Rev. Charles Polichek Award is given for the outstanding senior majoring in philosophy.  In addition, an award is given to the second outstanding senior.
• The Rev. Charles C. Bloemer, S. M. Award is given to the outstanding junior majoring in philosophy.
• The Richard R. Baker Award for excellence in helping other undergraduate students with their philosophical studies is given to the philosophy major who has made a significant contribution to the Supplemental Instruction program in philosophy.
• The Department of Philosophy also presents the Raymond M. Herbenick Award for interdisciplinary integration in the Core Program.  The Herbenick Award was instituted in 1999 by the philosophy department faculty to honor Ray Herbenick's dedication to his students and his many contributions to the Core Program.