Philosophy, B.A.: Religious Studies Concentration

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Philosophy, B.A. Program (120 units)

Program Description

The Department of Philosophy at Cal State East Bay seeks to promote the exploration of enduring human concerns - concerns, for example, about the nature of knowledge, ethics, truth, and God. In addition to emphasizing classical philosophy, the department encourages students to think critically about contemporary debates, particularly in the areas of law, human rights, and social justice; science, technology, and values; and religion. The department’s faculty strive to instill in students lifelong habits of questioning, of exploring views contrary to their own, and of engaging in reasoned and honest dialogue. By their focus on analysis, comprehension and communication, they aim to develop qualities that are essential to personal fulfillment, civic responsibility, and career success.

Many different kinds of students choose the major in philosophy. Some intend to do graduate work in philosophy, often with the intention of becoming philosophy professors who research and teach in philosophy. Others take philosophy as a preparation for another professional area. Traditionally, for example, philosophy has been one of the chief roads to professional law schools. Philosophy also serves as a good general liberal arts education, since many of the long-established university disciplines are founded on philosophical principles: political science, sociology, education, aesthetics, physics, and other subjects. Finally, many students major in philosophy in order to prepare for careers that require clarity of thought, analytical ability, good writing skills, and the ability to present a reasoned argument.

Program Learning Outcomes

Students graduating with a B.A. in Philosophy from Cal State East Bay will able to:

1. write clear, academically rigorous, argumentative essays.
2. read complex texts, create original arguments, analyze the arguments of others, and express these criticisms orally and in writing.
3. demonstrate knowledge of philosophical and/or religious traditions, their relevant concepts, theories, methods, and historical contexts.
4. develop their capacities for ethical decision making, Socratic humility, openness to the ideas of others, reflective self-awareness, and a life-long curiosity about big questions.
5. cultivate an appreciation for a diversity of ideas and values across time and for human difference in areas such as: religion, culture, ethnicity, race, class, sexuality, and gender.

Career Opportunities

Analyst • Business Executive • Clergy • Consultant • Critic • Editor • Foreign Service Officer • Journalist • Lawyer • Philosopher • Policy Analyst • Primary/Secondary School Teacher • Professor • Public Administrator • Theologian • Writer

Degree Requirements Unit-Outline

• A baccalaureate of arts degree requires a total of 120 units:
  • The major requirements consists of 45 units;
  • General Education (GE) & Graduation Requirements (GR) consists of 57 units;
  • Free Electives may consist of 18 units (actual number of free elective units may depend on GE/GR units).

Note: It may be possible to double-count units within the graduation requirements or that a course may satisfy both a graduation requirement and a major requirement. Students should contact their program and AACE advisors for information.

Religious Studies Concentration

The Religious Studies concentration is 21 units.

Note: *Only a maximum of 3 units of lower-division can be counted towards fulfillment of the requirements for the major.  

Students must take two (2) of the following courses for 6 units:

• *  PHIL 241 - Introduction to Judaism, Christianity, and Islam Units: 3 ; G.E./G.R. Area: C2
• *  PHIL 242 - Introduction to Asian Religion Units: 3 ; G.E./G.R. Area: C2
• PHIL 340 - Philosophy of Religion Units: 3 ; G.E./G.R. Area: C4
• PHIL 341 - Abrahamic Religions Units: 3 ; G.E./G.R. Area: C4
• PHIL 342 - Religions of Asia Units: 3 ; G.E./G.R. Area: C4

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  Students must take a minimum of 15 units of electives from the list below.  Only two (2) courses may be taken from outside of the department:

   

• ANTH 331 - Folklore Units: 3 ; G.E./G.R. Area: D4
• ENGL 430 - Bible as Literature Units: 4
• ES 307 - God is Red: American Indian Worldview Units: 3 ; G.E./G.R. Area: C4; Sustainability
• HIST 335 - Rome and Christianity Units: 3 ; G.E./G.R. Area: C4
• HIST 361 - Traditional India Units: 3 ; G.E./G.R. Area C4
• HIST 363 - The Middle East and the Rise of Islamic Societies Units: 3 ; G.E./G.R. Area: C4
• HIST 375 - Religion and Diversity in America Units: 3 ; G.E./G.R. Area: C4

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• PHIL 337 - Science and Religion Units: 3 ; G.E./G.R. Area: C4
• PHIL 338 - Atheism, Agnosticism, and Theism Units: 3 ; G.E./G.R. Area: C4
• PHIL 343 - Contemporary Religious Thinkers Units: 3 ; G.E./G.R. Area: C4
• PHIL 344 - Mysticism Units: 3 ; G.E./G.R. Area: C4
• PHIL 345 - Comparative Religion Units: 3 ; G.E./G.R. Area: C4
• PHIL 346 - Cults and New Religious Movements Units: 3 ; G.E./G.R. Area: C4; Diversity
• PHIL 347 - Religion, Monsters, and Horror Units: 3 ; G.E./G.R. Area: C4
• PHIL 348 - Views of the Afterlife Units: 3 ; G.E./G.R. Area: C4
• PHIL 349 - Africana Philosophy and Religions Units: 3 ; G.E./G.R. Area: C4
• PHIL 365 - Existentialism Units: 3 ; G.E./G.R. Area: C4
• PHIL 490 - Independent Study Units: 3
• PHIL 497 - Issues in Philosophy or Religion Units: 3

Other Undergraduate Degree Requirements

In addition to major requirements, every student must also complete the University’s baccalaureate requirements for graduation, which are described in the Requirements, Exams & Testing  chapter of this catalog. 

