The college currently admits Jesuit students, students studying for ordination as archdiocesan clergy, and students of other Catholic religious orders, congregations and institutes. It is also open to admitting laypersons with an interest in philosophical preparation for ministry. In 1934, the college was approved by the Sacred Congregation for Catholic Education as a reserved ecclesiastical faculty for philosophy. In the fall of 1975, the purpose of the College of Philosophy and Letters was expanded to include all pre-ministerial programs at Saint Louis University. For students who already have a degree, this certificate program satisfies the philosophical requirements for ordination in the Catholic priesthood.

The concentration options in this program leave considerable room for electives. Core, major and concentration requirements may simultaneously satisfy requirements for a second major, minor or certificate in other schools and colleges, provided content is appropriate. Saint Louis University’s Bachelor of Arts in Philosophy for Ministry allows you to combine a major in philosophy with a general-education concentration that either focuses more intensely on the humanities or allows study of a second language.

In addition, students may engage in the many service opportunities offered through Saint Louis University, which is a national leader in student service. Admission requirements for each candidate’s religious order or diocese in the area of academic achievement, personal character and spiritual ideals must be met. For priority consideration for departmental graduate scholarships, students should complete their applications by the program admission deadlines listed. SLU-Madrid’s professors have strong records of scholarly achievement in many areas of philosophy, including ethics and social and political philosophy. For priority consideration for a graduate assistantship, apply by the program admission deadlines listed.

For those with a general interest in philosophy, contact the Department of Philosophy in SLU’s College of Arts and Sciences. Students entering the Ph.D. program with an MA degree may transfer up to nine hours from their MA program with consent of the Chair. The dean of the College of Philosophy and Letters acts as a liaison between theINTO program and foreign Jesuits who seek to acquire basic English-language skills at SLU. This partnership began in 2015 with a Jesuit from the Dominican Republic and was initiated with the help of the dean of the Instituto Bonó, which administers the Jesuit First Studies program in Santo Domingo. ‡The Social Analysis/Special Ethics requirements may be satisfied by courses in other disciplines, provided their content is appropriate; these courses may also simultaneously satisfy other core requirements or concentration requirements. ‡Undergraduate pre-requisite, which Jesuits satisfy by a one-hour seminar; may also be satisfied by a reading course arranged with an instructor approved by the dean, or by the dean’s approval of a Capstone Idea proposal.

In philosophy through the College of Philosophy and Letters, taking courses both at the SLU campus and at Kenrick-Glennon Seminary. Seminary pre-theologians who enter the seminary in need of undergraduate philosophy and theology requirements enroll as non-degree-seeking students in SLU’s College of Philosophy and Letters. Other than the Introduction to Philosophy, all philosophy courses listed as prerequisites or as M.A. Philosophy electives are chosen to satisfy ordination requirements in the “Program of Priestly Formation ,” as interpreted by the Society of Jesus.

Western philosophy is based on the works of philosophers like Plato and Aristotle. Without knowing the Greek or Roman myths it is almost impossible to understand much of Western art. Learning Latin is essential for a deeper comprehension of all Romance languages, and even contributes to a better understanding of English. Philosophy electives may be also satisfied with appropriate PHIL or PHIL 4000-level philosophy courses.

For more than two centuries, Saint Louis University has promoted philosophical thinking in the Jesuit-Catholic tradition. SLU-Madrid offers a full range of courses in philosophy, including courses on Spanish philosophy, computer ethics, social and political philosophy, business ethics, the meaning of life, and Latin American philosophy. The department strives to provide an excellent introduction to the discipline and practice of philosophy. The faculty seeks to build up in students the ability to understand, explain and evaluate lines of reasoning; to foster a reflective moral life; and to educate them on the history of philosophy, contemporary philosophical debate and the Catholic heritage. The faculty nurture in each student a philosophical habit of mind, an appreciation for the Western philosophical tradition, a spirit of intellectual inquiry and a lifelong desire for wisdom.

Founded in 1889, Saint Louis University’s College of Philosophy and Letters oversees undergraduate and graduate programs that are oriented by the Jesuit commitment to intelligent service of faith and justice in dialogue with culture. The department benefits enormously from the generosity of University graduates, their parents, and other friends of Saint Louis University Philosophy. Gifts and donations to the department help make it possible for us us to sustain and develop faculty research programs, as well as graduate and undergraduate curricular and extracurricular offerings. Our faculty members explore the history of philosophy from antiquity to the present, as well as most areas of contemporary analytic and continental European philosophy. In recent years, we have gained national and international recognition in epistemology, medieval philosophy, philosophy of religion, action theory and social-political philosophy.

The study of philosophy will prepare you for any field where clear, concise communication and analytic reasoning is needed. Studies in philosophy help students prepare for entrance exams for professional programs and provide a firm foundation uh at manoa tuition for future studies in law, business or medicine. This program of study provides students with the philosophical, theological, language, and other general undergraduate requirements for advancing toward ordination, as approved by the U.S.