Core Course Review Documentation
Foundational Component Area: LANGUAGE, PHILOSOPHY & CULTURE
Component Area Option?
No
Proposed Course: Philosophy 2033: Ethics
Credit Hours: 3.0
Proposed by: Nathan Jun
Date: 12 November 2012
Please document how the proposed course meets each of the following requirements. (You
may provide a written explanation or copy and paste the appropriate information from the
syllabus.)
CONTENT: Courses in this category focus on how ideas, values, beliefs, and other aspects
of culture express and affect human experience.
This course provides a historical and theoretical introduction to the study of moral
philosophy or ethics. Moral philosophy is concerned with a wide range of questions
including, but not limited to, “what are good and evil?,” “how ought one to live?” and “how
ought one to act?.” Most of the course will be devoted to various historical and
contemporary theories regarding “right” and “wrong.” Among other things, we will learn
how various philosophers have defined “right” and “wrong,” what criteria they articulated
for deeming certain courses of action “right” and others “wrong,” etc. At the end of the
course, we will discuss the relevance and application of ethics in “real world” decisionmaking – for example, in the fields of science, medicine, and public policy.
SKILLS: Courses involve the exploration of ideas that foster aesthetic and intellectual
creation in order to understand the human condition across cultures.
The main objectives of Philosophy 2033 are as follows:
1. To help students learn, understand, and evaluate the basic issues of moral
philosophy from both a historical and theoretical perspective.
2. To help students gain familiarity with various pivotal texts in the history of moral
philosophy.
3. To help students develop their skills in interpreting and critically analyzing texts.
4. To help students develop their skills in identifying and evaluating arguments as well
as in formulating their own arguments through the effective and responsible use of
evidence.
5. To help students improve their ability to read and write clearly and critically.
Other objectives include:
6. To help students appreciate the relevance of ethical discourse in public and private
life and to gain a greater understanding of their personal ethical commitments.
7. To inculcate students with a love of wisdom and a desire to live a philosophical life.
ASSESSMENT OF CORE OBJECTIVES: Assessments should be authentic, intentional and
direct. The following four Core Objectives must be addressed in each course approved to fulfill this
category requirement:
As stated above, the main objectives of Philosophy 2033 include helping students (a) learn,
understand, and evaluate the basic issues of moral philosophy from both a historical and theoretical
perspective; (b) gain familiarity with various pivotal thinkers and theories in the history of moral
philosophy; (c) develop their skills in interpreting and critically analyzing philosophical texts; (d)
develop their skills in identifying and evaluating arguments; (e) formulating their own arguments
by making effective and responsible use of evidence; and (f) improve their ability to read and write
critically. Consequently, the final examination will be used to assess students’ performance in the
following skill areas:
Critical Thinking Skills - to include creative thinking, innovation, inquiry, and analysis, evaluation
and synthesis of information
Learning Activities: Students will achieve objectives (a) through (f) through close reading of
philosophical texts and active participation in classroom discussion. Students will also write a 6
page take-home midterm examination.
Assessment of Critical Thinking Skills (see attached Final Examination Rubric): Each student will
take a 6 page take-home final examination in which s/he
 formulates a clear critical position with respect to the philosophical issue(s), problem(s), or
theor(ies) under analysis;
 recognizes, understands, and clearly explains differing perspectives and/or possible
objections to his/her own position;
 provides clear, compelling arguments on behalf of his or her position;
 uses textual evidence in correctly, effectively, and responsibly (e.g., by correctly using MLA
citation and providing a correctly formatted MLA ‘Works Cited’ page);
 approaches philosophical problems in a creative fashion.
Communication Skills - to include effective development, interpretation and expression of ideas
through written, oral, and visual communication
Learning Activities: Students will achieve objectives (a) through (e) through close reading of
philosophical texts and active participation in classroom discussion. Students will also write a 6
page take-home midterm examination.
Assessment of Communication Skills (see attached Final Examination Rubric): Each student will
take a 6 page take-home final examination which:
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offers a clear and correct explanation of the philosophical issue(s), problem(s), or theor(ies)
under analysis;
is well-organized;
builds upon the main idea/thesis statement;
relates main ideas and arguments to one another logically;
clearly explains main ideas and concepts;
avoids “going off on tangents” or including otherwise irrelevant information;
uses a clear and consistent writing style;
avoids significant grammatical and mechanical errors.
Personal Responsibility - to include the ability to connect choices, actions and consequences to
ethical decision-making
Learning Activity: Students will achieve objective (e) by reviewing the MSU Honor Code; reviewing
the fundamentals of MLA citation style; and reviewing strategies for effective and responsible ways
to use sources in support of a philosophical argument. Students will also take a 6 page take-home
midterm examination.
Assessment of Personal Responsibility (see attached Final Examination Rubric): Each student will
take a 6 page take-home final examination in which s/he
 uses textual evidence correctly, responsibly, and effectively (e.g., by correctly using MLA
citation and providing a correctly formatted MLA ‘Works Cited’ page).
Social Responsibility - to include intercultural competence, knowledge of civic responsibility, and the
ability to engage effectively in regional, national, and global communities
Learning Activity: Objective (d) includes the ability to recognize and understand differing points of
view, which is in turn conducive to the development of social responsibility. Students will achieve
objective (d) through close reading of philosophical texts and active participation in classroom
discussion. Students will also write a 6 page take-home midterm examination.
Assessment of SocialResponsibility (see attached Final Examination Rubric): Each student will take
a 6 page take-home final examination in which s/he
 recognizes, understands, and clearly explain differing perspectives and/or possible
objections to his/her own position.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: Provide any additional information supporting course
inclusion in the core (optional).
PLEASE ATTACH THE FOLLOWING
1. Syllabus
2. Assessment for Critical Thinking Skills
3. Assessment for Communication Skills
4. Assessment for Social Responsibility
5. Assessment for Personal Responsibility