Philosophy, Politics, and Law Certificate

The Philosophy, Politics, and Law (PPL, pronounced “People”) certificate provides students with the opportunity to learn about the philosophical foundations, history, and social practice of human rights and liberties in modern democracies.  Students are expected to gain a deep understanding of how our legal and political institutions have functioned in the past, how they currently function, and how they ought to function, as well as how citizens might play a meaningful role in them. 

While philosophical analysis focuses on what constitutes legitimate political authority and its exercise over individual behavior, one also need to understand how human social and political life actually works.  Conversely, one’s grasp of political, legal, and social behavior is greatly enriched by a conceptual and foundational perspective on the norms of behavior.  Political Science, philosophy, and other disciplines such as history, sociology, or economics are thus perfectly complementary when it comes to advancing one’s understanding of our legal and political institutions.

Students who successfully complete the PPL certificate will gain substantial knowledge of democratic political ideas, practices, and institutions from multiple disciplines as well as solid skills in reading, writing, oral communication, and analytic thinking.  This is a useful background for students planning to pursue graduate degrees in law, philosophy, political science, or history.  It is also a good springboard for careers in business, public service, international affairs, journalism, and teaching.

The PPL certificate requires students to take a total of 27 credits (9 courses), including 9 credits (3 courses) in philosophy, 9 credits (3 courses) in political science, and 9 credits (3 courses) in either history, sociology, or economics.  In philosophy and political science, it is required that at least 1 course (3 credits) be upper-division in each discipline. The certificate will be easy to complete for students who decide to major or minor in either philosophy or political Science, or both.

Courses taken to fulfil the PPL certificate also satisfy a wide range of general education requirements, including E, H, S, X and Y.

To stay in the program, students must maintain an overall G.P.A. of 3.0.  All courses chosen for the certificate must be completed with a grade of C or better.

The certificate is jointly administered by the Department of Philosophy, the Department of Political Science, and the Pre-Law Program.  Primary contacts are Prof. Soazig Le Bihan (soazig.lebihan@umontana.edu) and Prof. Ramona Grey (ramona.grey@umontana.edu), Chair of the Political Science Department.

Students interested in pursuing the PPL certificate must receive formal approval from one of the primary contacts listed above.

Post-Secondary Certificate - Philosophy, Politics, and Law

College of Humanities & Sciences

Degree Specifics: 27

Required Cumulative GPA: 3.0

Catalog Year: 2021-22

Summary

Philosophy

Rule: At least one of the course taken must be upper-division (300-level or above).

Minimum Required Grade: C-

Political Science

Rule: At least one of the course taken must be upper-division (300-level or above).

Minimum Required Grade: C-

History, Sociology, and Economics

Minimum Required Grade: C-