Welcome to the Department of Philosophy and Religious Studies!

Rene Descartes, portrait by Franz Hals, in the National Museum of Art, Copenhagen, Denmark

"Cogito, ergo, sum." (I think, therefore, I am.) Rene Descartes, Meditations on First Philosophy
  

Philosophers have always been the world’s deepest thinkers, most logical analysts, most visionary futurists, best social critics, and most articulate defenders of truth and justice. Knowledge of this tradition and the ongoing practice of philosophy will invest our students with the same love of wisdom that has inspired this legacy. Students who major in philosophy will, at the minimum become masters of logical argument, articulate statement of positions, critical reasoning, synthetic understanding, aesthetic and ethical judgment, and reasoning about the possibilities for change and improvement in the world.
The educational and career objectives of the program are both academic and practical. The program is designed to prepare students for graduate study (and professional employment) in the fields of ethics, philosophy, law, communications, social policy, politics, women’s studies, international relations, and human services. Through the study of the world’s intellectual heritage, students who major in philosophy will master the analytical and problem-solving skills required to understand and interpret complex cultural phenomena, and to devise practical, just, and innovative ways of answering the perennial questions faced by society. Philosophy is one of the best preparations for informed and engaged citizenship in a complex world.

Explore Spirituality

Religious Studies Majors explore the intellectual and religious traditions and institutions of the world, beginning with the traditions of the Sisters of St. Joseph of Carondolet.  Our students examine religious rituals, practices, beliefs and social structures, using analytical tools such as hermeneutics, cross-cultural comparison, textual analysis, and ethical criticism. Students also study how religious communities evolve and adapt within a changing world. Our course offerings are sufficiently broad for students to choose to specialize in traditional theological topics, contemporary spirituality, world religions, peace and justice studies, the sociology of religion, or new religious movements.

Department Chair: Laura Weed
458 Western Ave, second floor
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