Philosophy

• Mission Statement

  Mission:
  
  WSU Philosophy offers students the opportunity to learn the foundations of their intellectual heritage while developing skills in critical thinking, communication, argumentation, research skills and creativity. We teach the ideas of influential past and contemporary thinkers from around the globe who have sought to understand the world and our experience of it, the methods of sound practical reasoning and deductive logic, and the application of philosophical thinking to modern life and its challenges, empowering our students both in their careers and as stewards of their communities.  
  
  Vision: 
  
  We provide high-quality general education classes that a) introduce students to the intellectual heritage of human reasoning, culture, and values and b) foster the development of  transferable, marketable skills including critical thinking, communication, creative thinking, research skills, and the ability to understand connections between various fields of study. For those students who choose to major in philosophy, we ensure that they have the opportunity to develop the knowledge and skills to pursue graduate or professional studies at the highest levels. We provide a minor for those students who wish to continue developing well-rounded knowledge in the liberal arts and drill the transferable skills that empower them to lead in their careers and their communities. Finally, we offer an interdisciplinary certificate of proficiency in ethics for students, professionals, and lifelong learners who wish to gain a deeper appreciation of moral reasoning and issues in professional ethics.

  Values:

  Weber State philosophy is committed to inclusive and transformative undergraduate education, welcoming all students and helping them strive for excellence.
   

• Student Learning Outcomes
  • Certificate (Not Applicable)

     

  • Associate Degree (Not Applicable)

     

  • Bachelor Degree 

    Consistent with our mission, it is expected that students graduating with a B.A. from the program will have gained both “Knowledge Of” and “Knowledge How” with respect to philosophy. These expectations are delineated as follows: 

    Historical knowledge:

    • Familiarity with the basic ideas of at least three major historical figures, of whom the following are representative:  Socrates, Plato, Aristotle, Plotinus, Augustine, Aquinas, Descartes, Leibniz, Spinoza, Locke, Berkeley, Hume, Kant, Mill, Kierkegaard, Schopenhauer, Nietzsche, and Heidegger.

         

    Topical knowledge:

    • An understanding of the basic issues and terminology in the following areas:  logic, metaphysics or epistemology, and ethics or aesthetics.
    • Students in the program should be able to demonstrate proficiency with each of the following skills:
    • Critical thinking:  The ability to distinguish between and assess the strength of arguments and explanations.
    • Reading comprehension:  The ability to explain, interpret, and evaluate philosophical texts.

    
    Writing skills:

    • The ability to present ideas clearly and with minimal grammatical and other writing errors.
    • The ability to conduct research in accordance with generally accepted standards within the discipline.
    • The ability to write in a way that reflects careful attention to language, logic, and subtleties of reasoning.

    
    * All core courses have specific, measurable learning outcomes tied to these department goals.

• Curriculum Grid

   

• Program and Contact Information

  We provide high-quality general education classes that a) introduce students to the intellectual heritage of human reasoning, culture, and values and b) foster the development of  transferable, marketable skills including critical thinking, communication, creative thinking, research skills, and the ability to understand connections between various fields of study. For those students who choose to major in philosophy, we ensure that they have the opportunity to develop the knowledge and skills to pursue graduate or professional studies at the highest levels. We provide a minor for those students who wish to continue developing well-rounded knowledge in the liberal arts and drill the transferable skills that empower them to lead in their careers and their communities. Finally, we offer an interdisciplinary certificate of proficiency in ethics for students, professionals, and lifelong learners who wish to gain a deeper appreciation of moral reasoning and issues in professional ethics.

  Contact Information:

  Dr. Mary Beth Willard
  Weber State University
  1203 University Circle
  Ogden, UT 84408-1203
  (801) 626-6698
  Philosophy Department Website
   

• Assessment Plan

  Semester	Core and Gen Ed Courses to be Assessed
  	PHIL1000 Intro to Philosophy*	PHIL1120 Contemporary Moral Problems**	PHIL1250 Critical Thinking*	PHIL4900 Capstone Seminar
  Fall 2018		X
  Spring 2019	X		X	X
  Fall 2019
  Spring 2020				X
  Fall 2020		X
  Spring 2021	X		X	X
  Fall 2021
  Spring 2022				X
  Fall 2022		X
  Spring 2023	X		X	X

  

  For now, all assessment continues to be course-based.   The Gen Ed courses must be all assessed individually and regularly, and we assess our Core program through the use of ePortfolios in the Capstone.  Students enrolled in the capstone, which is required of all majors, submit three papers, one in each core area (metaphysics and epistemology, value theory, and history of philosophy.). These papers are assessed by the instructor of record for the capstone course in addition to the capstone paper itself, which is an original research paper on a topic of the student’s choice.  Together, the portfolio allows us to see the student’s development over time, as well as identify any global areas of concern for our program.

  Instructors assess the courses they teach.  With a small faculty of four, that meant that all four of us assessed some of the program.  Discussions about assessment happen both informally and at meetings of the program faculty.  Faculty decide individually which assignments to assess, so there is significant variation in how this is typically approached.
   

• Assessment Report Submissions
  2023-24
  2021-22 - Conducted Program Review
  2019-20
  2017
  2016 - Conducted Program Review
  2015

• Program Review

  2021-22

  2016-17

This information is part of the cyclical program review process. Details such as mission statements, learning outcomes, etc., are updated as part of the biennial assessment reporting process, an integral component of program review.