Integrated Learning Major In Ethics
Contact:
Ben Bradley
Allan and Anita Sutton Professor
Philosophy
Faculty: Kenneth Baynes, Ben Bradley, Samuel Gorovitz, Glyn Morgan, Hille Paakkunainen, David Sobel, Laurence Thomas, Ernest Wallwork
Professionals in technically demanding fields are commonly asked to apply their expertise to other seemingly unrelated disciplines. As a result, they must have a comprehensive understanding of not only their own field, but also secondary knowledge of another broadly based, often interdisciplinary, field of study. A chemist might lend his or her expertise to a matter of legal or ethical importance. A curator might evaluate scientific and historical evidence about a painting’s authenticity. A journalist might research a story involving science, medicine, and technology.
The major in Ethics will integrate with the following majors: management, television/radio/film, broadcast/newspaper journalism, engineering, computer science, biology, biomedical and chemical engineering, political science, public health, anthropology, psychology, sociology, and international relations, but other combinations may also be possible with approval of the director.
This ILM may be combined with any other undergraduate major with approval by the program director. While certain majors typically serve as the base major for this ILM, students are encouraged to meet with the program director to determine their best choice of a base major. Dually enrolled students must have a base major within Arts and Sciences|Maxwell.
Dual Enrollments:
Students dually enrolled in Newhouse* and Arts and Sciences|Maxwell will complete a minimum of 122 credits, with at least 90 credits in Arts and Sciences|Maxwell coursework and an Arts and Sciences|Maxwell major.
*Students dually enrolled in the College of Arts and Sciences|Maxwell as first year students must complete the Liberal Arts Core. Students who transfer to the dual program after their first year as singly enrolled students in the Newhouse School will satisfy general requirements for the dual degree program by completing the Newhouse Core Requirements.
This synergistic approach adds scholarly mettle to both the major and the interdisciplinary program, while exploiting their connective properties. First- and second-year courses contemplating the Integrated Learning Program in Ethics are advised to take one of the following courses: ANT 185 , PHI 191 /PHI 192 /PHI 209 , REL 252 , or WGS 230 /SOC 230 .
Admittance requires an overall 3.0 GPA and a B or better in both PHI 391 and PHI 393 .
Student Learning Outcomes
1. Understand and be able to explain core ethical concepts and theories and their historical development
2. Critically evaluate ethical theories and arguments
3. Write clearly and concisely, and organize their writing effectively
4. Conduct independent research on a topic in ethics by finding, assessing, and employing relevant literature
5. Understand and be able to explain moral problems that arise in the sciences, politics, professional fields, or everyday life
Requirements
Students must successfully complete all the requirements necessary to obtain a major in one of the following: Management, Television/Radio/Film, Broadcast/Newspaper Journalism, Engineering, Computer Science, Biology, Biomedical and Chemical Engineering, Political Science, Public Health, Anthropology, Psychology, Sociology, and International Relations, but other requisite majors may also be possible with approval of the director.
To complete, 24 credits of approved ethics courses are required. Of those, at least 18 must be numbered 300 or higher. In addition, there are the following specific requirements:
- two courses in contemporary and historical philosophical theory: PHI 391 and PHI 393 ;
- one ethics course related to the student’s requisite major (from A), and another course that deals with ethical issues from outside of the requisite major’s division, from courses listed in (B) or (C), as described below:
(A) Required Course from the requisite major:
Political Science/International Relations
Biology, Biomedical and Chemical Engineering
Engineering, Computer Science
Environmental Engineering
(B) Courses that Deal with Ethical Issues
(C) Courses that Deal with Ethical Issues
Senior Capstone Project for Ethics
Three additional courses from the list below
(remember that at least 18 credits must be completed in courses numbered 300 or higher in order to fulfill this requirements of the degree).
Other courses as approved by the director of the Ethics major