Note: The information below provides convenient links to some of the courses required for this degree; however, it should not be used as a course registration guide. Please refer to the official Lander University Academic Catalog for the most accurate and up-to-date program requirements.
Ethics has been a major focus of study for philosophers since antiquity, and is, today, the most highly discussed and researched area in philosophy. Minoring in ethics supplies an excellent pre-professional endorsement for any major. Its focused coursework in critical thinking, ethical project design, the foundations of moral theory, and the study of contemporary moral dilemmas especially complements majors involving managerial, professional or social justice careers. Lander’s minor in ethics is unique in requiring completion of an ethical advocacy project-course, in addition to a broad array of applied and foundational courses that can be mixed and matched to suit individual preference. The Ethics minor is open to all students except those minoring in Philosophy.
The program consists of 15 semester hours across a variety of disciplines, to include:
Category A: Philosophy Core Courses (6 credit hours)
Category B: Foundational Courses in Ethics (3 to 6 credit hours)
If HONS 292 is cross-listed with PHIL 341 it cannot be counted as an additional three hours.
Category C: Disciplines: (3 to 6 credit hours)*
*If students select 6 credit hours from Category B or C, they must select 3 credit hours from the other category.
A minor in history consists of 18 semester hours distributed as follows:
The objective of the minor in international studies is to learn about the contemporary world (i.e., post-1900) and the relationship of the United States to the world. Students will be exposed to major international issues and challenges as well as to cross-cultural and cross-disciplinary perspectives. Students pursuing the minor are encouraged to participate in Lander’s approved study abroad programs, although this is not a requirement for completion of the minor.
Courses from chosen area, either A or B - 9 semester hours
Courses from the other two - 9 semester hours
Thus, students must concentrate their coursework in either history or political science. In addition, they must choose at least three additional courses for the minor from any of the areas below. Students must earn a grade of “C” or better in all minor courses.
Area A. History
Special topics courses are also acceptable if the contemporary age (1900-present) is the primary focus of appropriate course content.
Area A. History
Special topics courses are also acceptable if the contemporary age (1900-present) is the primary focus of appropriate course content.
Area B. Political Science
Special topics courses (POLS 361) and internships with an international focus (POLS 490) are also acceptable if the contemporary age (1900-present) is the primary focus of appropriate course content.
Area C. Approved Electives and Study Abroad
Students may count a variety of electives toward the minor in international studies. This includes courses taken at Lander as well as through the Lander-approved study abroad programs. The following Lander courses are pre-approved for the minor:
Special Topics (if appropriate course content is covered) Students are strongly encouraged to study abroad and may count up to nine hours of coursework taken through Lander-approved programs, such as at the University of Winchester in the United Kingdom. Faculty must approve all coursework taken in study abroad programs.
The minor in philosophy not only emphasizes the acquisition of methodological skills used in many separate academic disciplines but also emphasizes inquiry into, and reflection upon, the knowledge and value-structures inherent in intellectual problems and texts. Students in the minor program will (1) learn to investigate critically the major areas of philosophy including logic, value theory, and theories of knowledge and reality and (2) learn to apply their reasoning abilities in critical reading, thinking, and writing.
Students minoring in philosophy should (1) acquire the methods necessary to read, think critically and write about subjects in the humanities, social sciences, and sciences, (2) understand and be able to employ ethical concepts and theories of moral philosophy, and (3) be conversant with the major problems and historical development of philosophical inquiry.
The philosophy minor consists of 18 credit hours with the following distribution:
A. Area Studies in Philosophy (six credit hours required):
B. Area Studies in Philosophy (Select at least six hours from Category B):
*Students can count a maximum of three credit hours from PHIL 407 and PHIL 408, or PHIL 409.
C. Optional Associated Courses (If desired, students may apply one or two courses from Category C to complete the minor):
The pre-law minor has three groups of courses. Students must take both courses in the first group (Group A), two of the courses in the second group (Group B), and two of the courses in the third group (Group C). The first group consists of courses providing the most important skills a law student or lawyer needs. The second group consists of courses providing background knowledge helpful for law students or lawyers. The third group consists of the law courses offered at the undergraduate level.
The pre-law minor consists of 18 semester hours with the following distribution:
GROUP A (6 semester hours)
GROUP B (6 semester hours)
Students must choose two of the following courses:
Group C (6 semester hours)
Students must choose two of the following courses:
The Public History minor provides non-history majors with the opportunity to deepen their knowledge of history to help prepare them for possible careers in such areas as archives, museums, historic preservation, historic sites, and the National Parks Service. In order to have a sufficient foundation in American history, HIST 111 and HIST 112 are required. HIST 380: Introduction to Public History, another required course, helps students develop skills necessary for working in public history fields while exposing them to the various career options in that area. Students also select nine hours of elective courses related to the field of public history in which they would like to specialize.
The Public History minor is open to all students except those majoring or otherwise minoring in History.
The program consists of 15 credit hours, to include:
Public History Electives (select 3)
The religion minor provides students with the opportunity to engage in a scholarly study of religion in a manner that places value on understanding the origins and meaning of religion in different cultures. The minor provides studies in the primary texts, histories, and founders of all of the world’s major religions, with a focus on the comparative study of religion and the Judeo-Christian tradition. The minor is intended for students who have a general interest in the academic discipline of religious studies, particularly those interested in pursuing such studies in graduate school or at seminary, or who intend to pursue vocations where a knowledge of religion would be helpful.
The religion minor consists of 18 semester hours of courses distributed as follows:
The American South’s distinctive historical, cultural, and political experiences makes it worthy of in-depth scholarly exploration. In the Southern Studies minor, you will learn about the region’s significant influence on national and international affairs, economics, literature, music, art, sports, religion, and race and gender relations. The program consists of 18 credit hours across a variety of disciplines.
Category A (select at least 2)
Category B (select at least 2)
*Additional courses that have an emphasis on the American South may be counted toward the minor if approved first by the Department of History and Philosophy chair.
**Students can count only one of the following towards completion of the minor: HIST 250, SOCI 250, or HIST 350.