Logic Certificate Program

“How critical is logic? I will tell you: In every corner of the known universe, you will find either the presence of logical arguments or, more significantly, the absence.”

— V. K. Samadar

Logic is a part of every discipline. There is reasoning in every field of inquiry. There are rules behind every work of art, behind every natural language. There is inference in every intelligence, human and inhuman. Every issue of law and public policy bends to the power of logic.

The study of logic itself is thus of the greatest importance. The Logic Certificate Program brings together aspects of logic from different regions of the curriculum: philosophy, mathematics, computer science and linguistics. The program is designed to acquaint students with the uses of logic and initiate them in the profound mysteries and discoveries of modern logic.  The Logic certificate is open to undergraduate students enrolled at one of the five campuses.

On This Page

    Faculty

    Michael Ching, Mathematics and Statistics
    Alexander George, Philosophy
    Lee Spector, Computer Science
    Andrew Wu, Computer Science

     

    Samuel Mitchell, Philosophy

    Jay Garfield, Philosophy
     

    Ana Arregui, Linguistics 
    María Biezma, Spanish and Portuguese
    Seth Cable, Linguistics
    Guillermo Del Pinal, Philosophy
    Gary Hardegree, Philosophy
    Vincent Homer, Linguistics
    Neil Immerman, Computer Science
    Kevin Klement, Philosophy
    Barbara Partee, Linguistics and Philosophy (Emerita)
    Alejandro Pérez Carballo, Philosophy

    Certificate Requirements

    To earn the Five College Logic Certificate, students must complete six courses with a grade of B or higher.

    I. One course that covers the metatheory of first-order logic through incompleteness*,

    II. Two additional advanced courses in logic (500-level and above at UMass; 300-level and above at Amherst, Hampshire, Mount Holyoke, and Smith Colleges), and

    III. Three additional courses at any level, one of which may be an introductory logic course.

    No more than four courses toward the certificate can be in a single discipline.

    *Courses that satisfy the metatheory of first-order logic through incompleteness include:

    Amherst College: Math 385, Computer Science 401
    Mount Holyoke College: Philosophy 327
    Smith College: Philosophy 220
    UMass Amherst: Philosophy 513, 514

    Click here to submit Logic Certificate Program Interest Form
    Logic Certificate Completion Form

    Courses

    Note that if you don't see classes from all campuses currently listed, they will appear as the campuses release their course schedules for the semester. The five campuses release their schedules on different dates. Visit this page for specific dates.

    Fall 2025 Logic Courses

    Subject Course # Sect # Course Title Instructor(s) Institution Meeting Times
    PHIL 213 01 Logic Alexander George Amherst College M | 10:05 AM - 11:20 AM
    PHIL 213 01F Logic Alexander George Amherst College W/F | 10:05 AM - 10:55 AM
    PHIL 213 02F Logic Alexander George Amherst College W/F | 11:30 AM - 12:20 PM
    COMSC 311 01 Theory of Computation Audrey Lee St. John Mount Holyoke College TTH 09:00AM-10:15AM
    PHIL 170 01 Logical Thought Nina Emery Mount Holyoke College TTH 10:30AM-11:45AM
    CSC 250 01 Theoretical Foundations Pablo Frank Bolton Smith College M W F 9:25 AM - 10:40 AM
    CSC 290 01 Intro Artificial Intelligence Jamie C. Macbeth Smith College TU TH 1:20 PM - 2:35 PM
    PHI 102 01 Valid & Invalid Reasoning Chris Rahlwes Smith College M 1:40 PM - 2:55 PM; W 1:20 PM - 2:35 PM
    PHI 102 D01 Valid & Invalid Reasoning Chris Rahlwes Smith College F 1:20 PM - 2:35 PM
    PHI 102 D02 Valid & Invalid Reasoning Chris Rahlwes Smith College TH 4:10 PM - 5:25 PM
    LINGUIST 510 01 Intro To Semantics Ana Cristina Arregui UMass Amherst TU TH 1:00PM 2:15PM
    LINGUIST 510 01LL Intro To Semantics UMass Amherst F 1:25PM 2:15PM
    LINGUIST 610 01 Semantics & Generative Grammar Ana Cristina Arregui UMass Amherst TU TH 10:00AM 11:15AM
    LINGUIST 720 01 Proseminar on Semantic Theory Vincent Homer UMass Amherst TU TH 2:30PM 3:45PM
    PHIL 110 01 Introduction To Logic Gary Hardegree UMass Amherst TU TH 8:30AM 9:45AM
    PHIL 513 01 Math Logic I Kevin Klement UMass Amherst TU TH 1:00PM 2:15PM
    Course Lists From Previous Semesters
    Logic Regularly Offered Course List

    Regularly Offered Logic Courses

    Introductory symbolic logic courses:
    Smith: Logic 100, Philosophy 202
    Amherst: Philosophy 213
    UMass Amherst: Philosophy 110

    Critical thinking courses:
    Mount Holyoke: Philosophy 210

    Introductory symbolic logic for mathematics students:
    Amherst: Mathematics 385
    UMass Amherst: Philosophy 513, 514
    Mount Holyoke: Philosophy 225

    Incompleteness:
    Smith: Philosophy 220
    Amherst: Mathematics 385
    UMass Amherst: Philosophy 513, 514
    Mount Holyoke: Philosophy 327

    Various topics in logic and philosophy:
    Smith: Philosophy 203
    Amherst: Philosophy 350
    UMass Amherst: Philosophy 310, 511, 512, 594, 710
    Hampshire: Computer Science 210
    Mount Holyoke: Philosophy 328 

    Various topics in computer science: 
    Smith: Computer Science 250, 270, 290, 294
    Amherst: Computer Science 161, 241, 401
    UMass Amherst: Computer Science 250, 401, 513, 601
    Hampshire: Computer Science 175, 263
    Mount Holyoke: Computer Science 311

    Various topics in mathematics: 
    Smith: Mathematics 217
    Amherst: Mathematics 380

    Various topics in linguistics: 
    Smith: Computer Science 294
    UMass Amherst: Linguistics 510, 610, 620, 720
    Hampshire: Computer Science 166, 210

    Contact Us

    Five College Staff Liaison:

    Ray Rennard, Director of Academic Programs