History, Philosophy, and Religion

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History

Livingstone, Proctor, Sasser, Walden

Department Mission Statement

Simpson College history majors will graduate with a critical understanding of the essential features of the western tradition, a discriminating knowledge of cultures different than their own, and the communication and thinking skills necessary for both a career and full participation as citizens.

Iowa History Center at Simpson College

Founded in 2006, the Iowa History Center is committed to preserving and promoting the state’s history and encouraging a public conversation about the story of Iowa.

Mission Statement

The mission of the Iowa History Center is to advance the understanding and appreciation of Iowa history among our state’s students, scholars, and the general public.

Programs

For Simpson College students we offer courses in Iowa history and internships at facilities such as the State Historical Museum, Terrace Hill, and the Ft. Des Moines Museum and Education Center.

For elementary school students, we fund Iowa history oriented field trips.

For graduate students and scholars we give an annual prize for the best master’s thesis in Iowa history and provide grants to support research in Iowa history.

And for the general public, we are recording and transcribing the stories of Iowans with our Iowa Oral History Project, hosting lectures and presentations in our Iowa History Speaker Series, and publishing works on Iowa history.

Contact Information

Daryl Sasser
Director, Iowa History Center
515 961-1226

Philosophy

Pauley

Department Mission Statement

Courses in philosophy may be taken by students who seek a deeper and more critical understanding of themselves, their values, and the philosophies competing for their allegiance. The aim is to develop a deepened awareness of the persistent and ultimate questions that people have asked themselves about their world, and to provide some significant answers that have been given to these questions. The department also seeks to help students understand the manner in which philosophy aids in the study of all other disciplines, and in the endeavor to formulate and resolve practical problems in contemporary society and culture. The final aim of the department is to teach and examine all the main questions of philosophy and their practical implications in relation to what it means to live a good and valuable human life.

Studying philosophy is greater beneficial to students pursuing a wide variety of careers, including: law, politics, business, journalism, and the humanities. Its focus on developing key skill sets in critical thinking, writing, and reading will allow students all various interests to graduate with abilities and knowledge employers are seeking. Moreover, philosophy has a strong record of preparing students who wish to pursue post-graduate studies. According to data collected by Law School Admissions Council, philosophy majors do better than any other major on the LSAT with the exception of physics/mathematics majors. According to the Guide to the Graduate Record Exam, Students declaring an intention to go to graduate school in philosophy have the highest mean scores on the Verbal section of theGRE (mean: 589) of any major. Similarly, according to the Graduate Management Admissions Council, philosophy prepares students for the GMAT better then a degree in business.

To address the diverse interests and needs of a large variety of students who study philosophy, the department offers a major, a minor in philosophy and a minor in ethics. Students cannot combine the philosophy with a minor in ethics.

Religion

Callan, Forman

Department Mission Statement

The Department of Religion at Simpson College facilitates disciplined intellectual inquiry into the religious dimensions of human experience. Through the academic study of religion, students are encouraged to reflect deeply upon and engage effectively with the world around them through rigorous investigation of questions of ultimate concern. In keeping with the college’s United Methodist heritage, students are empowered to explore issues of personal integrity, moral responsibility, social justice, and global citizenship by drawing on the diverse resources of Christianity in dialogue with other religious traditions.

A major in religion helps students develop as critical readers, writers, and thinkers, skills important to any of a number of careers. The major is, of course, excellent preparation for seminary or a variety of ministerial careers, including public service, missionary, and youth work. Religion majors also pursue careers in law, government, activism, journalism, public relations, sales, and academia.

Theological seminaries generally expect applicants to have a broad spectrum of general knowledge, which students may acquire through the Engaged Citizenship Curriculum, coupled with nearly any major, though we recommend at least a few basic courses in religion. We encourage students interested in ministry to use the many resources available to help them explore their career options, including the Religion department faculty, the Center for Vocation and Integrative Learning, and the Religious Life Community.

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