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Philosophy Outcomes

 

Program Level Outcomes for Philosophy

  • Theory: Students will be able to identify and analyze the major currents of thought in philosophy.
  • Practical use of Philosophy: Students will be able to apply philosophical perspectives to contemporary issues.
  • Critical Thinking: Students will be able to analyze, synthesize and evaluate ideas and apply analytical skills to solve problems.
  • Research: Students will be able to engage in literary research and interpret and evaluate research studies.
  • Civic Engagement:  Students will be able to recognize and respect the beliefs, opinions and values of other individuals and cultures. Moreover, students will demonstrate an awareness of personal, social, civic, and environmental responsibility.

 

Student Learning Outcomes for Philosophy

Student Learning Outcomes (SLOs) are a means to determine what students know, think, feel or do as a result of a given learning experience. In this process, the outcomes are written by the department or unit members. Outcomes assessment, including at the course, program, and institutional levels, allows departments to discover if the students are, in fact, learning what they are expected to learn. The use of assessment results stimulates discussion and directs activities that can improve instructional delivery, curricula, programs, and/or services.

PHIL 3/H Introduction to Logic

  • SLO 1:  Students will be acquainted with the various forms of definitions and learn to construct proper definitions.
  • SLO 2:  Students will distinguish arguments from non-arguments.
  • SLO 3:  Students will apply deductive and inductive reasoning methods to morals, politics, science, literature, and everyday life scenarios.
  • SLO 4: Students will translate arguments into symbolic form to test their validity.
  • SLO 5: Students will analyze informal fallacies.
  • SLO 6: Students will distinguish and evaluate inductive and deductive arguments using criteria of evaluation such as valid/invalid, strong/weak, etc.

 

PHIL 4 Introduction to Symbolic Logic

  • SLO 1:  Students will be acquainted with the various forms of definitions and learn to construct proper definitions.
  • SLO 2:  Students will distinguish arguments from non-arguments.
  • SLO 3:  Students will apply deductive and inductive reasoning methods to morals, politics, science, literature, and everyday life scenarios.
  • SLO 4: Students will translate arguments into symbolic form to test their validity.
  • SLO 5: Students will analyze informal fallacies.
  • SLO 6: Students will distinguish and evaluate inductive and deductive arguments using criteria of evaluation such as valid/invalid, strong/weak, etc.

 

PHIL 5/H Introduction to Philosophy

  • SLO 1: Students will be able to analyze the major philosophical schools of thought, primarily in the Western tradition, although including some Eastern thought as well. 
  • SLO 2: Student will be able to analyze the ideas of the major philosophers.  
  • SLO 3: Students will be able to apply philosophical knowledge from the major philosophers and schools of thought to real-world problems and contemporary issues.
  • SLO 4: Students will learn to read, analyze, and reflect on primary philosophical texts to formulate their own understanding. 
  • SLO 5: Students will be able to develop a logical philosophical argument.
  • SLO 6: Students will be able to critically evaluate philosophical theories in written essay. 

 

PHIL 8 Critical Thinking

  • SLO 1: Students will be able to distinguish inductive and deductive arguments.
  • SLO 2: Students will be able to identify the premises/reasons for supporting the conclusion within an argument.  
  • SLO 3: Students will be able to evaluate arguments (Strong/Weak, Valid/Invalid).
  • SLO 4: Students will learn to analyze informal fallacies.
  • SLO 5: Students will be able to apply problem-solving skills to their personal belief systems and social issues.

 

PHIL 9/H Critical Thinking and Writing

  • SLO 1: Students will be able to distinguish inductive and deductive arguments.
  • SLO 2: Students will be able to identify the premises/reasons for supporting the conclusion within an argument. 
  • SLO 3: Students will be able to evaluate arguments (Strong/Weak, Valid/Invalid).
  • SLO 4: Students will learn to analyze informal fallacies.
  • SLO 5: Students will be able to develop a thesis statement that advances a clear argument.
  • SLO 6: Students will demonstrate proficiency (precision, clarity, organization) in argumentative writing (with a min. of 6,000 words for the semester), where positions are defended and ideas are explored.

