Philosophy and Religious Studies

The Department of Philosophy and Religious Studies offers a Bachelor of Arts degree in Philosophy, Bachelor of Arts degree in Religious Studies, minors in both areas, and the opportunity to create an interdisciplinary major, or interdisciplinary minor.

Philosophy Courses | Philosophy and Religious Studies Interdisciplinary Major | Social Justice Interdisciplinary Minor | Religious Studies

Philosophy

Students who choose to major in philosophy gain both a sound historical background in the subject and an opportunity to develop logical and critical thinking skills that equip them to consider for themselves a variety of enduring and contemporary philosophical questions.

Bachelor of Arts: Philosophy

In addition to major requirements, students must meet Core Curriculum Requirements and General Degree Requirements.
Prerequisites		Units
PL006 or PL007/107	Introduction to Philosophy or Moral Problems	3
PL012/112	Logic and Critical Thinking	3
Total Prerequisites		6
Major Requirements		Units
PL100	Ancient Philosophy	3
PL102	Modern Philosophy	3
PL103	Nineteenth Century Philosophy	3
PL149T	Teaching Assistant (satisfies one unit of Career Development Requirement)	1
PL191	Senior Thesis (Pending Approval)	3
Upper-division electives in Philosophy		15
Total Major Requirements		28
Other Degree Requirements* and General Electives * Other degree requirements include Core Curriculum Requirements and General Degree Requirements (e.g., Career Development, U.S. History).		62
Total Unit Requirement		124

Minor Requirements: Philosophy

Required Courses		Units
Fifteen units, three lower-division and twelve upper-division, distributed as follows:
PL006 or PL007/107	Introduction to Philosophy or Moral Problems	3
PL012/112	Logic and Critical Thinking	3
PL100	Ancient Philosophy	3
PL102	Modern Philosophy	3
Upper-division elective in Philosophy		3

Philosophy Courses

If a course is listed both as lower-division and upper-division, a separate syllabus is required for each. The amount of work required for upper-division credit will differ in both quantity and quality from that required for lower-division credit.

PL001/100 Ancient Philosophy (3)
Examines the origins of philosophical inquiry in the ancient world. Figures to be discussed may range from Confucius and Lao-Tzu to Plotinus and the Neo-Platonists. There is special emphasis on the writings of Plato and Aristotle and their continued influence.

PL002/102 Modern Philosophy (3)

The seventeenth and eighteenth centuries were marked by the intellectual turmoil produced by the scientific revolution.  This course introduces students to the ideas of some of the major philosophers of this period, from Descartes to Kant, and their efforts to come to terms with developments that remain crucial for us today.  Topics to be discussed include the nature and limits of knowledge, science and religion, and freedom and determinism.

PL006 Introduction to Philosophy (3)
Introduces some of the major figures and doctrines in the history of philosophy and to some enduring and contemporary philosophical questions.

PL007/107 Moral Problems (3)
After a brief introduction to some basic ideas in ethical theory, this course allows students to examine and discuss critically various contemporary moral problems, such as abortion, the death penalty, affirmative action, free speech, and civil disobedience.

PL012/112 Logic and Critical Thinking (3)
An introduction to the analysis and evaluation of arguments using both formal and informal methods. Recommended for everyone who wants to improve their critical thinking and reading skills. Especially useful for anyone planning to take a graduate school admissions test, including the Graduate Record Examination (GRE), the Law School Admission Test (LSAT), and the Medical College Admission Test (MCAT).

PL017/117 Philosophy of Science (3)

Prerequisite: A previous course in Philosophy or Natural Science, or permission of the instructor.
The philosophy of science addresses questions about the nature and methods of science, about conceptual and foundational issues within the various sciences, and about the broader implications of scientific research. Specific topics may vary, but students will be introduced to competing views of the nature of scientific reasoning, learn to think critically about important scientific developments, and consider some of the ethical, social, political, and religious questions which they raise.

