Fall '26 Information Session _ NEW Philosophy Specialization in Education and Intellectual Virtue
NEW Philosophy Specialization in Education and Intellectual Virtue
Did you know that UC Irvine leads the world in its research into the role of intellectual virtues in education? For almost a decade, UC Irvine has hosted the Anteater Virtues project, a unique interdisciplinary pedagogical and research initiative devoted to bringing the cultivation of the intellectual virtues into the heart of the curriculum. This builds on a body of research, both empirical and theoretical, that demonstrates the importance of the intellectual virtues for helping students to learn and flourish. As part of this initiative, the Department of Philosophy has launched a new specialization in Education and Intellectual Virtue that brings together a program of philosophy and education courses that students can take to learn about the intellectual virtues and their educational significance. There is also a practicum element to the specialization that involves in-class K-12 teaching experience. By completing this specialization, students will gain the ‘Virtuous Learner’ certificate from the Division of Teaching Excellent and Innovation for completing the full set of Anteater Virtue modules. This specialization will be of particular interest to students who are interested in securing employment as a teacher (e.g., in charter schools) without first having to undertake a further degree.
To be awarded the philosophy major with this specialization, students must complete 13 courses (52 units) plus a 2-unit practicum.
A. Complete the following lower-division courses:
Phil 1: Into to Philosophy or Phil 2: Puzzles and Paradoxes
Phil 3: Technology and Society
Educ 25: Introduction to Education1
Phil 4: Into to Ethics or Phil 5: Contemporary Moral Problems
B. Complete the following upper-division courses:
Phil 101: Intro to Metaphysics
Phil 102W: Intro to the Theory of Knowledge
Phil 103: Intro to Moral Philosophy
Phil 190: Special Topics
C. Choose 5 upper-division courses from the following:
Phil 110: Ancient Philosophy
Phil 163: Social Epistemology
Phil 164: Well-Being
Phil 166: Philosophy of Education
Phil 167: Intellectual Virtue
Phil 121: Topics in Epistemology
Educ 146: Education, Learning and Culture
Educ 173: Cognition and Learning in Educational Settings
D. Practicum
Complete 2 units of Phil 199 or 4 units of Phil 190 (on a separate topic from Phil 190 completed for requirement B) with the appropriate course content as approved by the faculty director. The practicum will involve completing the Anteater Virtues ‘Educating for Virtuous Intellectual Character’ training module and putting this learning into practice in an applied K-12 educational setting.
