Philosophy & Religion

We are a joint philosophy-religion department, offering a major in Philosophy and minors in both Philosophy and Religion.

If you choose to pursue a course of study in our department you will find:

• Class sizes that facilitate meaningful student-to-teacher and student-to-student interactions.
• A curriculum that requires you to have an active role in shaping your educational experience.
• An approach to philosophy and religion that promotes cross-disciplinary and inter-disciplinary studies.
• Opportunities to assist with faculty research and contribute to other faculty and departmental projects.

The department includes philosophy and religious studies, with one member teaching and researching in both areas of inquiry. The program promotes interdisciplinary approaches, whether between philosophy and religion or with other complementary majors. Our Comparison Project enacts interdisciplinarity through several public program in comparative philosophy of religion and interfaith leadership.

In addition to philosophy and religion, scholarly strengths lie in the fields of philosophy of education, philosophy of mind, and philosophy of religion. But it is our innovative and dynamic teaching that sets us apart, be it through immersive role-playing pedagogies, creative artistic-representation pedagogies, or the facilitation of digital stories about the religions of Des Moines.

Our three full-time faculty members are dedicated to creating an exceptional learning environment, one that fosters effective collaboration, critical and creative engagement, empathetic understanding, and personal and social responsibility.