POLS101 Introduction to Philosophy
POLS101 Introduction to Philosophy
Syllabus | International University of Sarajevo - Last Update on Mar 03, 2026
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Political Science and International Relations
Muhidin Mulalić
Course Lecturer
Course Objectives
This course deals with traditional philosophical questions such as epistemology, ontology, philosophy of language, evil and goodness, free will, human nature, political philosophy, the nature of knowledge and ethics. Students will engage with philosophical texts and develop skills in critical thinking, argumentation and conceptual analysis.
Learning Outcomes
After successful completion of the course, the student will be able to:
Course Materials
Required Textbook
Elizabeth Burns and Stephan Law, (Eds.). Philosophy for AS and A2. London and New York: Routledge: 2004.
Additional Literature
1. Robert Paul Wolff. 2014. About Philosophy. Pearson. 2. John Shand. 2003. Philosophy and Philosophers. London: UCL Press. 3. Will Durant. 2012. The Story of Philosophy. New York: Simon and SchusterTeaching Methods
This course employs a range of teaching and learning methods such as lecturing
Written assignments
Presentations
Essays
Group debates and pop quiz.
Weekly Topics
| Week | Topic | Readings / References |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Why Study Philosophy? | Burns and Law, 1-4 |
| 2 | Theory of Knowledge I: Empiricis and Rationalism; Knowledge and Justification | Burns and Law, 5-26 |
| 3 | Theory of Knowledge II: Knowledge and Skepticism; Knowledge and the External World | Burns and Law, 26-42 |
| 4 | Moral Philosophy I: Deontological Ethics; Utilitarian Ethics | Burns and Law, 44-54 |
| 5 | Moral Philosophy II: Virtue Ethics, Practical Ethics and Meta-Ethics | Burns and Law, 54-93 |
| 6 | Philosophy of Religion I: Religious Concepts; Arguments for the Existence of God | Burns and Law, 94-124 |
| 7 | MIDTERM EXAM AND ITS PREPARATION | |
| 8 | Philosophy of Religion II: Faith, Reason and Belief; God's Existence | Burns and Law, 125-147 |
| 9 | Philosophy of Mind I: Mentality and the Nature of Mind; The Mind-Body Problem | Burns and Law, 149-167 |
| 10 | Philosophy of Mind II: Self and Self-Consciousness; Personality and Identity | Burns and Law, 167-189 |
| 11 | Political Philosophy I: Ideologies; Freedom | Burns and Law, 191-208 |
| 12 | Political Philosophy II: Law; Authority; The State | Burns and Law, 208-229 |
| 13 | Philosophy of Science I: Scientific Method; The Nature of Scientific Development | Burns and Law, 229-246 |
| 14 | Philosophy of Science II: The Aim and Objective of Science; Social Sciences | Burns and Law, 247-267 |
| 15 | COURSE REVISION AND FINAL EXAM PREPARATION |
Course Schedule (All Sections)
| Section | Type | Day 1 | Venue 1 | Day 2 | Venue 2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| POLS101.1 | Course | Tuesday 15:00 - 17:50 | B F2.16 | - | - |
Office Hours & Room
| Day | Time | Office | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Monday | 09:00 - 13:00 | B F2.24 | |
| Wednesday | 09:00 - 13:00 | B F2.24 |
Assessment Methods and Criteria
Assessment Components
Final Exam
AI: Not AllowedAlignment with Learning Outcomes : LO1 LO2 LO3 LO4 LO5
Midterm Exam
AI: Not AllowedAlignment with Learning Outcomes : LO1 LO2 LO3 LO4
Video Talk
AI: Not AllowedAlignment with Learning Outcomes : LO2 LO5 LO6
Group Paper and Panel
AI: Not AllowedAlignment with Learning Outcomes : LO2 LO5 LO6
Participation
AI: Not AllowedAlignment with Learning Outcomes :
IUS Grading System
| Grading Scale | IUS Grading System | IUS Coeff. | Letter (B&H) | Numerical (B&H) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0 - 44 | F | 0 | F | 5 |
| 45 - 54 | E | 1 | ||
| 55 - 64 | C | 2 | E | 6 |
| 65 - 69 | C+ | 2.3 | D | 7 |
| 70 -74 | B- | 2.7 | ||
| 75 - 79 | B | 3 | C | 8 |
| 80 - 84 | B+ | 3.3 | ||
| 85 - 94 | A- | 3.7 | B | 9 |
| 95 - 100 | A | 4 | A | 10 |
Late Work Policy
Information about late submission policies will be shared during class and posted in this section. Please check back for official guidelines.
