Perspectives Program
The Perspectives Program is a multi-year core program that offers courses for students who want to develop integrated answers to life鈥檚 enduring questions. Inspired by the Jesuit tradition of providing a humanist context for professional and scientific education, Perspectives courses seek to educate the whole person, and to help students develop skills in critical thinking and practical living.聽
Course assignments and requirements are tailored and assessed according to the traditional liberal arts of Grammar, Logic and Rhetoric: students will be expected to read closely, think critically, and write and speak clearly and persuasively.
The Perspectives Program currently offers core courses that fulfill core philosophy and another core area of study: theology, arts and literature, social science or natural science.
Most of the students in the program are first year students from across the colleges who take Perspectives on Western Culture, the course that pairs philosophy and theology. A limited聽number of slots are open to sophomores.聽The other three Perspectives Program courses are Modernism and the Arts (philosophy, art and literature cores), Horizon of the New Social Sciences (philosophy and social science cores), and New Scientific Visions (philosophy and natural science cores).聽
Perspectives Concentration
Students can count Perspectives courses towards majors in Philosophy or Theology, or minors in Philosophy, Theology, or the combined Philosophy and Theology minor.聽Students who complete three Perspectives courses will fulfill requirements for a minor in Philosophy, as well as various core requirements. Students who complete four Perspective Courses, plus two philosophy elective courses, fulfill the requirements for a major in Philosophy.聽
Admission to the Perspectives concentration in philosophy comes at the end of the sophomore year. A minimum GPA of 3.50 will be required for admission.聽
Any questions concerning the requirements for the concentration, or other opportunities and possibilities within the Perspectives Program, should contact聽Professor Kerry Cronin, Associate Director of Perspectives.
Program Details
1 Year
All Perspective Courses are year-long
12 Credits
The program offers 12-credit courses that study core and foundational texts
25 Students
All sections are limited to 25 or fewer students. Class meetings often require small and large group discussions.
Interested in a more immersive experience? The Perspectives Living & Learning Community gives first year students an opportunity to participate in specialized programming which links to the Perspectives curriculum. We aim to create deeper relationships between students, faculty, and administrators, to develop a strong peer cohort.