 

PHIL 12/H Introduction to Ethics

  • SLO 1: Student will be able to analyze the ideas of the major moral philosophers. 
  • SLO 2: Students will be able to analyze major philosophical schools of thought, including Virtue Ethics, Deontological, and Utilitarianism.
  • SLO 3: Students will be able to apply moral reasoning to contemporary ethical issues and moral problems.
  • SLO 4: Students will be able to analyze primary texts in ethics.

 

PHIL 15/H Major World Religions

  • SLO 1: Students will be able to identify the practice, belief and history of the major world religions, including Hinduism, Buddhism, Sikhism, Jainism, Taoism, Confucianism, Judaism, Christianity and Islam. 
  • SLO 2: Students will be able to compare and contrast a variety of religious themes.
  • SLO 3: Students will be able to analyze primary religious text.
  • SLO 4: Students will understand the impact of religion in the world at large.

 

PHIL 16 Introduction to the Philosophy of Religion

  • SLO 1: Evaluate religious concepts and arguments using the methods and tools of philosophy of religion.
  • SLO 2: Compare and contrast the idea of God in classical theism with other views of the Sacred, including Western
    and Eastern philosophical positions.
  • SLO 3: Analyze arguments for the existence of God, including the ontological, cosmological, teleological, and moral
    arguments, and analyze arguments that challenge them, such as the problem of evil.
  • SLO 4: Analyze the different kinds of religious experience, including mystical experiences, and whether or not they
    justify religious belief.
  • SLO 5: Analyze issues related to pluralism of religious belief, such as exclusivism vs. inclusivism.
  • SLO 6: Evaluate the relationship between science and religion, reason and faith, and religion and morality.
  • SLO 7: Evaluate arguments for an afterlife and for miracles and understand philosophical challenges to them.

 

PHIL 20A/H Introduction to Ancient Philosophy: Pre-Socratic to Medieval Period

  • SLO 1: Students will be able to analyze the major philosophers from ancient times to the end of the Medieval period.
  • SLO 2: Students will be able to analyze philosophical systems of thought from ancient times to the end of the Medieval period.
  • SLO 3: Students will be able to synthesize philosophical perspectives in relation to their own lived experience in which they apply this obtained knowledge, skills, and virtue to their own lives.
  • SLO 4: Students will be able to write philosophical essays, which reveal improved skill in the presentation and evaluation of arguments, where the students clearly and effectively present their own philosophical position. 

 

20B/H Introduction to Modern Philosophy: Renaissance to Present

  • SLO 1: Students will be able to analyze the major philosophers from the Renaissance to the contemporary period.
  • SLO 2: Students will be able to analyze philosophical systems of thought from the Renaissance to the contemporary period.
  • SLO 3: Students will be able to synthesize philosophical perspectives in relation to their own lived experience in which they apply this obtained knowledge, skills, and virtue to their own lives.
  • SLO 4: Students will be able to write philosophical essays, which reveal improved skill in the presentation and evaluation of arguments, where the students clearly and effectively present their own philosophical position.

 

PHIL 99 Special Projects

  • SLO 1: Students will develop conceptual competence, demonstrate vigor of logical inquiry, and produce clarity of expression.

 

PHIL 312 Introduction to Biomedical Ethics

  • SLO 1: Compare and contrast the ethical positions relating to abortion, euthanasia, stem cell research,
    cloning, and human enhancement.
  • SLO 2: Critically evaluate the history of bioethics and the implications of past and current research, including human
    and animal research.
  • SLO 3: Analyze major ethical theories that relate to bioethics.
  • SLO 4: Analyze primary philosophical text that relates to bioethics.
  • SLO 5: Research, develop, and apply ethical arguments to contemporary bioethical issues.