Expand Your Mind and Your Opportunities
Philosophy Programs at Fort Hays State University offer four certificate programs to help you get ahead in your career. These programs allow you to both engage in an area of influence, as well as expand your knowledge of rational thinking and philosophies on a deeper level.
Even without a specific major or minor in philosophy, a certificate within this field can help expand your abilities in any career or sphere of study that you may currently be in. With a sophisticated curriculum and a faculty whose hands-on support helps propel you forward, a certificate from Fort Hays State can be a crucial step in getting ahead.
To earn a certificate in one of the following areas, the student must complete a minimum of 3 of the courses listed in that area for a total of 9 credit hours. The grade of a C or better must be obtained in each class. Also, no more than one course transferred in from another institution can be used toward a certificate. Official certificates are awarded through the department at the end of the spring semester each year. The Registrar does not keep track of certificates earned. Please complete this form and email it to the department administrative assistant, Jodie Wear-Leiker, jwearlei@fhsu.edu if you have met the requirements to earn this certificate.
Certificate in General Philosophy
PHIL 100 - Critical Thinking (3)
An introduction to induction, deduction and common fallacies – the primary aim of the course being to develop skill in applying basic principles of sound reasoning. This class is offered both on campus and through FHSU Online.
PHIL 120 Introduction to Philosophy (3)
An introduction to perennial philosophical questions concerning topics such as knowledge, doubt, God, freedom, necessity, good and evil, immortality, time, the cosmos and the meaning of life, and some of the most noteworthy attempts to answer them. This class is offered both on campus and through FHSU Online.
PHIL 200 - Philosophy of Knowledge (3)
A study of philosophical questions about knowledge, such as whether it can be defined, whether it is one thing in the sciences and something entirely different in the humanities or in mathematics and to what extent it is achievable by and desirable for human beings.
PHIL 220 Classical Greek Philosophy (3)
A study of topics such as the fundamental nature of reality, the place of human beings in reality, the difference between knowledge and opinion, the nature of the good life and the concept of freedom, through selections from the writings of the principle philosophers of the ancient Mediterranean world, especially Plato and Aristotle.
PHIL 320 Foundations of Modern Philosophy (3)
A study of topics such as the mind-body problem, the quest for certainty, the justification of governmental authority and the place of values in a mechanistic world, through selections from the writings of the principal philosophers of the 17th and 18th centuries, including Hobbes, Descartes, Spinoza, Leibniz, Locke, Berkeley, Hume and Kant.
PHIL 350 - Philosophy of Mind (3)
An overview of fundamental topics in the philosophy of mind such as whether or not mental processes are physical, the puzzle of mental causation, the nature of consciousness and intentionality and the similarity of minds to computers.
PHIL 458 - Philosophy of Art (3)
A study of philosophical questions about artistic creation and aesthetic experience, such as whether art can be defined, whether aesthetic value judgments can be justified rationally, how aesthetic values relate to ethical and religious values and what the proper role of art is in a life well lived.
PHIL 490 - Topics in Philosophy (1-3)
A study of a particular philosopher or philosophical topic not otherwise available in the curriculum. The content of this course will vary from semester to semester, and students may register more than once, when topic is relevant and chair approves.
PHIL 672 - Readings in Philosophy (1-3)
A tutorial course intended for those with some concentration in philosophy. The content of this course will vary from semester to semester, and students may register more than once. Requires permission of the instructor, when topic is relevant and chair approves.
Certificate in Moral and Political Philosophy
PHIL 201 - Political Philosophy (3)
A critical introduction to topics such as state authority, human rights, justice, liberty and equality, which are at the heart of understanding the nature of politics and what it is to live responsibly in society. This class is offered both on campus and online through FHSU Online.
PHIL 330 Bioethics (3)
An examination of ethical issues which result from our expanding biological knowledge such as animal rights, genetic testing, biological engineering, abortion, euthanasia, the impact of humans on the environment, and the just allocation of resources. This class is offered both on campus and online through FHSU Online.
PHIL 331 - Ethical Issues in the Professions and Business (3)
An examination of ethical issues in the professional lives of people in science, education, medicine, law and business arising from the challenge of maintaining personal integrity in the face of apparent conflicts of duty. This class is offered both on campus and online through FHSU Online.