PL018/118 Philosophy of Mind (3)
Prerequisite: A previous course in Philosophy or Psychology, or permission of the instructor.
The nature of mind and its relation to the physical world has been a perennial philosophical question. Can modern science offer a solution to this problem? This course examines both traditional issues (such as the mind-body problem, personal identity, and free will) and contemporary variants of these issues raised by research into artificial intelligence and work in cognitive science. Cross-listed with PY123.

PL023/123 Law, Morality, and Society (3)
Introduces a variety of urgent moral, political, and social controversies that are closely connected with the law. There will be special emphasis on issues of race, gender, and class.

PL103 Nineteenth Century Philosophy (3)
Offers detailed discussions of the philosophical work of such figures as Hegel, Schopenhauer, Kierkegaard, Marx, and Nietzsche. This course is essential background for anyone who wants to understand the contemporary intellectual scene.

PL114 Woman and Philosophy [CDiv] (3)
Examines philosophical questions related, or of special concern, to women. Topics include the nature, status and role of women in influential religious, philosophical and cultural contexts, and theoretical and practical feminist issues addressed by traditional and contemporary philosophers. Emphasis is placed on ethical and political problems facing women today.

PL121 Political and Social Philosophy (3)
This course raises basic questions about politics, society, and social change. Why is government necessary? What are the limits of government action? When is it permissible to disobey the law? When is revolution justified? Why is democracy a good thing? When are human beings genuinely free? Does capitalism promote or undermine democracy and freedom? Are there feasible alternatives to capitalism? Readings may be from historical figures (e.g., Plato, Hobbes, Locke, Marx, Mill) or contemporary sources or both. Cross-listed with SO123.

PL125 Philosophy and the Environment (3)
Offers a philosophical examination of a variety of key environmental issues. Topics to be discussed include the value of nature, property rights, world hunger, and the moral status of animals.

PL126 Business Ethics (3)
This course introduces students to competing ethical theories and conceptions of economic justice, and applies them to specific moral and social issues raised by contemporary business practices. Cross-listed with GB126.

PL128 Ethics and Professional Responsibility (3)
This course is open only to students admitted to the Intensive Evening Degree Program. Examines major ethical theories and explores the application of those theories to current business, moral, and social issues. Illustrative case studies are used as well as other group exercises to enable the student to identify justice issues involved in specific problem areas of the work environment.

PL131 Bioethics (3)
This course considers some of the many ethical issues arising from the biological and medical sciences. Topics may include: reproductive rights, genetic research and engineering, ethical, social, and legal implications of the Human Genome Project, euthanasia and assisted suicide, resource allocation, organ donation, experimentation with humans and non-humans, and ethical issues in health care.

PL149T Teaching Assistant (1-3)
Philosophy majors are required to earn at least one unit of credit as a teaching assistant to an instructor. Satisfies one unit of Career Development Requirement.

PL184 Philosophy of Religion (3)
Surveys traditional and modern problems associated with religion. Topics may include the nature of God, arguments for theism, the problem of evil, foreknowledge and freedom, science and religion, faith and the nature of religious belief, myths, symbols, and rituals, and spirituality. Cross-listed with RS184.

PL191 Senior Thesis (3)

Taken by majors in their senior year.  Students write a 15-25 page paper on a topic of their choice in conjunction with an upper-division Philosophy course being offered in the same semester.

PL199 Independent Study in Philosophy (1-3)
Provides an opportunity for independent study or research in Philosophy under the direction of the instructor. See Undergraduate Policies and Procedures section on Independent Study.

 

Religious Studies

Students who major in Religious Studies study the meaning and relevance of Christian belief and gain an understanding of the essential nature of the religious dimensions of life; they also acquire a knowledge and appreciation of the variety and richness of religious beliefs throughout our world, in particular the special concern for justice, compassion, and community common to them all.

