Courses Offered in the Fall Semester

Scroll down to view information about all courses offered in the Department of Philosophy and Religious Studies during the Fall 2020 semester. 

The CHBS Advising Center is available to help with questions about courses and degree requirements outside the department.

View the complete Class Schedule for Radford University.

Fall 2021 Elective Courses

[Philosophy course schedule]  [Religious Studies course schedule]

PHIL 215.01 Healthcare Ethics

  • CRN: 11380
  • Schedule: M, 2:00–2:50 PM / W,F Online asynchronous
  • Instructor: Mr. Darrell Shomaker
  • Catalog Course Description: Focuses on the field of bioethics, including the study of theoretical approaches in bioethics, principles and historical precedents in bioethics, legal aspects, and methods applicable to practical ethical decision making regarding bioethical issues, dilemmas, and problems. Examination of ethical and legal issues in landmark and contemporary cases build a foundation for clinical application.

PHIL 215.02 Healthcare Ethics

  • CRN: 11381
  • Schedule: Online asynchronous
  • Instrucotr: Mr. Darrell Shomaker

PHIL 217.01: Modern Philosophy: Renaissance to the Present

  • CRN: 13307
  • Schedule: MW,  1:00–1:50 PM / F, Online asynchronous
  • Instructor: Dr. Steven Fesmire
  • Catalog Course Description: History of philosophy courses offer foundational literacy in the history of ideas and in key figures and cultural events shaping philosophical thought. Students will study primary texts of major philosophers from Kant to Nietzsche, with some secondary texts also included. Emphasis is placed upon the complex relations of philosophy to the development of modern science, the social and political history of the West, and man’s continuing attempt to achieve a satisfactory worldview.

PHIL 218.01: Film and Philosophy

  • CRN: 11384
  • Schedule: T, 5:00–7:30 PM In-person
  • Instructor: Dr. Guy Axtell
  • Course Description: Combines the study of classic and timely films with selections by philosophers and others which illuminate the director’s themes and issues. These pairings work together both to engage philosophical thought through popular culture, to exhibit the relevance and timeliness of philosophy, and to illuminate the study of intellectually rich films and of culturally diverse film-makers.

PHIL 320.01: Philosophy of Mind and Metaphysics

  • CRN: 11385
  • Schedule: T, 2:00–3:15 PM / R, Online asynchronous
  • Instructor: Dr. Guy Axtell
  • Catalog Course Description: Examines basic theories of reality such as materialism, idealism, and dualism. Among the philosophical issues addressed are the following: the nature of mind, the mind-body problem, free will and determinism, the nature of space and time, and proofs concerning the existence of God.
  • Prerequisite: Three hours of philosophy

PHIL 390.01: Ethical theory

  • CRN: 11386
  • Schedule: MW, 9:00–9:50 AM / F, Online asynchronous
  • Instructor: Dr. Steven Fesmire
  • Catalog Course Description: An in-depth examination of perennial problems and issues in ethical theory. Texts of major philosophers such as Plato, Aristotle, Aquinas, Hume and Kant are used to focus discussion of topics such as the nature of justice, happiness and the good life, duty and moral obligation, and moral virtue.
  • Prerequisite: Three hours of philosophy or religious studies

RELN 209.01: Christianity in Global and Historical Contexts

  • CRN:  13309
  • Schedule: MW, 3:00–3:50 PM / F Online asynchronous
  • Instructor: Dr. Geoffrey Pollick
  • Catalog Course Description: A survey of Christianity from its ancient origins to its modern expressions. Adopting a comparative perspective, the course emphasizes Christianity’s diverse religious systems in encounter with social, cultural, political, and economic contexts around the globe.

RELN 212.01: Historical Perspectives on Healthcare and Religion

  • CRN: 11440
  • Schedule: Online asynchronous
  • Instructor: Dr. Paul Thomas
  • Catalog Course Description: Intimately intertwined for much of human history, this course surveys the intersections of world religions and healthcare from ancient periods through the early modern period. This course examines religious perspectives on health and healing in a number of historical religious traditions, including, but not limited to, the religions of the ancient Near East, early Hinduism and Buddhism, to ancient Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. Additionally, this course examines how these historical approaches to healthcare and medicine continue to impact healthcare practice today.

RELN 350.01: Religion in India

  • CRN: 11441
  • Schedule: TR, 2:00–3:15 PM In-person
  • Instructor: Dr. Kay K. Jordan
  • Catalog Course Description: Provides students with an opportunity for advanced study in the historical development of religious thought and practice in India. It includes the study of Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism, Islam, and Sikhism as well as minority religions such as Judaism, Christianity, and the faith of the Parsis.

