Department History

The first Annual Catalog of the University of Deseret, 1868-69, lists Philosophy as a subject taught under Classical Studies. The first time Philosophy is listed in bold lettering and standing alone (like Engineering, Chemistry, Mathematics, etc.) is in the first University of Utah Catalog of 1897-1998. The first Professor listed under Philosophy is Milton Bennion in the 1902-1903 University Catalog. The first time Philosophy was listed as a Departmental Major is in the 1917-1918 Catalog.

Professor Ericksen and Professor Bennion are listed in 1925-1926 Catalog under Philosophy. The Historical Faculty File of E. E. Ericksen shows him as Professor and Head of the Dept. of Philosophy 1919-1922. The earliest Masters Thesis on record as defended in the department is one supervised by E.E. Ericksen in 1921. From the late 1950’s onward, around one Ph.D. dissertation per year was defended in the department. Faculty numbers grew through the 1960’s until stabilizing in the mid 1970’s at 18 tenured and tenure track faculty.

Notable professors and department chairs during this period included Obert C. Tanner, Waldemar P. Read and Sterling McMurrin.