Bachelor of Arts: Religious Studies

In addition to major requirements, students must meet Core Curriculum Requirements and General Degree Requirements.
Prerequisites		Units
REL1000	Introduction to the Old Testament	3
REL1005	Introduction to the New Testament	3
Total Prerequisites		6
Major Requirements		Units
REL2100	Jesus: Myth and Reality	3
REL2300	Church and Sacraments	3
REL2400	Challenged by Christian Ethics	3
REL2600	Christian Prayer and Spirituality	3
REL2997	Senior Thesis (pending approval)	3
Upper-division Electives in Religious Studies		12
Total Major Requirements		27
Other Degree Requirements* and General Electives * Other degree requirements include Core Curriculum Requirements and General Degree Requirements (e.g., Career Development, U.S. History).		64
Total Unit Requirement		124

Minor Requirements: Religious Studies

Minor Requirements Fifteen units suggested as follows:		Units
Electives in Biblical and Historical Studies		6
REL1300/2300	Church and Sacraments	3
REL1400/2400 or REL1405/2405	Challenged by Christian Ethics or The Christian in Society	3
REL2250	Religions of the World	3

Students interested in an interdisciplinary minor in Women's Studies should contact the faculty advisor for Religious Studies.

Second Major

Students interested in a second major in Religious Studies may qualify by completing 24 upper-division units or eight courses in Religious Studies.

Religious Studies Courses

If a course is listed both as lower-division and upper-division, a separate syllabus is required for each. The amount of work required for upper-division credit will differ in both quantity and quality from that required for lower-division credit.

RS001/100 Introduction to the Old Testament (3)
Reviews the Sacred Scriptures, which Jews and Christians share, as interpreted by the latest Biblical scholarship. Course includes guided reading of the Old Testament. Special attention is given to the role of women in the Bible and to issues of justice and peace.

RS013/113 Introduction to the New Testament (3)
Offers an overview of the New Testament in keeping with the document of Vatican II on Revelation. Special attention is given to the way in which the teaching of the historical Jesus was transmitted in preaching before the final production of the canonical gospels.

RS013A/113A The Study of the Gospel of Mark (3)
Explores the earliest Gospel and attempts to discern the purposes of Mark in creating the Gospel-genre. Interpretive approaches through modern critical and feminist scholarship are studied.

RS013C/113C Study of the Gospel of Luke and Acts (3)
An in-depth study of the two volume work known as the Gospel of Luke and the Acts of the Apostles. Luke is credited with being the first Christian historian and the only evangelist to carry the story of Jesus into the early Christian era. In addition to a verse-by-verse examination of Luke-Acts, a special effort will be made to discern Luke's purpose in writing this work, the sociological situation of the community for which he was writing, and his understanding of Salvation History.

RS014/114 The Pauline Letters (3)
Studies the letters of Paul to understand how the early Christians separated from Judaism and met the challenge of Hellenism.

RS015/115 Jesus and the Gospels (3)
Introduces the messianic activity and person of Jesus proclaimed in the synoptic gospels.

RS016/116 John, Gospel, and Letters (3)
Explores the composition and structure of the Gospel of John and analyzes the Book of Signs and the Book of Glory, the relationship between the Gospel and the first Letter of John, and an introduction to a reading of the Apocalypse.

RS019A/119A Christianity: Beginnings to 1500 (3)
Covers Christianity during its formative early period, growth and reaction to "Imperial Church", rise of monasticism, development of scholastic theology, and origins of Protestantism. Emphasizes richness and diversity of life-giving faith within the Christian communities from first to 16th centuries.

RS019B/119B Modern Christianity (3)
Explores Christianity from Reformation to the present. Emphasizes richness and diversity of various Christian communities. Analyzes how developments in Christianity reflect needs of the times. Reflects on the Christian message in our day.

RS030/130 Church and Sacraments (3)
Explores the history and theology of the Christian sacramental life with special emphasis on contemporary understandings of Baptism and Eucharist.

RS033/133 Jesus: Myth and Reality (3)
Examines Jesus Christ as a person in the light of the questions "Who do people say that I am?" and "Who do you say that I am?" (Mark 8:27, 29), and in the light of the answers given to these questions from the beginning of Christianity down to our own day.

RS045/145 Reel Religion: Christianity in Film (3)

This course is designed to be an introduction to the study of the portrayal of Christianity in films.  It introduces the vision and vocabulary helpful for film criticism and uses these tools in coordination with those of cultural studies and historical and theological criticism to critique films in terms of their composition, historical accuracy and theological and ethical messages.  The interplay of the arts, particularly cinema, and religion in American culture is examined from both a historical and cultural standpoint.

