Philosophy Major (M)

With its strong emphasis on a dialogue between Christian thought and secular philosophies, the philosophy major explicitly upholds CUW’s Mission statement, by helping students develop their mind “for service to Christ in the church and the world.” More specifically, the philosophy major fosters deep examination of who we are, what is real, and how we are called to think and act, thereby promoting intellectual development and self-knowledge for the student’s personal growth and well-being and providing insights for Christian action in the world.

Program Learning Outcomes

  • Scripture: Students will develop an understanding of the origin of the Bible, recognize the unique qualities of God’s word, and appreciate the varied yet unified content of the Old and New Testaments, and use sound principles in interpreting Scripture.
  • Doctrine: Students will recognize the Bible as the authoritative source for knowledge of God and humankind, articulate key doctrines of the Christian faith, especially the gospel of Jesus Christ, and apply the teachings of Scripture to the life of the individual.
  • Church History: Students will develop an appreciation for how God has worked in history, recognize key figures and movements in the life of the Church, and identify the state of theology today.
  • Vocation and Personal Application: Students will grow in their relationship with Christ and will put his teachings into practice in their vocations.
  • Communication and Culture: Students will observe, assess, and interpret today’s cultures and world views. Students will be familiar with various methods of delivering and defending biblical truth in a relevant and practical way to diverse groups.
  • Research Skills: Students will demonstrate an understanding of research skills in the discipline.
  • Logic: The student will learn and use logic for argumentation.
  • Ethics: The student will learn a variety of ethical theories and use them in practical problem solving.
  • Epistemology: The student will learn a variety of theories of knowledge and study their implications for what can be known and how we know it.
  • Metaphysics: The student will learn a variety of metaphysical theories and study their implications for what exists and why it exists.
  • History of Philosophy: The student will learn the most important contributions of the great ancient, medieval, and modern philosophers.
  • Apologetics: The student will become a competent defender of the Christian faith against the objections leveled by rival worldviews

Curriculum

Core Requirements 145
Major Requirements37
Electives38
Minor: Optional
Total Hours120
1

 For transfer students, please see the Advanced Transfer Core.

Major Requirements

Required Core Courses
REL 201
Old Testament (Bible Content) 1
REL 204
Biblical Theology (Christian Doctrine) 1
Required Courses
PHIL 201Central Texts of Philosophy3
PHIL 211Elementary Logic3
PHIL 250Moral Philosophy3
PHIL 325Christian Apologetics3
REL 203New Testament 23
PHIL 491Senior Seminar I1
PHIL 492Senior Seminar II3
PHIL 400Ancient Philosophy3
PHIL 410Medieval Philosophy3
PHIL 450Modern Philosophy3
Major Electives
Select nine credits of the following: 39
ENG 350
Classical & Modern Rhetoric
ENG 475
Literary Criticism
POLS 410
Faith and Politics
REL 333
A Survey of Christian Thought
SCI 275
Cosmogony
Total Hours37
1

In exceptional circumstances, students may petition the Philosophy Department for approved course substitutions.

2

 To complete the pair with REL 201 Old Testament in the core

3

Majors may substitute one of the following approved 3 credit non-PHIL classes with other approved courses relevant to the student’s special area of interest in philosophy (e.g. a relevant history course if they are interested in philosophy of history, a relevant science course if interested in philosophy of science).