Philosophy and Religious Studies, B.S. (E)

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The major in Philosophy and Religious Studies offers students a combined but flexible program of study in philosophy and religious studies. All students complete the same nine-credit hour common core. Following this, students complete courses from five content areas. Outside the common core, students are free to combine philosophy and religious studies courses as they see fit (observing prerequisites where they exist).

REAL Curriculum

The Philosophy and Religious Studies major fulfills the E area of the REAL Curriculum. Focused on the topic of humanistic inquiry as written into the E learning outcome, both philosophy and religious studies grapple with the biggest questions humans have raised about being human and the nature of reality. In the philosophy concentration students learn about the human endeavor in the areas of ethics, epistemology, and metaphysics and how various philosophers and thinkers have attempted to address these areas. In the religious studies concentration students learn about the same topics with an emphasis on how they are addressed in religious traditions. Students learn about how philosophical and religious worldviews shape society and inform human behaviors. These topics are introduced in the major’s nine credit common core, reinforced in foundational literacies menus, and expanded in the topics and issues menus. Students need majors and/or minors to fulfill the R, A, and L areas to complete the REAL Curriculum requirements.

REAL Foundational Requirements

Foundational Writing (3 Credits)

ENGL 111 - Principles of College Composition (GE)

Foundational Math (3 credits)

REAL Cornerstone Requirements

Writing Intensive (WI) Courses (6 credits)

Writing Intensive courses are denoted below with a (WI). Two writing intensive courses are required to graduate, with at least one at the 300- or 400-level. The Philosophy and Religious Studies major includes 0-3 credits of writing intensive courses.

General Education Requirements

General Education courses will be denoted below with a (GE). Students are required to take at least 30 credit hours of general education designated courses within their degree requirements. The Philosophy and Religious Studies major includes 9-24 general education credits.

Major Requirements (36-38 credits)

B.S. Requirements (6-8 credits)

Candidates for the Bachelor of Science degree in philosophy and religious studies can choose to take six to eight hours in courses from the following departments: Mathematics and Statistics, Information Technology, Biology, Chemistry, Physics, Geology, and Anthropological Science. Or, they can elect to take six to eight hours of 300-400 level courses in one of the following disciplines: Art, English, History, Political Science, Psychology, or Sociology.

Required Courses (30 credits)

How to Think About Philosophy and Religious Studies (9 credits)

Thinking About the History of Ideas (6 credits)

Choose two from the following list:

Thinking About Social Issues (6 credits)

Choose two from the following list, with at least one at the 300-400 level:

Additional Perspectives in Philosophy and Religious Studies (6 credits)