2014-2015 Undergraduate Catalog [ARCHIVED CATALOG]
Department of History, Philosophy, and Social Sciences
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Faculty: D. Beer, J. Case, S. Floyd, M. Gold (Chair), G. Miller, A. Plug, S. Waalkes,
J. Welling
The Department of History, Philosophy, and Social Sciences uses the tools of history, philosophy, political science, and sociology from a Christian perspective to understand more fully the nature of human existence and the development and structure of human societies. Departmental teaching equips students with the skills and insight necessary to engage the world in an informed and responsible manner. Departmental research investigates questions facing human societies in order to promote a deeper understanding of the nature of human interaction, reality, and truth. In all these activities, the department seeks to integrate Christian faith with learning in such a way that faith may shed light on the academic disciplines of the department and that, conversely, these disciplines may inform and deepen the Christian faith of the community.
Through a study of forces such as culture, religion, politics, gender, class, and race, the department helps students become virtuous citizens and responsible shapers of Church and culture. In doing so, we provide an occasion for students to ask penetrating questions, scrutinize deeply held commitments, cultivate a love for truth and a more mature faith. Together these tasks enable us to develop and sustain a Christian view of the world of human life. Additionally, they enable us to promote in unique ways Malone University’s central aim, namely, to seek “Christ’s Kingdom First.”
The department offers four majors: History , Integrated Social Studies (a teaching major), Philosophy , and Political Science . The department also offers minors in History , Philosophy , Political Science , and Sociology .
History
Mission Statement
The history program trains students to identify, describe, and analyze forces that have shaped societies over time, in order to serve the church, community and world.
Program Goals and Outcomes
Goal: By carefully considering the development and interplay of factors such as culture, politics, religion, gender, race and economics, students should learn to understand the contextual basis for major issues facing different societies.
Outcome: Students will:
- demonstrate an ability to contextualize and effectively analyze the role that two of six factors (culture, politics, religion, race and economics) played in specific historical societies.
Goal: By examining primary sources and various historical narratives, students should learn to sort through competing interpretations of the past in order to arrive at an informed and well-reasoned understanding of historical developments.
Outcome: Students will:
- demonstrate an ability to explain how historians’ use of source material and intellectual assumptions produce particular historical narratives.
Goal: Students should be able to construct a chronological framework of western and non-western history.
Outcome: Students will:
- construct an accurate periodization of either American or World History and analyze the implications of their categorization.
Integrated Social Studies
Mission Statement
The Integrated Social Studies major prepares students to obtain state licensure allowing them to teach social studies courses in grades 7-12, to demonstrate knowledge in history and social sciences content fields, to plan instruction, to practice teaching, and to affect their students’ learning-in order to enable them to serve the church, community, and the world as effective teachers.
Program Goals and Outcomes
Goal: Prepare students to demonstrate knowledge in history and social sciences content fields.
Outcome: Students will:
- pass the required content area courses.
- complete an additional assessment based on National Council of Social Studies standards.
Goal: Prepare students to demonstrate an ability to plan instruction.
Outcome: Students will:
- complete the Teacher Education Proficiencies Portfolio.
Goal: Prepare students for successful student teaching.
Outcome: Students will:
- complete the Formative Evaluation for Student Teachers.
Goal: Prepare students to demonstrate how their instruction affects student learning.
Outcome: Students will:
- complete the Evaluation of Candidate Work Sample.
- complete the Social Studies Unit Assignment.
Goal: Prepare students to master social studies content areas required for state licensure to teach social studies in grades 7-12.
Outcome: Students will:
- pass the social studies content knowledge portion of the Ohio Assessments for Educators exam.
Philosophy
Mission Statement
The philosophy program aims to help students think critically and write clearly about life’s most enduring questions, many of which concern God, morality, knowledge, and human nature. The program’s courses also aim to provide students with a broad understanding of philosophy’s history that is nested in, but not exclusive to, the Western philosophical tradition. The philosophy program aims to encourage a love for truth, help students to clarify and rigorously examine their cherished beliefs, and promote a distinctively Christian understanding of the world and human life.
Program Goals and Outcomes
Goal: Provide students with a sound understanding of the Western philosophical tradition.
Outcome: Students will:
- demonstrate a sound understanding of key figures and texts in the Western philosophical tradition.
Goal: Equip students with the ability to use logic and critical thinking when assessing a range of philosophical topics.
Outcomes: Students will:
- demonstrate an ability to critically evaluate arguments using both informal and formal logic.
- demonstrate a sound grasp of a philosophical topic and an ability to assess various positions regarding that topic.
Goal: Help students reflect on how Christian faith and philosophical reflection are compatible sources of knowledge and wisdom.
Outcome: Students will:
- demonstrate an ability to think and reflect carefully on the relationship between faith and reason.
Political Science
Mission Statement
The mission of the political science program is to provide students with an education based on the four sub-fields of the discipline (Political Theory, American Politics, Comparative Politics, and International Relations), to develop students’ research and writing skills, and to provide students with the tools to analyze politics and government from a biblical and theological perspective, so that they can develop in intellectual maturity, wisdom, and Christian faith; and so that they can serve the church, community, and world.
Program Goals and Outcomes
Goal: Provide an education based on the four sub-fields of the discipline (Political Theory, American Politics, Comparative Politics, and International Relations).
Outcome: Students will:
- demonstrate knowledge of each of the four sub-fields of political science.
Goal: Develop students’ research and writing skills.
Outcome: Students will:
- demonstrate aptitude in research methods and writing proficiency.
Goal: Provide students with the tools to analyze politics and government from a biblical and theological perspective.
Outcome: Students will:
- demonstrate the capacity to analyze politics and government from a biblical and theological perspective.
Special Program
Bliss Institute Internship
The Bliss Institute Internship offered by the Department of History, Philosophy, and Social Sciences in partnership with the University of Akron’s Ray C. Bliss Institute of Applied Politics, is designed to enhance and further educational opportunities available to eligible students. Such internships afford Malone students the opportunity to experience practical politics first hand. The objective of this program is to provide a flexible and responsive learning environment where students are able to interact with political career professionals and apply classroom theory and technique to actual workplace settings. ProgramsUndergraduate MajorUndergraduate MinorPre-ProfessionalCoursesHistory
Courses that qualify as upper-level western history courses are designated with (w) and upper-level non-western courses with (nw). PhilosophyPolitical ScienceSocial ScienceSociology
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