Examen philosophicum, often abbreviated ex. phil., is a course at certain Norwegian universities

Higher education in Norway

Higher education in Norway is offered by a range of eight universities, nine specialised universities, 24 university colleges as well as a range of private university colleges...

 that functions as an introductory course within philosophy and scientific method. The course is not required to take other studies, but must be passed to receive a Bachelor's degree

Bachelor's degree

A bachelor's degree is usually an academic degree awarded for an undergraduate course or major that generally lasts for three or four years, but can range anywhere from two to six years depending on the region of the world...

.

The content of the course varies from university to university, but in general it contains philosophy

Philosophy

Philosophy is the study of general and fundamental problems, such as those connected with existence, knowledge, values, reason, mind, and language. Philosophy is distinguished from other ways of addressing such problems by its critical, generally systematic approach and its reliance on rational...

, philosophy of science

Philosophy of science

The philosophy of science is concerned with the assumptions, foundations, methods and implications of science. It is also concerned with the use and merit of science and sometimes overlaps metaphysics and epistemology by exploring whether scientific results are actually a study of truth...

, history of science

History of science

The history of science is the study of the historical development of human understandings of the natural world and the domains of the social sciences....

, ethics

Ethics

Ethics, also known as moral philosophy, is a branch of philosophy that addresses questions about morality—that is, concepts such as good and evil, right and wrong, virtue and vice, justice and crime, etc.Major branches of ethics include:...

 and/or rhetoric

Rhetoric

Rhetoric is the art of discourse, an art that aims to improve the facility of speakers or writers who attempt to inform, persuade, or motivate particular audiences in specific situations. As a subject of formal study and a productive civic practice, rhetoric has played a central role in the Western...

. In the arts the course is often combined with examen facultatum (ex. fac.). Under the old cand.mag.

Cand.mag.

Candidatus magisterii , Candidata magisterii , i.e. Latin Candidate of Arts, abbreviated cand.mag., is an academic degree used in Denmark, and formerly in Norway and Iceland, roughly corresponding to an American Master of Arts and officially translated as such...

-system the course was worth 5 vekttall (half a single semester nominal course load) and along with ex. fac. it made up an introductory semester at the universities.

Variations

• The Norwegian University of Life Sciences
  Norwegian University of Life Sciences
  The Norwegian University of Life Sciences is a public university located in Ås, Norway.It is located at Ås in Akershus, near Oslo, and has around 3800 students...
  
   has a 10 ECTS course.
• The Norwegian University of Science and Technology
  Norwegian University of Science and Technology
  The Norwegian University of Science and Technology , commonly known as NTNU, is located in Trondheim. NTNU is the second largest of the eight universities in Norway, and, as its name suggests, has the main national responsibility for higher education in engineering and technology...
  
   has a 7.5 ECTS course mandatory for all students in the first semester. A 7.5 credit ex.fac. is also required for arts students
  Dragvoll
  Dragvoll is a location in Trondheim, Norway, where several parts of the buildings and campus of the Norwegian University of Science and Technology are located. It may also refer to the university campus itself. At Dragvoll the faculties of social sciences and humanities are located, consisting of...
  
  .
• The University of Agder has a 10 ECTS course in the second year of study.
• The University of Bergen
  University of Bergen
  The University of Bergen is located in Bergen, Norway. Although founded as late as 1946, academic activity had taken place at Bergen Museum as far back as 1825. The university today serves more than 14,500 students...
  
   has an introductory semester, of which ex.phil. makes up 10 ECTS.
• The University of Oslo
  University of Oslo
  The University of Oslo , formerly The Royal Frederick University , is the oldest and largest university in Norway, situated in the Norwegian capital of Oslo. The university was founded in 1811 and was modelled after the recently established University of Berlin...
  
   has a 10 ECTS course for all students.
• The University of Stavanger
  University of Stavanger
  The University of Stavanger is located in Stavanger, Norway and has about 8,500 students and 1200 administration, faculty and service staff. It is organised in three faculties, including two national centres of expertise. It includes 107 professors, and more than 150 of the academic staff hold...
  
   has a 10 ECTS course for all students, but this is often offered in the third semester.
• The University of Tromsø
  University of Tromsø
  The University of Tromsø is the world's northernmost university. Located in the city of Tromsø, Norway, it was established in 1968, and opened in 1972. It is one of eight universities in Norway. The University of Tromsø is the largest research and educational institution in northern Norway...
  
   offers ex.phil as a 10 ECTS course, normally taken in the first semester together with ex.fac. and an introductory subject dependent on one's specialty.
• Also, some university college
  University college
  The term "university college" is used in a number of countries to denote college institutions that provide tertiary education but do not have full or independent university status. A university college is often part of a larger university...
  
  s offer ex.phil. as an elective.