RS050/150 Challenged by Christian Ethics (3)
Focuses on Christian ethical responsibility, including introductory moral foundations and selected contemporary issues of individual and social morality.

RS052/152 The Christian in Society (3)
Considers revolutionary forces in the fields of economics, politics, culture, and religion which have been and are still shaping the modern world, and the responses formulated and being formulated by Christian theologians.

RS053/153 Marriage and Friendship (3)
Explores the human and religious dimensions of marriage, family, and friendship. An exploration of the psychological, sociological, cultural, and theological factors that impact the problems, challenges, and possibilities of intimate relationships in the contemporary world.

RS125 The Holocaust [CDiv] (3)
Cross-listed with CM125. See Communication listings for course description.

RS131 Death and Dying (3)

Cross-listed with PY136.  See Psychology listings for course description.

RS136A Women's Spirituality [CDiv] (3)
Focuses on history and experience of women in Christian churches using women's writings to better understand how women view themselves and their spiritual development. Explores underlying questions: "How do women live within the Christian community and express their spirituality?" "What influences might Christian feminist views have on our world?"

RS137 Developments in Gender and Sexuality in Christianity [CDiv] (3)
This course discusses and analyzes the evolution of images of masculinity and femininity, sexuality and gender beginning with Greco-Roman and Jewish traditions and analyzes their influence upon Christianity examining from its origins to the present day.  We study changing understandings of celibacy, marriage, homosexuality and power using the tools of queer theory, feminist studies, and men's studies.

RS140A Liberation Theologies [CDiv] (3)
This class focuses on theologies that strive to liberate oppressed and marginalized peoples, including Liberation Theology in Latin America, Dalit Theology in India, and Feminist and Black Theology.

RS149T Teaching Assistant (1-3)
Offers an opportunity for outstanding Religious Studies majors to earn credit for assisting instructors may be arranged. Three units may be used as upper-division elective units in the major. Satisfies one unit of Career Development Requirement.

RS154 Voices in Christian Spirituality (3)
Reading the Desert Mothers and Fathers, Augustine's Confessions, medieval mystics, Teresa of Avila, and modern spiritual leaders, this course explores the evolution of a personal spirituality in the Christian life. How do these authors form their personal spirituality, their connection to God, and a better understanding of themselves? How do they then relate this inner spirituality to the world around them?

RS165 Religions of the World [CDiv] (3)
Focuses on a critical survey of world religions, exploring the beliefs, rituals, sacred texts, and ethical ideals of representative religious manifestations of the past and present. Covers characteristic traits and patterns in tribal, imperial, naturalistic, mystical, and national religions. Examines the role assigned to women by world religions and the importance given to building a just and peaceful society.

RS168A Art History: Medieval (3)
Cross-listed with AR168A. See Art listings for course description.

RS168B Art History: Art and Religion of the Far East [CDiv] (3)
Cross-listed with AR168B. See Art listings for course description.

RS181 Islam and the West [CDiv] (3)
Cross-listed with HY181 and PS181. See History listings for course description.

RS184 Philosophy of Religion (3)
Cross-listed with PL184. See Philosophy listings for course description.

RS191 Senior Thesis (3)

Taken by majors in their senior year.  Students write a 15-25 page paper on a topic of their choice, written in conjunction with an upper-division Religious Studies course being offered in the same semester.

RS196 Way of the Earth [CDiv] (3)
Explores the profound links between ecology and spirituality, between "Mother Nature" (Gaia concept) and conceptions of human/divine nature(s). The course aims to integrate perspectives on such topics as science and religion, the spirituality of indigenous peoples, ecofeminism, Creation Spirituality, and reverence for nature in the teachings of world religions.

RS199 Independent Study in Religious Studies (1-3)
Provides an opportunity for independent study or research in Religious Studies, which may be arranged under the direction of the instructor. See Undergraduate Policies and Procedures section on Independent Study.