Frequently Asked Questions
What is a reading course, and how do I register?
Reading courses are approved by the Dean's Office (not by the Chair of Philosophy or by individual Philosophy faculty members) only in cases where the student seeking to do the course is exceptional, or where, without the course, the student would be unable to graduate. Students wishing to pursue a reading course must first find a willing Philosophy faculty member to supervise the course. Faculty members will frequently have to decline because of full teaching, research, and service obligations. If a willing faculty member is found, then the student must submit a detailed course proposal that clearly articulates the topic, scope, and rationale of the intended study. The proposal must demonstrate that the course content is substantially distinct from existing course offerings and does not duplicate the material of regularly scheduled courses. Once the proposal is approved by the student and faculty supervisor, it is sent to the Dean for final approval.
What is a community research course, and how do I register?
Students who wish to complete one of the community-based research projects available through the Trent Community Research Centre can simultaneously obtain a Philosophy credit by enrolling in PHIL 4870H/4871H/4872H: Community-Based Research Project. Each placement is supervised jointly by a faculty member and a representative of a community organization. Students must first find both a research project and a willing faculty participant. For details, see the Community-Based Research program.
What does it mean to be in incomplete standing, and when might I be eligible?
In exceptional circumstances due to which a student is unable to complete their coursework (such as severe illness or family emergency), incomplete standing permits students to prearrange with their instructor to submit any remaining work in a course by a specified date after the end of the academic session. Failure by students to organize their workload is not considered adequate grounds for incomplete standing. Students who have not submitted any coursework for evaluation are normally not granted incomplete standing--in such cases, late withdrawal is the more appropriate option. A petition for incomplete standing must be made to the instructor as soon as possible after the exceptional circumstance has arisen, and must be approved by the chair before submission of final grades to the Office of the Registrar. The instructor specifies the deadline for submission of outstanding work and the grade that will be assigned if the deadline is not met.
How do I request a prerequisite waiver?
If a student would like to register for a course but does not have the required prerequisites, they can add the course to their Course Plan in the Self-Service portal, which is found in myTrent. They will then go to Academics > Forms and fill out the Prerequisite Waiver Request form.
Confirmation of the request will be emailed to their Trent student email account. The department offering the course will review the request and either approve, deny, or request further information or documentation. The student will be notified again by email when a prerequisite waiver request has been approved or denied.
If a request is approved, the student will be instructed to register in the course. Please note that the approval does not guarantee a spot in the course, and cannot be used to register in courses that are full or in conflict.
Philosophy Fundamentals Video Series
Created by Dr. Nicole Fice and featuring many Trent Philosophy Faculty, the Philosophy Fundamentals series explores some of the key skills for a Philosophy education.
Digital Resources
Encyclopedias
For quality overviews of a variety of topics within Philosophy, visit the Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy or the Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy.
Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy
Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy
Sources
There are many great places to find digital sources and Philosophy articles.