History and Philosophy of Science at McGill is an interdisciplinary program that aims to provide students with an understanding of science through the study of both its historical development and of some of the fundamental philosophical principles upon which it rests.
To stay updated about current events related to the History and Philosophy of Science program, see the HPSC Students Facebook page.
Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) - Minor Concentration History and Philosophy of Science(18 Credits)
Program Requirement:
History and Philosophy of Science at McGill is an interdisciplinary program that aims to provide students with an understanding of science through the study of both its historical development and of some of the fundamental philosophical principles upon which it rests. For more information about the program and events, please visit http://www.mcgill.ca/hpsc.
Complementary Courses (18 credits)
18 credits with a maximum of 9 credits at the 200 level selected as follows:
Philosophy of Science
6-12 credits of courses focused on the Philosophy of Science with no more than 6 credits at the 200 level chosen from the following:
Communication Studies (COMS)
History and Philosophy of Science (HPSC)
Philosophy (PHIL)
History of Science
6-12 credits of courses focused on the History of Science with no more than 6 credits at the 200 level chosen from the following:
Anthropology (ANTH)
Biology (BIOL)
History (HIST)
History and Philosophy of Science (HPSC)
Islamic Studies (ISLA)
Mathematics (MATH)
Psychology (PSYC)
Complementary Courses
Students complete 18 credits of complimentary courses with a maximum of 9 credits at the 200 level from the two groups: Philosophy of Science, and History of Science.
If you find a course that you believe fits into the program, but is not listed in the two groups below as part of the Complimentary Courses, do not hesitate to contact the Program Director to see if you can get special approval to take it! Obtain a course syllabus (if possible), or a prospective, and send it along with a rationale as to which group you believe the course would fit into to the Program Director, and we will be happy to evaluate it for you.
The Independent Research course HPSC 300 is offered by special arrangement between students in Arts or Science and a professor in either an Arts, Science, or Social Science Department. The purpose is to enable a student to undertake for credit the study of a special topic in the History or the Philosophy of Science.
Both HPSC 300 and HPSC 500 can be counted toward either the Philosophy of Science or History of Science group.
History of Science
- 6-12 credits of courses focused on the History of Science with no more than 6 credits at the 200 level chosen from the following:
Anthropology (ANTH)
Biology (BIOL)
Computer Science (COMP)
History (HIST)
History and Philosophy of Science (HPSC)
Islamic Studies (ISLA)
Mathematics (MATH)
Psychology (PSYC)
Philosophy of Science
- 6-12 credits of courses focused on the Philosophy of Science with no more than 6 credits at the 200 level chosen from the following:
Communication Studies (COMS)
History and Philosophy of Science (HPSC)
Philosophy (PHIL)
Religious Studies (RELG)
Sociology (SOCI)
Degree Audits
Degree audits are a tool utilized to see if a requirement has or has not been fulfilled, or if it is in progress. It is a self assessment, and we highly recommend doing them regularly. For a detailed description and links to the History and Philosophy of Science program degree audit, see the Arts Interdisciplinary Forms & Resources page.