Department Courses Listed by Course Type

Philosophy and Religious Studies Courses

Department of Philosophy and Religious Studies

Courses

Philosophy

• •  PHIL 100 - Workshop in Critical Thinking Units: 3 ; G.E./G.R. Area: A3
• •  PHIL 110 - Freshman Topics in Philosophy and the Arts Units: 3 ; G.E./G.R. Area: C1
• •  PHIL 120 - Freshman Topics in Philosophy Units: 3 ; G.E./G.R. Area: C2
• •  PHIL 130 - Freshman Topics in Philosophy, Religion, and Social Science Units: 3 ; G.E./G.R. Area: D1-3
• •  PHIL 201 - Introduction to Philosophy Units: 3 ; G.E./G.R. Area: C2
• •  PHIL 211 - Introduction to Ethics Units: 3 ; G.E./G.R. Area: C2
• •  PHIL 241 - Introduction to Judaism, Christianity, and Islam Units: 3 ; G.E./G.R. Area: C2
• •  PHIL 242 - Introduction to Asian Religion Units: 3 ; G.E./G.R. Area: C2
• •  PHIL 300 - Reasoning and Writing for Philosophy Majors Units: 3
• •  PHIL 301 - Modern Logic Units: 3 ; G.E./G.R. Area: C4
• •  PHIL 310 - Ethics Units: 3 ; G.E./G.R. Area: C4; Social Justice
• •  PHIL 311 - Environmental Ethics Units: 3 ; G.E./G.R. Area: C4; Sustainability
• •  PHIL 312 - Bioethics Units: 3 ; G.E./G.R. Area: C4; Social Justice
• •  PHIL 313 - Philosophy of Business and Professional Ethics Units: 3 ; G.E./G.R. Area: C4
• •  PHIL 320 - Philosophy of Art Units: 3 ; G.E./G.R. Area: C4; Diversity
• •  PHIL 321 - Philosophy and Science Fiction Units: 3 ; G.E./G.R. Area: C4; Social Justice
• •  PHIL 324 - Philosophy and Sex Units: 3 ; G.E./G.R. Area: C4; Diversity
• •  PHIL 330 - Epistemology: Knowing and Not Knowing Units: 3 ; G.E./G.R. Area: C4
• •  PHIL 331 - Metaphysics: Being and Not Being Units: 3 ; G.E./G.R. Area: C4
• •  PHIL 332 - Philosophy of Social Science Units: 3 ; G.E./G.R. Area: C4
• •  PHIL 333 - Philosophy of Language Units: 3 ; G.E./G.R. Area: C4
• •  PHIL 335 - Philosophy of Science Units: 3 ; G.E./G.R. Area: C4
• •  PHIL 336 - Philosophy of Cognition and Artificial Intelligence Units: 3 ; G.E./G.R. Area: C4
• •  PHIL 337 - Science and Religion Units: 3 ; G.E./G.R. Area: C4
• •  PHIL 338 - Atheism, Agnosticism, and Theism Units: 3 ; G.E./G.R. Area: C4
• •  PHIL 340 - Philosophy of Religion Units: 3 ; G.E./G.R. Area: C4
• •  PHIL 341 - Abrahamic Religions Units: 3 ; G.E./G.R. Area: C4
• •  PHIL 342 - Religions of Asia Units: 3 ; G.E./G.R. Area: C4
• •  PHIL 343 - Contemporary Religious Thinkers Units: 3 ; G.E./G.R. Area: C4
• •  PHIL 344 - Mysticism Units: 3 ; G.E./G.R. Area: C4
• •  PHIL 345 - Comparative Religion Units: 3 ; G.E./G.R. Area: C4
• •  PHIL 346 - Cults and New Religious Movements Units: 3 ; G.E./G.R. Area: C4; Diversity
• •  PHIL 347 - Religion, Monsters, and Horror Units: 3 ; G.E./G.R. Area: C4
• •  PHIL 348 - Views of the Afterlife Units: 3 ; G.E./G.R. Area: C4
• •  PHIL 349 - Africana Philosophy and Religions Units: 3 ; G.E./G.R. Area: C4
• •  PHIL 351 - Social and Political Philosophy Units: 3 ; G.E./G.R. Area: C4; Social Justice
• •  PHIL 353 - Human Rights in the U.S. Units: 3 ; G.E./G.R. Area: C4; Diversity
• •  PHIL 354 - Global Human Rights and Social Justice Units: 3 ; G.E./G.R. Area: C4; Social Justice
• •  PHIL 355 - Race and Justice Units: 3 ; G.E./G.R. Area: C4; Diversity
• •  PHIL 361 - The Birth of Philosophy: The Greeks & Their Legacy Units: 3 ; G.E./G.R. Area: C4
• •  PHIL 362 - Exploring Modern Thought: From Descartes to Kant Units: 3 ; G.E./G.R. Area: C4
• •  PHIL 365 - Existentialism Units: 3 ; G.E./G.R. Area: C4
• •  PHIL 371 - Philosophy of Education Units: 3 ; G.E./G.R. Area: C4
• •  PHIL 373 - African-American Philosophical Perspectives Units: 3 ; G.E./G.R. Area: C4; Diversity
• •  PHIL 375 - Feminist Philosophy Units: 3 ; G.E./G.R. Area: C4; Social Justice
• •  PHIL 377 - Philosophy of Law Units: 3 ; G.E./G.R. Area: C4; Social Justice
• •  PHIL 378 - Evil Units: 3 ; G.E./G.R. Area: C4
• •  PHIL 381 - Shamanism Units: 3 ; G.E./G.R. Area: C4
• •  PHIL 490 - Independent Study Units: 3
• •  PHIL 497 - Issues in Philosophy or Religion Units: 3
• •  PHIL 499 - Senior Seminar Units: 3