Departmental Distinction, the only formal honor the philosophy department awards, is granted to those graduating philosophy majors who have displayed the following qualities in their philosophical discourse: clarity of expression, careful analysis of issues, cogency of argument, overall coherence in statement and argument, a broad-range of considerations brought to bear on the issue, and originality.
The Ringstad Prize is offered each year for the best papers on a philosophical topic by St. Olaf students. The competition is divided into two categories: (1) papers by first year and sophomore students, and (2) papers by junior and senior students.
