DEPARTMENT OF PHILOSOPHY & RELIGIOUS STUDIES

Upon completion of the program, one should be able to achieve the following objectives:

1. Understand and apply essential concepts of logic (e.g., argument, conclusion, fallacy, inference, premise, proposition, soundness, validity).
2. Understand and apply distinct ethical concepts.
3. Understand the historical context/significance of philosophical questions and concepts.
4. Identify, articulate, and evaluate philosophical concepts and arguments according to their rational merit and contextual facets.
5. Understand interdisciplinary relationships between philosophy and other disciplines.
6. Develop personal views on philosophical issues to apply to life and community engagement.
7. Articulate essential concepts of logic (e.g., argument, conclusion, fallacy, inference, premise, proposition, soundness, validity);
8. Differentiate between the major fields and subfields of philosophy;
9. Explain the historical development of central concepts in philosophy;
10. Understand and apply distinct ethical concepts;
11. Analyze and evaluate philosophical arguments and theories;
12. Develop philosophical arguments;
13. Write philosophical arguments clearly;
14. Synthesize one's personal, informed view on philosophical issues;
15. Become a more interested, intellectually active individual and member of one's community.

By the time they graduate, students in the World Religions minor will have a basic understanding of the world's major religious traditions: Judaism, Christianity, Islam, Hinduism, Buddhism, Daoism, Confucianism, and Shinto.

Students will be able to:

1. Describe the historical origins, key dates, philosophies, practices, ethics, symbols and major thinkers in these traditions.
2. Summarize the fundamental teachings of these traditions
3. Critically appraise the relationship between religious traditions and their social and cultural contexts
4. Recognize the diversity of philosophies and practices within the major religious traditions
5. Analyze religious writings, symbols, and practices using recognized scholarly and hermeneutical principles
6. Recognize presuppositions underlying different ethical systems and worldviews, including students' own

By the end of their Liberal Studies program, students will be able to:

1. Think critically, integrate and synthesize knowledge from diverse perspectives and evaluate complex information
2. Make informed ethical and value judgments
3. Understand and explain the value of a liberal education
4. Apply the concepts and methodologies of the liberal arts to understand issues in society and in one's own life
5. Communicate effectively in written form
6. Effectively utilize intellectual and practical skills-- including analytical skills, research methods, and/or computer skills
7. Effectively utilize expression skills-- including communicating creatively, orally, or in a language other than English
8. Demonstrate a base of knowledge from various disciplines-- including arts & humanities, social sciences, and natural sciences
9. Demonstrate a base of knowledge about cultures within North America & Europe
10. Demonstrate a base of knowledge about cultures outside North America & Europe