ECTS Credit Calculation
📚 Student Workload
This 6 ECTS credit course corresponds to 150 hours of total student workload, distributed as follows:
Lecture Hours
45 hours ⏳ (15 week × 3 h)
Home Study
30 hours ⏳ (15 week × 2 h)
Midterm Exam
21 hours ⏳ (1 week × 21 h)
Final Exam
24 hours ⏳ (1 week × 24 h)
Video Talk
10 hours ⏳ (5 week × 2 h)
Group Paper and Panel
6 hours ⏳ (2 week × 3 h)
Participation
14 hours ⏳ (7 week × 2 h)
150 Total Workload Hours
6 ECTS Credits
Course Policies
Academic Integrity
All work submitted must be your own. Plagiarism, cheating, or any form of academic dishonesty will result in disciplinary action according to university policies. When in doubt about citation practices, consult the instructor.
Attendance Policy
Students are expected to adhere to the attendance requirements as outlined in the International University of Sarajevo Study Rules and Regulations. Excessive absences, whether excused or unexcused, may impact academic performance and eligibility for assessment. Mandatory sessions (e.g., labs, workshops) require attendance unless formally exempted. For detailed policies on absences, documentation, and penalties, please refer to the official university regulations.
Technology & AI Policy
Laptops/tablets may be used for note-taking only during lectures. Phones should be silenced and put away during all class sessions. Audio/video recording requires prior permission from the instructor.
Artificial Intelligence (AI) Usage: The use of AI tools (e.g., ChatGPT, Copilot, Gemini) varies by assessment component. Please refer to the AI usage indicator next to each assessment item in the Assessment Methods and Criteria section above. Submitting AI-generated content as your own work, where AI is not explicitly allowed, constitutes an academic integrity violation.
Communication Policy
All course-related communication should occur through official university channels (institutional email or SIS). Emails should include [POLS101] in the subject line.
Academic Quality Assurance Policy
Course Academic Quality Assurance is achieved through Semester Student Survey. At the end of each academic year, the institution of higher education is obliged to evaluate work of the academic staff, or the success of realization of the curricula.
Learning Tips
Be prepared to contribute thoughtfully during class discussions, labs, or collaborative work. Active participation deepens understanding and encourages critical thinking.
Complete assigned readings or prep materials before class. Take notes, highlight key ideas, and jot down questions. Aim to grasp core concepts and their applications—not just facts.
Use course frameworks or methodologies to analyze problems, case studies, or projects. Begin early to allow time for reflection and refinement. Seek feedback to improve your work.
Don’t hesitate to reach out when something is unclear. Use office hours, discussion boards, or peer networks to clarify concepts and stay on track.
