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PHILOSOPHY, POLITICS AND ECONOMICS

(This major is also available via the Division of Distance Education)

PROGRAM OBJECTIVES

The Philosophy, Politics, and Economics program joins the analytic rigor of the social sciences and the enduring normative questions of philosophy to promote an integrative and critical understanding of the institutions, practices, and policies that shape the contemporary world. The degree integrates broad academic areas in the humanities and the social and behavioral sciences. In this program the disciplines of economics, philosophy, and political science form the intellectual foundation for exploring critical social problems, the development of social policy, and critical policy analysis.

The program applies an interdisciplinary approach to important societal problems, utilizing the contributions of all three disciplines. The strength of the program is that it looks at policy analysis not just as the economist thinks of it (efficiency) and not just as the political scientist thinks of it (political efficacy), but that it also includes the normative ("ought" or moral/ethical) dimensions that can be more rigorously addressed through philosophy.

The program provides the broad preparation that is recognized as essential if we are to adequately educate our students not just for a career but also for lives in which they can be expected to change careers three or four times. The program will prepare students for a variety of careers - and career changes - that require analytic skills and knowledge of institutional processes that drive social policy questions. Examples are teaching, banking and finance, journalism, resource management, social services, criminal justice, and other public service. The program will also provide excellent undergraduate preparation for students intending formal study of the law. Finally, the program is the major of choice for those students considering postgraduate study in economics, political science, and philosophy.

LEARNING OUTCOMES

- Provide a solid foundation in all three of its core academic disciplines

- Provide a basic understanding of neoclassical economic theory

- Provide a basic understanding of American governmental structures and institutions

- Provide a contrasting international perspective

- Provide focused familiarity with contemporary ethical, political, and legal problems

- Develop skills in rigorous logical reasoning

- Provide an understanding of market forces and larger social issues

- Provide an understanding of contemporary public policy making

- Develop basic statistical skills

MEANS OF ASSESSMENT

PPE majors are evaluated in a variety of ways. They complete, with a grade of C- or better, courses that reinforce their knowledge of the fundamental methodologies and models of the core disciplines. Quizzes, exams, papers, projects, group work, presentations, etc., are evaluated in terms of qualitative assessment of specified learning outcomes by means of stated criteria. By satisfactorily completing PPE 407: Capstone, in which majors are required to write a substantial research paper, students explore the tensions and connections between these three disciplines and how policy decisions reflect these interrelationships. Capstones further enhance students' skills in research, writing, computer use, statistical methods, and public presentations. The writing-intensive course work also prepares them to complete the University Writing Requirement.

REQUIREMENTS FOR THE BACHELOR OF ART OR BACHELOR OF SCIENCE IN PHILOSOPHY, POLITICS & ECONOMICS

A grade of "C -" or better is required for all of the courses used to satisfy the program requirements and a cumulative 2.00 GPA or better is required overall. Students taking the BS degree must complete a college level statistics course, STAT 315/316 or equivalent.

A 50 credit core provides a shared interdisciplinary experience for all students in the program and offers a common knowledge base for additional upper division course work. Thirty credits of the common core area are at the lower division level; twenty credits are upper division.

The lower division core provides a basic understanding of the political, economic, and legal systems in the United States; an introduction to the normative questions that concern contemporary American society; and, an introduction to logical reasoning.

ECON 201 Principles of Microeconomics (5)

ECON 202 Principles of Macroeconomics (5)

PHIL 102 Ethics, Politics and Law (5)

POLS 101 American National Government (5)

and

PHIL 101 Self, World and God (5)

or

PHIL 203 Critical Thinking (5)

and

POLS 200 Comparative Politics (5)

or

POLS 221 International Relations (5)

The upper division core provides a common, advanced-level application of the analytic, empirical, and normative tools within each discipline.

POLS 350 Public Policy (5)

PHIL 420 Philosophy of Law (5)

ECON 334 Market and Society (5)

ECON 407 or PHIL 407 or POLS 407

Capstone (5)

The upper division elective component offers students the opportunity to emphasize particular disciplines. All students will complete 25 additional upper division credit hours, of which a minimum of 5 credit hours must be completed in each discipline. No more than 5 credit hours of practicum 409 credit may be applied to the 25 upper-division elective credits. A number of these courses will be interdisciplinary, cross-listed, and team taught. (Other appropriate upper division course work, approved by program faculty, may be used to satisfy up to 10 credits of this requirement: e.g., courses from Sociology, History, Agricultural and Resource Economics, Geography.)

Course descriptions are located under the individual disciplines - Economics, Philosophy, and Political Science.

Concentration in Public Policy and Administration

Students majoring in Philosophy, Politics and Economics may choose to complete a concentration in Public Policy and Administration, which will allow students to focus their elective work on the operations and processes of the public sector. To do so, in place of the 25 upper division elective credits for the degree, students must complete the following coursework:

POLS 314 State and Local Government (5)

POLS 351 Public Administration (5)

ECON 435 Public Finance (5)

ECON 481 American Labor and Unions (5)

PHIL 490 Ethics and Public Affairs (5)

 

 

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