2019 cycle

https://calstatela.curriculog.com/proposal:1709/form

Fit with the Institutional Mission or Institutional Learning Outcomes (ILOs)

1. Knowledge: Mastery of content and processes of inquiry

Students who have earned a BA in Philosophy will have knowledge of enduring and contemporary intellectual and practical problems confronting humanity, and of the philosophical methods historical and contemporary thinkers have employed in addressing and attempting to solve them. They will also gain knowledge of the fundamentals of logic, reasoning, and rigorous critical thinking, which will enable them to think clearly for themselves as active, responsible participants in a complex society.

2. Proficiency: Intellectual skills

Students who have earned a BA in Philosophy will have the ability to understand, analyze, and critically evaluate complex arguments and theories; the ability to identify and critically evaluate the underlying presuppositions of methodologies, theories, and arguments in various areas, e.g., science, law, religion, and public policy; and the ability to develop reasoned support for their own opinions on theoretical and practical matters.

3. Place and Community: Urban and global mission

Students who have earned a BA in Philosophy will have been trained in classical and contemporary ethical theory, and will have had experience in applying it to some of the most pressing problems we face today, such as climate change, political instability, and issues of social justice and community empowerment.  Some will have taken service-learning courses involving engagement with our local communities.

4. Transformation: Integrative learning

Students earning a BA in Philosophy will gain the ability to interpret and explicate texts from different cultural and intellectual contexts; the ability to explain, both orally and in writing, difficult ideas in a clear, informed, effective, and coherent manner; the ability to apply the above philosophical skills in new contexts; the ability to apply some of the philosophical skills listed above to their own lives, in self-reflection, life-long learning, and engagement in the social and political processes essential to the well-functioning of our society.