PHIL 340 Ethics (3)
A critical examination of attempts by philosophers to understand the moral dimension of human life, which involves topics such as good and evil, rights and duties, reason and emotion, and the objectivity of values. This class is offered both on campus and online through FHSU Online.
PHIL 490 - Topics in Philosophy (1-3)
A study of a particular philosopher or philosophical topic not otherwise available in the curriculum. The content of this course will vary from semester to semester, and students may register more than once, when topic is relevant and chair approves.
PHIL 672 - Readings in Philosophy (1-3)
A tutorial course intended for those with some concentration in philosophy. The content of this course will vary from semester to semester, and students may register more than once. Requires permission of the instructor, when topic is relevant and chair approves.
Certificate in Philosophy of Religion
PHIL 140 - Philosophy and the Bible: Old Testament (3)
A study of the Old Testament, focusing on how it came to be written, on the social, cultural, and physical worlds it describes, on the meaning and interpretation of important passages and books, and especially on philosophical questions it raises, such as those concerning the problem of evil, the creation and evolution debate, and the relation between ethics and religion.
PHIL 170 - World Religions (3)
A study of the world's major religious traditions, including Hinduism, Buddhism, Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. Students will explore the basic histories and beliefs of these religions as well as some of the ethical issues that arise for modern practitioners. The course will also consider related philosophical questions such as the definition of religion and the relation of religion to morality and the good life.
PHIL 240 - Philosophy and the Bible: New Testament (3)
A study of the New Testament, focusing on how it came to be written, on the social, cultural, and physical worlds it describes, on the meaning and interpretation of important passages and books, and especially on philosophical questions it raises, such as those concerning Jesus’ divinity, the Trinity, the Resurrection, Salvation, and the relation between ethics and religion.
PHIL 360 - Philosophy of Religion (3)
A study of questions which arise in philosophical reflection on beliefs and concepts central to Judaism, Christianity and Islam, such as whether God can be defined, whether God's existence can be proven, and whether faith in God is reasonable given the variety and extent of suffering in the world.
PHIL 370 - Eastern Philosophy (3)
A study of the wisdom found in Asian traditions such as Hinduism, Buddhism, Daoism and Confucianism. Topics may include atman, karma, reincarnation, nirvana and yin-yang philosophy. Special attention will be paid to the manner in which such beliefs arise out of personal experience and are instantiated in practices such as yoga, meditation and non-duality.
PHIL 490 - Topics in Philosophy (1-3)
A study of a particular philosopher or philosophical topic not otherwise available in the curriculum. The content of this course will vary from semester to semester, and students may register more than once, when topic is relevant and chair approves.
PHIL 672 - Readings in Philosophy (1-3)
A tutorial course intended for those with some concentration in philosophy. The content of this course will vary from semester to semester, and students may register more than once. Requires permission of the instructor, when topic is relevant and chair approves.
Certificate in Philosophy and Law
PHIL 201 - Political Philosophy (3)
A critical introduction to topics such as state authority, human rights, justice, liberty and equality, which are at the heart of understanding the nature of politics and what it is to live responsibly in society. This class is offered both on campus and online through FHSU Online.
PHIL 340 Ethics (3)
A critical examination of attempts by philosophers to understand the moral dimension of human life, which involves topics such as good and evil, rights and duties, reason and emotion, and the objectivity of values. This class is offered both on campus and online through FHSU Online.
PHIL 401 - Philosophy of Law (3) (this course is required for the certificate)
A study of topics such as the nature of law, the relation of morality to the law, the moral justification of the use of coercion in enforcing the law, the significantly different types of law and challenges to traditional understandings of the law.
PHIL 490 - Topics in Philosophy (1-3)
A study of a particular philosopher or philosophical topic not otherwise available in the curriculum. The content of this course will vary from semester to semester, and students may register more than once, when topic is relevant and chair approves.
PHIL 672 - Readings in Philosophy (1-3)
A tutorial course intended for those with some concentration in philosophy. The content of this course will vary from semester to semester, and students may register more than once. Requires permission of the instructor, when topic is relevant and chair approves.