Department of Philosophy

New Learning Outcomes (passed by PHIL Dept Wed 10/14/20)

1. Demonstrate knowledge of the history and development of significant philosophical views.
2. Demonstrate understanding of concepts and theories central to philosophy including specifically:
   1. questions of value
   2. questions of knowledge and existence
3. Demonstrate critical thinking, reading, writing and discussion skills including:
   1. the ability to extract arguments in classic and contemporary philosophical texts and relate them to appropriate philosophical context 
   2. construction of sound deductive arguments and strong inductive arguments to evaluate philosophical concepts, positions, and arguments
   3. engagement in dialectical discussion: to participate in sustained and coherent discussion of arguments including articulation of clarifications, objections, and responses
   4. the ability to present viewpoints/arguments that differ from or oppose one’s own fairly and charitably, and to respond to such viewpoints/arguments
   5. proficiency in oral discourse: to orally present philosophical arguments (whether one’s own or those derived from reading) clearly and to encourage other students to engage with those arguments 
   6. reflecting upon the ways in which philosophical reasoning, argumentation, concepts, texts, etc. apply to everyday life, including personally, locally, socially, politically, nationally, globally, etc.
4. Engage proficiently in philosophical research and writing including:

1. 1. locating, evaluating, and interpreting scholarly philosophical sources 
   2. producing one’s own philosophical research question(s) and pursuing primary and/or secondary source research, while properly crediting sources
   3. constructing original arguments in written form in a manner consistent with disciplinary norms concerning argumentative writing

Assessment Rotation Plan

(beginning 2020-21)

Year 1: #4a-c and #3f

Year 2: #1 and #3a-b

Year 3: #2a and #3c

Year 4: #2b and #3d

Year 5: #3e

(Prior) Learning Outcomes in Philosophy/Curriculum Map

(1) Students will demonstrate knowledge of the philosophical views—and the arguments relating to them—of the major figures from the Ancient and Early Modern periods.

PHIL 205 (Ancient Philosophy), PHIL 207 (Modern Philosophy)

(2) Students will demonstrate knowledge of the major concepts, theories, and issues—and the arguments relating to them—in Ethical Theory, Theory of Knowledge, and Metaphysics.

PHIL 330 (Ethical Theory), PHIL 340 (Theory of Knowledge), PHIL 355 (Metaphysics)

(3) Students will demonstrate knowledge of the major concepts, theories, and issues—and the arguments relating to them—in some of the following areas: Value Theory, Social/Political Philosophy, Philosophy of Religion, Philosophy of Science, Philosophy of Mind, Philosophy of Language, Logic, Phenomenology & Existentialism, Non-Western Philosophy.

All PHIL elective courses; by area these include:

Value Theory: PHIL 130 (Ethics), PHIL 136 (Medicine & Morality), PHIL 201 (Environmental Ethics), PHIL 203 (Computer Ethics), PHIL 225 (Philosophy of the Arts), PHIL 237 (Ethical Issues in Business)

Social/Political Philosophy: PHIL 204 (Philosophy of Woman), PHIL 216 (Reasoning & the Law), PHIL 217 (Problems in the Philosophy of Law), PHIL 305 (Philosophy of Education)

Philosophy of Religion: PHIL 202 (World Religions & Contemporary Issues), PHIL 218 (Philosophy of Religion), PHIL 222 (Philosophy & Religion in Ancient Mediterranean)

Philosophy of Science: PHIL 235 (Philosophy of Biology), PHIL 240 (Philosophy of Science)

Philosophy of Mind: PHIL 317 (Philosophy of Mind)

Philosophy of Language: PHIL 375 (Philosophy of Language)

Logic: PHIL 111 (Introduction to Logic), PHIL 310 (Symbolic Logic)

Phenomenology & Existentialism: PHIL 209 (Phenomenology & Existentialism)

Non-Western Philosophy: PHIL 214 (Chinese Philosophy), PHIL 215 (Eastern Philosophy)

(4) Students will demonstrate the ability to use sound deductive arguments and strong inductive arguments to critically compare and evaluate philosophical concepts, positions, and arguments.

All PHIL courses

(5) Students will demonstrate the ability to compose essays that are free of grammatical and spelling errors, state issues and arguments directly and clearly, and are logically organized.

All PHIL courses with the exception of PHIL 111 (Introduction to Logic) and PHIL 310 (Symbolic Logic)

(6) Students will demonstrate the ability to engage in dialectical discussion.

All PHIL courses offered at the 200-level and above

(7) Students will demonstrate proficiency in oral discourse.

PHIL 397 (Seminar: Major Problems), PHIL 398 (Seminar: Major Figures)