Most people today engage in careers not tightly tied to the details of their undergraduate specialty. They also typically change careers once, twice, or more. To navigate today’s diverse, complex, and changing world, and to engage effectively as citizens in such a society, requires broad understanding.
We in the Department of Philosophy and Religious Studies urge undergraduate students, therefore, to choose courses in a wide variety of disciplines to develop their broad understanding and their understanding of diverse methodologies.
We encourage all students to take a minimum of:
- One course in each of two different scientific disciplines, choosing among:
- Biology/Environmental Science—to develop your understanding of how living things function
- Chemistry or Physics—to develop your understanding of how the physical world functions
- Mathematics—to develop your understanding of how the structures can be analyzed mathematically
- One course in each of two different Social Sciences:
- Psychology—to develop your understanding of individual human behaviour
- Sociology—to develop your understanding of how Societies function
- History—to develop your understanding of how societies have developed over time
- Political Science—to develop your understanding of how political systems function
- Economics—to develop your understanding of how economies function
- Two courses in English:
- to develop your ability to write effectively and develop your understanding of great literature
- Two courses in a Language other than English:
- to develop your understanding of a language and conceptual scheme other than your own
- One course in each of two different other Humanities:
- Fine Arts—to develop your understanding of how people express themselves artistically
- Philosophy—to develop your ability to reason carefully about the fundamental assumptions about which people disagree
- Religious Studies—to develop your understanding of the religious foundations of your own and others’ cultures
Following this pattern will give you an excellent, basic and broad university-level education.
(This program of study will consist of a selection of 8 to 10 courses out of your whole 30- (90-credit) or 40-course (120 credit) degree. Your concentration or major will consist of at-most 10 or 20 courses. Your minor will consist of at-most 8 courses. Your concentration/major and minor will complete 2 of the recommended courses above. So this program of study can be completed with a selection of 6-8 courses out of the minimum of 14 courses in your degree outside of your concentration/major and minor. Completing more than the minimum number of courses recommended above in the different areas of study will provide you with an even stronger education.)
That’s how to design an exceptional education!