Academic Program in Philosophy and Religious Studies

The Department of Philosophy and Religious Studies offers the Bachelor of Arts in Philosophy, the Bachelor of Arts in Philosophy with concentrations in critical thinking, Indic studies, pre-seminary studies, religious studies, values and the professions, and a minor in philosophy.

The Bachelor of Arts Degree in Philosophy (Full Curriculum: pdf, opens new window)

In addition to requiring successful completion of all general education and degree studies requirements, the Bachelor of Arts degree in philosophy requires successful completion of the following courses in major and elective studies:

1. PHIL 101* (or any of the supplementary courses PHIL 101B, 101L, 101ME, or 101S), 102, 490W;
2. Select three (historical studies): PHIL 201G*, 202G*, 307, 348, 349, 350, 355, 357, 451, and 452;
3. Select two (value analysis): PHIL 304, 306, 308, 315, 317, 374, 376, 382, 384, 386, and 388;
4. Select one (advanced critical thinking): PHIL 305, 320, 321, 323, 460, and 465;
5. Three additional credit hours in PHIL and/or RSTD courses;
6. Six additional credit hours chosen from 300/400 level courses in PHIL and/or RSTD.

* Courses bearing an asterisk may be used simultaneously to satisfy, in part, certain general education and degree studies requirements. For details, see your academic advisor.

During their senior year, all philosophy majors must also:

1. Write a research paper and give an oral presentation (PHIL 490W);
2. Submit a portfolio of all written work completed in all philosophy and religious studies courses taken at CNU;
3. Take the CNU Philosophy and Religious Studies departmental comprehensive examination.

Critical Thinking: (>>> more info: pdf, opens new window)

The Critical Thinking Concentration affords students the opportunity to refine their skills in reasoning, problem solving, devising and evaluating arguments, and making inferences and judgements. Among areas emphasized in the concentration are legal reasoning, scientific reasoning, and theories of knowledge and truth. The concentration is appropriate for philosophy majors entering graduate programs, particularly those preparing to teach critical thinking, as a double major concentration for pre-law students, for any majors preparing for graduate or professional programs, and for majors whose careers require sustained reasoning and well-developed communication skills.

Indic Studies Concentration: (>>> more info: pdf, opens new window)

The Indic Studies Concentration allows the student to focus attention on the philosophies and religions of South East Asia such as Buddhism, Sikhism, Jainism, and the various traditions and schools within Hinduism. The concentration includes study in appropriate languages in preparation for graduate work in this area. A merit scholarship in Indic Studies is awarded annually to students enrolled in the concentration.

Pre-seminary Studies: (>>> more info: pdf, opens new window)

The Pre-seminary Concentration provides the student with a broad view of religions while at the same time looking at the application of religious concepts to issues of value and practice. The concentration seeks to prepare the student for further studies in religion beyond those encountered in their undergraduate education.

Students who concentrate in pre-seminary studies are expected to do a practicum in the religion of their choice. The area provides opportunity to do field work at churches, mosques, synagogues, Buddhist and Hindu temples.

Religious Studies Concentration: (>>> more info: pdf, opens new window)

The Religious Studies Concentration involves the empathetic and critical analysis of religious traditions in order to understand their development and their present character. As an academic discipline, religious studies do not seek to promote or to censure any particular creed, institution, or way of life. Rather, the goal is the exploration and clarification of diverse religious traditions and consideration of their similarities and differences. As a part of a liberal education, this study fosters an awareness of one’s own religious and cultural heritage through knowledge of the religious traditions influencing one’s own personal life, and culture and through knowledge of other traditions having comparable influence in the lives of other persons and in other cultures. Such awareness should aid in understanding and articulating personal convictions in relation to matters of religious concern. A central focus of the religious studies concentration is the Vision Course Series. These courses explore the diverse visions of life opened up by religious traditions. They also provide insight into how cultures shape and are shaped by religions.

Values and the Professions: (>>> more info: pdf, opens new window)

The Values and the Professions Concentration offers students the opportunity to engage in ethical/moral discourse on two primary tracks. The applied ethics track is especially useful for students planning to enter into professional careers upon graduating. Courses in this track include Environmental Ethics, Business Ethics, and Medical Ethics. The values track provides students an opportunity to consider the origin and impact of dominant moral structure upon our lives today, as well as the chance to challenge these values. This track would be of interest to students preparing for graduate work in philosophy, as well as to any student who would like to arrange his/her course work in philosophy to focus primarily upon questions of values and morality. Courses in this track include Ethics, Philosophy of Technology, Philosophy of Feminism, and Philosophy of Love and Sexuality.

The offerings of the department fully prepare students for graduate work in philosophy as well as for the continuation of their education in other academic disciplines. Students who minor in philosophy are enriched in their understanding of their major field of study by gaining broader insight into its intellectual history and theoretical presuppositions. Students who take only a few courses in philosophy are benefited by an enhancement of their persuasive, expressive, and analytic skills, which are uniquely cultivated by the study of philosophy.

Minor in Philosophy
The minor requires a Philosophy 101 (Critical Thinking) and a minimum of 15 credits above the 100-level. The upperlevel courses must be chosen from at least two of the following areas of the curriculum: historical studies, value analysis, advanced critical thinking, and religious studies.

Philosophy supports other programs at the University wherever critical thinking and a sharpened sense of values are important. The general areas of ethics, aesthetics, political philosophy, and theology will be of special interest to students concentrating in the humanities and the social sciences. The areas of logic, theory of knowledge, philosophy of science, philosophy of language and philosophy of mind, with their stress on reasoning and logic, will be of interest to students concentrating in the natural sciences, mathematics, and computer science. Courses in Indian, Japanese, Chinese, and comparative philosophy provide a familiarity with non-Western cultures that is of value to those who are enrolled in international studies programs.