The
Department of Philosophy and Religious Studies, in
collaboration with the Department of Psychology and the
Counseling Department, has developed two new Pre-Counseling
tracks for all students interested in studying the role
that religious belief, cultural and theoretical ideas play
in one’s own behavior and the ability to understand and
guide others. Students interested in studying or entering
graduate programs in Counseling and other service-based
fields have the opportunity to pursue important questions
and to develop a deeper understanding of many theoretical
and practical issues within their profession. Although some
colleges and universities nearby offer graduate programs in
Counseling that are similar to the degree offered at
Youngstown State University, there no comparable programs
for undergraduates. These two tracks provide undergraduates
with a unique background to prepare them for graduate
studies in Counseling. These two tracks are the first of
their kind and establish Youngstown State University as a
regional leader in this area.
The Philosophy Pre-Counseling Track
Many of the issues with which individuals struggle are
addressed in philosophy. Philosophers ask important
questions about the meaning of life, conceptions of
happiness, the nature of justice, what makes a person good,
and how one knows which actions are right. Understanding
why these questions matter and how they have been answered
historically, as well as being able to critically evaluate
the historical answers, helps those in service-based fields
to understand the importance of such questions in the lives
of their patients and clients. The Pre-Counseling Track
within the philosophy major offers several new courses
highlighting philosophical approaches to common issues: 1)
evaluating and making choices in one’s life, 2) analyzing
and developing character and virtuous behaviors, and 3)
exploring the nature of rights, obligations, and
interactions within the family. There are 30 required
semester hours of credit in philosophy, and students must
also take General Education courses COUNS 1587 and PSYCH
1560, and PSYCH 3702; 3775; 5807 and COUNS 2650 as
University Electives.
The Religious Studies Pre-Counseling Track
Religious
belief and spirituality are important components of life
for many individuals, and structure many human interactions
and rituals. Students often want to study how religion
structures the behavior of individuals through doctrine,
prayer, spiritual practice, and rituals surrounding major
life transitions such as birth, marriage, and death.
Students are also interested in how religious belief
influences other beliefs about social structures, attitudes
toward sexuality and gender, stance on the permissibility
of war, etc. Studying the role of religious belief in human
behaviors, interactions, and rituals helps those in
service-based fields to understand the importance of such
beliefs in the lives of their patients and clients. There
are 30 required semester hours of credit in religious
studies. In addition to the core courses required for the
regular religious studies major, undergraduates must take
the religious studies courses RELIG 2601, 2608, 4850, 4871
and choose from several cluster course options for
electives. Students must also take the General Education
courses COUNS 1587 and PSYCH 1560, and PSYCH 3702; 3775;
5807 and COUNS 2650 as University Electives.
The “Grand Opening” for the two new tracks is in Spring
2009. Students may declare either track and enroll in any
of the courses. In addition, a new course in the both the
philosophy and religious studies tracks called
The
Examined Life will be offered
for the first time in Spring 2009. This is an exciting new
educational opportunity that is unique within the region,
and classes will fill up quickly. Plan to register early
and please contact the Department of Philosophy and
Religious Studies if you have any questions regarding these
tracks or the new courses.
For more information please contact Dr. Deborah Mower.
