Department of
English/Communication/Philosophy
Undergraduate and Graduate Programs

Program Descriptions

Overview

Literary Studies

Communication

Writing

Philosophy

MFA in Creative Writing

MA Program in Corporate and Organizational Communication

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Department-based Publications

Fairleigh Dickinson University Press

The Literary Review: An International Journal of Contemporary Writing

New Jersey Journal of Communication

Student Creative Writing Site on Web Del Sol

Philosophy

As the traditional liberal arts discipline that emphasizes questioning, reasoning, and inquiring into all human values, Philosophy provides a rich undergraduate major that can lead students to a variety of career choices. Because students of philosophy develop high degrees of critical thinking skills, they may pursue careers in law, business, and other fields as well as in the traditional career paths for philosophy students in teaching and research. Combining the philosophy major with a secondary area of concentration in another liberal arts area or business management can prepare students for graduate work in a variety of fields. Philosophy is also a challenging secondary area of concentration for students majoring in other fields.


Plato

Aristotle

Spinoza

Hegel


Typical Program of Study

Required courses include Introduction to Philosophy and Logic, a philosophy seminar, and 21 credits of additional electives in the history of philosophy and special topics like professional ethics, varieties of religion, and social and political philosophy.

Students may fulfill major requirements in Philosophy at FDU's Wroxton campus in England.

Students in other departments may complete a secondary area of concentration in Philosophy.

Representative Courses

  • Introduction to Philosophy
  • Introduction to Logic
  • Practical Logic
  • Business Ethics
  • Varieties of Religion
  • Ancient and Medieval Philosophy
  • Modern Philosophy
  • Social and Political Philosophy

Department Faculty


Geoffrey Weinman, Ph.D., The Johns Hopkins University, Department Chair: American literature, organizational communication

John E. Becker, Ph.D. Yale University: American literature, literary theory, Bible as literature

Hester Coan, Ph.D., Rutgers University: communication research, communication theory

Walter Cummins, Ph.D., University of Iowa: 19th-20th century fiction studies, literary theory, fiction writing, corporate writing

Kathryn Douglas, M.A., William Paterson University: writing, Milton

Susan Gerson, M.A., Teacher's College, Columbia University: composition

Michael B. Goodman, Ph.D., SUNY at Stony Brook: corporate communications, technical communication, contemporary American Literature, censorship

Martin Green, Ph. D., Indiana University: medieval literature, literary theory, linguistics, mass media, print media history, new communications technology

Harry Keyishian, Ph.D., New York University: Shakespeare, drama and film

James Kuehl, Ph.D., Northwestern University: Philosophy

Jennifer Lehr, Ph.D., Rutgers University: corporate communication; communication research; oral presentation

Odysseus Makridis, Ph.D., Brandeis University: Philosophy

Sylvia Skaggs McTague, Ph.D., Drew University: Romantic and Victorian literature, the short story, composition

Gary Radford, Ph.D., Rutgers University: communication, literary theory

Marilyn Rye, Ph.D., Rutgers University, Director of Freshman Writing. writing, native American writers, detective fiction

Elise Salem, Ph.D., University of North Carolina: 16th-18th century British literature, world literature, contemporary Arab writers, ethnic American literature, cultural studies, mass media

Rene Steinke, Ph.D., University of Wisconsin at Milwaukee: creative writing, contemporary literature

William Zander, M.A., University of Missouri: creative writing (poetry), journalism