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Faculty Information | Department Homepage
RELIGION AND PHILOSOPHY DEPARTMENT
Division of Humanities
Associate Professor Laura Hobgood-Oster, PhD, Chair
Professor Shannon M. Winnubst, PhD
Associate Professor N. Elaine Craddock, PhD
Assistant Professor Michael Bray, PhD
Assistant Professor Alejandro de Acosta, PhD
Associate Professor Philip E. Hopkins, PhD
Associate Professor David Tabb Stewart, PhD
Visiting Assistant Professor Molly Jensen, PhD
Visiting Instructor Katharine Baker, ABD
Assistant Professor Rebecca Lorins, PhD (part-time)
Assistant Professor Scott Stroud, PhD (part-time)
Instructor Carolyn Bottler, MA (part-time)
Instructor A. Gardner Harris, MA (part-time)
Instructor Nevitt Reesor, MA (part-time)
Students may major either in religion or in philosophy but may not combine courses in these two areas
for a major. A student may minor in either religion or philosophy. Students may choose the 59-hour
paired major between Religion and Feminist Studies and it is also possible to do a 59-hour paired
major in Philosophy and Feminist Studies by double counting two of the following courses crosslisted
in Philosophy and Feminist Studies: Feminist Positions (18-213), Theories of Class (18-243), and
Theories of Race (18-253).
Religion
The program in the study of religion introduces students to a variety of global religious traditions,
experiences and expressions, and invites an empathetic understanding of difference. The program
provides students with tools to critically engage "religious texts," including written, oral, performative
and symbolic ones. Religion courses engage students in the comparative study of themes and
dimensions such as beliefs, practices, rituals and myths within and between religious traditions. The
religion program facilitates interdisciplinary engagement with the study of religion and other human
endeavors by encouraging students to learn and use a variety of methodologies, including: textual,
social-scientific, historical, feminist and post-colonial.
- 100-200-LEVEL COURSES are introductions to the study of religion, generally focusing upon a
different tradition or geographic area, literature or topic. Some are prerequisites for 600-level courses.
- 300-LEVEL COURSES are topical courses that introduce comparisons between or within
religious traditions. These courses are open to all students. Several of these courses are cross-listed with
interdisciplinary programs.
- 400-500-LEVEL COURSES are courses related to other areas of study. These courses are open
to all students.
- 600-LEVEL COURSES are second-level courses in religious tradition and literature. These
courses are primarily for religion majors and minors, but are open to other students with permission of
the instructor.
- 700-LEVEL COURSES are Special Topics Courses.
- 900-LEVEL COURSES are advanced courses and are for Religion majors.
A major in Religion is good preparation for graduate work in a number of liberal arts fields (in
addition to religion), and is also an excellent complementary (second) major to other liberal arts majors.
It is a good undergraduate major for seminary though a number of other liberal arts majors serve as
well.
Philosophy
Philosophy is a mode of engaging thoughtfully and critically with the grounding ideas and assumptions
of human practices. Such thinking includes reflection on the relationship between different forms of
knowledge (scientific, ethical, political, historical, cultural and aesthetic) and the material world, as
well as reflection on the intertwining social, historical and geographical forms of power and human
community. Courses in philosophy develop a wide range of intellectual abilities and offer a unique
opportunity for students to develop their own modes of thoughtful and critical engagement with different
domains of knowledge and practice. The emphasis is on primary texts and a careful discussion of them
and their ideas. In addition to graduate studies in a number of fields, students who major in philosophy
are well prepared to enter the range of career options available to liberal arts college graduates.
The curriculum aims to cultivate philosophy as a self-reflective practice and therefore emphasizes
the history of Western philosophy as vitally important to contemporary philosophy. Students explore
contemporary thinking from a foundation of critical inquiry into its past and into the genealogies of
questions that have shaped the conversation to this point.
Major in Religion: 34 semester hours, including Religion 19-314, 914 (Capstone); three courses from 19-103, 123, 133, 143, 153, 173, 183; three courses from 19-203, 213, 223, 293, 303, 323, 343, 363, 713; two courses from 19-614, 624, 634, 644, 664.
Minor in Religion: 18 semester hours of Religion, at least 12 hours of which must be above the introductory level.
Major in Philosophy: 32 semester hours, including Philosophy 18-402, 413, 423, 433, 443; 513 or 523 (on a 20th century topic or figure); 913 or 953 (Capstone); 12 additional hours of Philosophy, at least six hours of which must be above the introductory level.
Minor in Philosophy: 18 semester hours of Philosophy, at least 12 hours of which must be above the introductory level.
FACULTY INFORMATION
 Laura Hobgood-Oster, Chair
Shannon M. Winnubst
N. Elaine Craddock
Michael Bray
Alejandro de Acosta
Philip E. Hopkins
David T. Stewart
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