Ethics Minor

This minor is available to students in any major.

Ethics Minor Requirements

Students are required to complete a total of 16 credit hours, including 20 hours of service learning.

PHI 241Ethics: Traditions in Moral Reasoning3
Ethics Electives (choose any four of the following):12
Mythology and Literature
Ethical Issues in Business
Bio-Medical Ethics
Environmental Ethics
Animal Ethics
Ethics of Technology
Happiness, Virtue and the Good Life
Moral Issues Today
Bio-Moral Problems
Ecotheology
The City and the Good Life
PHI 258Minor Service (Ethics)0
PHI 451AEthics Thesis1
Total Credits16

Minors are an important part of the undergraduate curriculum.  If students declare a minor by sophomore year, they can usually complete it in a timely manner.  Students should work with their advisor to determine if it is possible that the minor can be completed by graduation.  

To receive a minor, a student must complete at least 9 credit hours of coursework distinct from their major(s) and from other minors, and students must complete more than 50% of the coursework required for the minor at Canisius. Please note that “ancillary/supporting” courses required for a major may still count as distinct courses as long as the remaining coursework still meets the 30 credit-hours required for a major. For more information about minor policies, please see the Declaring Majors and Minors page in the catalog.

Learning Goals and Objectives

Student Learning Goal 1

Students will demonstrate analysis of and reflection upon concerns of ethics.  

Students will:

  • Objective A: Show competence and expertise in some concerns of ethics.

  • Objective B: Demonstrate knowledge of the relevant theories of ethics and the ability to critically analyze and reflect on these theories.
  • Objective C: Understand and reflect on the experience of some concerns of ethics.

Student Learning Goal 2

Students will be able to thoughtfully apply moral principles to cultivate their characters and to work towards realizing a more just world.

Students will:

  • Objective A: Recognize and analyze some contemporary concerns where ethics is at stake (such as environmental racism, or the abortion debate) and propose thoughtful solutions or approaches to these issues. 
  • Objective B: Engage on a personal level some contemporary concerns where ethics is at stake.