2023-2024 Catalog

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Major: Philosophy and Religious Studies, B.A. (1599.10), 36 Credits

General Education: 30 Credits; Major: 36 Credits; Elective Credits: 54 Credits

Learning Goals for the Major in Philosophy and Religious Studies

Upon completing the Philosophy and Religious Studies major, students will be able to:

  • Identify (in speaking and writing) concerns at the heart of human experience, especially those pertaining to the fundamental nature of reality, knowledge, and values;
  • Investigate, understand, and articulate (in speaking and writing)the way great thinkers and religious communities have addressed these issues throughout history;
  • Explain (in speaking and writing) the nature and function of religion in individual life and human society, and historical and contemporary differences and similarities between religious systems;
  • Respond to and evaluate (in speaking and writing) these concerns themselves, building on a firm foundation of cultural literacy, analytic method, and critical intelligence.

Core Requirements (15 credits)

PHIL 101Introduction to Philosophy

3
PHIL 322Philosophy of Religion

3
PHIL 420/RS 420Philosophy and Religious Studies Seminar

3
RS 120 Introduction to the Religions of Asia

3
RS 346Theory and Method in the Study of Religion

3

One of the following: (3 credits)

PHIL 103Introduction to Ethics

3
RS 115Introduction to Judaism, Christianity, & Islam

3

One of the following: (3 credits)

PHIL 201Ancient Philosophy

3
PHIL 203Medieval Philosophy

3
PHIL 305Modern Philosophy

3

The remaining 15 credits should be earned by completing one of the following concentrations:

Philosophy Concentration (15 Credits)

Students must take at least 3 credits in the History of Philosophy group, and at least 6 credits in the Topics in Philosophy group. Students must take at least 3 courses at the 300/400 level. Classes taken as part of the major’s core requirement cannot count for the History of Philosophy requirement.

History of Philosophy (3-12 credits)
PHIL 201Ancient Philosophy

3
PHIL 203Medieval Philosophy

3
PHIL 305Modern Philosophy

3
PHIL 317Existentialism

3
PHIL 329/RS 329Indian Philosophy

3
PHIL 33420th-Century Philosophy

3
PHIL 410Classical Philosophical Texts

3
Topics in Philosophy (6-15 credits)
PHIL 109Introduction to Logic

3
PHIL 206The Philosophy of Life, Death, and Dying

3
PHIL 251/ART 291Aesthetics and Criticism

3
PHIL 261Political Philosophy

3
PHIL 287Philosophy of Law

3
PHIL 306/ENV 306Environmental Ethics

3
PHIL 308Epistemology

3
PHIL 310Philosophy of Art 

3
PHIL 324Business Ethics

3
PHIL 325Philosophical Issues in Language

3
PHIL 330Metaphysics

3
PHIL 331Philosophy of Mind

3
PHIL 332Popular Culture and Philosophy

3
PHIL 336Philosophy and Film

3
PHIL 340Ethics and Law

3
PHIL 204Contemporary Ethical Issues

3
PHIL 408Feminist Theories

3

Religious Studies Concentration (15 Credits)

Students must take at least 3 credits in the Themes and Methods group, and at least 6 credits in the Areas and Traditions group. Students must take at least 3 courses at the 300/400 level. Courses taken as part of the major core cannot count toward the concentration.

Themes and Methods in Religious Studies (3-12 credits)
RS 110Faith and Doubt

3
RS 207/PSYCH 207Religion and Psychology

3
RS 216/GSS 216Religion and Sexuality

3
RS 220Religion and Politics

3
RS 228Religion and Gender

3
RS 315Religion and Experience

3
RS 318/EWL 318Religion and Literature

3
RS 333/SOC 333Sociology of Religion

3
RS 340Comparative Religious Ethics

3
RS 344The Extremes of Religion

3
RS 208Religion and Social Justice

3
Areas and Traditions in Religious Studies (6-12 credits)
RS 115Introduction to Judaism, Christianity, & Islam

3
RS 200World’s Major Religious Texts

3
RS 320Islam

3
RS 321Christianity

3
RS 324Mysticism: East and West

3
RS 326Religion, Race, and Ethnicity 

3
RS 329/PHIL 329Indian Philosophy

3
RS 332Judaism

3
RS 337Buddhism

3
RS 339Hinduism

3
RS 342/EWL 342Dante's Divine Comedy

3