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Philosophy Department Timeline

Principal Cluff poses with the first class to graduate from the new Academy Building (1892). Members are, back row, left to right; unidentified, unidentified, Jacob Magleby, Principal Cluff, G. E. Robinson, Lewis Bushman, Alonzo Hinckley, George Powelson, unidentified; seated: J. W. Dunyon, Detta Caffrey, Louise Keller, E. G. Gowans, Irene B. Mendenhall, Frank Olsen, unidentified.
Photo by Unknown

1892: First philosophy course is offered—logic.
1895: Catalog designates an entire area to “Philosophical Studies.”
1902: “Philosophical Studies” disappears from the catalog.
1905: Department of Philosophy reappears in catalog, offering two courses.
1910: Philosophy is placed in a new department of Psychology and Philosophy.

1918: Philosophy is placed in the Department of Education.
1920: Philosophy courses disappear from catalog.
1922: Philosophy courses appear again in the Philosophy of Education Department and the Religious Education Department.
1950: A philosophy program is created and categorized in the Department of Theology and Religious Philosophy.
1955: Department name is changed to Theology and Philosophy. The philosophy classes are listed with a separate course code number from the Theology classes.

1959: Philosophy program is placed in the new Church History and Philosophy Department.
1960: Philosophy courses no longer carry religion credit.
1969: Philosophy becomes its own department in the College of Religious Instruction.
1972: Philosophy Department is transferred from Religious Instruction to the College of General Studies.
1976: Philosophy Department offers a major, requiring a concurrent major in another field.

1979: Department of Philosophy joins the College of Humanities.
1985: Philosophy Major is approved as its own degree without requiring a concurrent major.
1991: Undergraduate Minors are added in Philosophy, Analytic Thinking, and Logic.
2001: Analytic-Thinking Minor is dissolved. 

2010: First Full-Time Female Philosophy Professor.
2013: Theoretical and Applied Ethics Minor is added.