Syllabus Last Updated on Mar 03, 2026 | International University of Sarajevo
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Referencing Curricula Print this page
| Course Code | Course Title | Weekly Hours* | ECTS | Weekly Class Schedule | ||||||
| T | P | |||||||||
| POLS101 | Introduction to Philosophy | 3 | 0 | 6 | TUE 15:00-18:00 | |||||
| Prerequisite | None | It is a prerequisite to | POLS301 | |||||||
| Lecturer | Muhidin Mulalić | Office Hours / Room / Phone | Monday: 9:00-13:00 Wednesday: 9:00-13:00 |
|||||||
| mmulalic@ius.edu.ba | ||||||||||
| Assistant | Assistant E-mail | |||||||||
| Course Objectives | This course deals with traditional philosophical questions such as epistemology, ontology, philosophy of language, evil and goodness, free will, human nature, political philosophy, the nature of knowledge and ethics. Students will engage with philosophical texts and develop skills in critical thinking, argumentation and conceptual analysis. | |||||||||
| Textbook | Elizabeth Burns and Stephan Law, (Eds.). Philosophy for AS and A2. London and New York: Routledge: 2004. | |||||||||
| Additional Literature |
|
|||||||||
| Learning Outcomes | After successful completion of the course, the student will be able to: | |||||||||
|
||||||||||
| Teaching Methods | This course employs a range of teaching and learning methods such as lecturing, written assignments, presentations, essays, group debates and pop quiz. | |||||||||
| Teaching Method Delivery | Face-to-face | Teaching Method Delivery Notes | ||||||||
| WEEK | TOPIC | REFERENCE | ||||||||
| Week 1 | Why Study Philosophy? | Burns and Law, 1-4 | ||||||||
| Week 2 | Theory of Knowledge I: Empiricis and Rationalism; Knowledge and Justification | Burns and Law, 5-26 | ||||||||
| Week 3 | Theory of Knowledge II: Knowledge and Skepticism; Knowledge and the External World | Burns and Law, 26-42 | ||||||||
| Week 4 | Moral Philosophy I: Deontological Ethics; Utilitarian Ethics | Burns and Law, 44-54 | ||||||||
| Week 5 | Moral Philosophy II: Virtue Ethics, Practical Ethics and Meta-Ethics | Burns and Law, 54-93 | ||||||||
| Week 6 | Philosophy of Religion I: Religious Concepts; Arguments for the Existence of God | Burns and Law, 94-124 | ||||||||
| Week 7 | MIDTERM EXAM AND ITS PREPARATION | |||||||||
| Week 8 | Philosophy of Religion II: Faith, Reason and Belief; God's Existence | Burns and Law, 125-147 | ||||||||
| Week 9 | Philosophy of Mind I: Mentality and the Nature of Mind; The Mind-Body Problem | Burns and Law, 149-167 | ||||||||
| Week 10 | Philosophy of Mind II: Self and Self-Consciousness; Personality and Identity | Burns and Law, 167-189 | ||||||||
| Week 11 | Political Philosophy I: Ideologies; Freedom | Burns and Law, 191-208 | ||||||||
| Week 12 | Political Philosophy II: Law; Authority; The State | Burns and Law, 208-229 | ||||||||
| Week 13 | Philosophy of Science I: Scientific Method; The Nature of Scientific Development | Burns and Law, 229-246 | ||||||||
| Week 14 | Philosophy of Science II: The Aim and Objective of Science; Social Sciences | Burns and Law, 247-267 | ||||||||
| Week 15 | COURSE REVISION AND FINAL EXAM PREPARATION | |||||||||
| Assessment Methods and Criteria | Evaluation Tool | Quantity | Weight | Alignment with LOs | AI Usage |
| Final Exam | 1 | 40 | LO1, LO2, LO3, LO4, LO5 | Not Allowed | |
| Semester Evaluation Components | |||||
| Midterm Exam | 1 | 20 | LO1, LO2, LO3, LO4 | Not Allowed | |
| Video Talk | 1 | 10 | LO2, LO5, LO6 | Not Allowed | |
| Group Paper and Panel | 1 | 20 | LO2, LO5, LO6 | Not Allowed | |
| Participation | 1 | 10 | LO5 | Not Allowed | |
| *** ECTS Credit Calculation *** | |||||
| Activity | Hours | Weeks | Student Workload Hours | Activity | Hours | Weeks | Student Workload Hours | |||
| Lecture Hours | 3 | 15 | 45 | Home Study | 2 | 15 | 30 | |||
| Midterm Exam | 21 | 1 | 21 | Final Exam | 24 | 1 | 24 | |||
| Video Talk | 2 | 5 | 10 | Group Paper and Panel | 3 | 2 | 6 | |||
| Participation | 2 | 7 | 14 | |||||||
| Total Workload Hours = | 150 | |||||||||
| *T= Teaching, P= Practice | ECTS Credit = | 6 | ||||||||
| Course Academic Quality Assurance: Semester Student Survey | Last Update Date: 24/03/2026 | |||||||||