RELN 420.01: The Social Construction of Evil (Topics in Religious Studies)

  • CRN: 11442
  • Schedule: TR, 12:30–1:45 PM In-person
  • Instructor: Dr. Paul Thomas
  • Description: This advanced course is an examination of evil as a social construct that emerges from psychological and social needs that has social utility for those who employ its categories. Adopting psychoanalytic and social-psychological approaches to the topic of evil, students will examine several notable examples of widespread imputations of evil. These include Roman accusations against Christians, the Jewish blood libel, the witch hunts, the 1980s satanic panic, and the QAnon conspiracy theory. Through each of these examples students will learn about the historical (social, political, and eco-nomic) and psychological circumstances that gave rise to these conspiracies of evil.
  • Prerequisite: Three hours of religious studies

Philosophy Course Schedule for Fall 2021

[Elective courses] [Religious Studies course schedule]

Meeting Formats:

  • In Person = Traditional, face-to-face meetings in-person
  • Blended = Some meetings in-person, some meetings online
  • Online, Synchronous = Online-only, meetings at regular, scheduled times
  • Online, Asynchronous = Online- only meetings, mostly self-paced instruction
Course Section Title  CRN Instructor Modality Day Time
PHIL 111 01 Intro to Philosophy 11341 Axtell Blended T (in-person)
R (online, asynchronous)		 9:30–10:45 AM
PHIL 111 02 Intro to Philosophy 11343 Axtell Blended T (in-person)
R (online, asynchronous)		 11:00 AM–12:15 PM
PHIL 112 01 Intro: Ethics & Scoiety 11344 Shepard Blended MWF 8:00–8:50 AM
PHIL 112 03 Intro: Ethics & Scoiety 11345 Shomaker (RUC) Blended T (in-person)
R (online, asynchronous)		 12:30–1:45 PM
PHIL 112 04 Intro: Ethics & Scoiety 11375 Shepard Blended T (in-person)
R (online, asynchronous)		 2:00–3:15 PM
PHIL 112 05 Intro: Ethics & Scoiety 11376 Shepard Blended T (in-person)
R (online, asynchronous)		 3:30–4:45 PM
PHIL 112 07 Intro: Ethics & Scoiety 13305 Fesmire Blended MW (in-person) F (online, asynchronous) 10:00–10:50 AM
PHIL 112 08 Intro: Ethics & Scoiety 11378 Fesmire Blended MW (in-person) F (online, asynchronous) 11:00–11:50 AM
PHIL 112 09 Intro: Ethics & Scoiety 11379 Shomaker (RUC) Online Asynchronous  
PHIL 215 01 Healthcare Ethics 11380 Shomaker Blended M (in-person) WF (online, asynchronous) 2:00–2:50 PM
PHIL 215 02 Healthcare Ethics 11381 Shomaker (RUC) Online Asynchronous  
PHIL 217 01 Modern Philosophy: Renaissance to the Present 13307 Fesmire Blended MW (in-person) F (online, asynchronous) 1:00–1:50 PM
PHIL 218 01 Film and Philosophy 11384 Axtell In-Person T 5:00–7:30 PM
PHIL 290 01  Wicked Problems (Honors) 12640 Keith In-Person TR 11:00 AM–12:15 PM
PHIL 320 01 Philosophy of Mind and Metaphysics 11385 Axtell Blended T (in-person)
R (online, asynchronous)		 2:00–3:15 PM
PHIL 390 01 Ethical Theory 11386 Fesmire Blended MW (in-person) F (online, asynchronous) 9:00–9:50 AM

Religious Studies Course Schedule for Fall 2021

[Elective courses] [Philosophy course schedule]

Meeting Formats:

  • In Person = Traditional, face-to-face meetings in-person 
  • Blended = Some meetings in-person, some meetings online
  • Online, Synchronous = Online-only, meetings at regular, scheduled times
  • Online, Asynchronous = Online- only meetings, mostly self-paced instruction
Course Section Title CRN Instructor Modality Day Time
RELN 112 01 World Religions: Healthcare 11427 Pollick Online Asynchronous  
RELN 112 02 Survey of World Religions 11429 Jordan In-Person TR 11:00 AM–12:15 PM
RELN 112 03 Survey of World Religions 11430 Jordan Online Asynchronous  
RELN 112 04 Survey of World Religions 11431 Jordan Online Asynchronous  
RELN 112 05 Survey of World Religions 11432 Rothgery In-Person MWF 4:00–4:50 PM
RELN 112 06 Survey of World Religions 11433 Rothgery In-Person MW 5:00–6:15 PM
RELN 112 07 Survey of World Religions 11436 Pollick Blended MW (in-person) F (online, asynchronous) 11:00–11:50 AM
RELN 112 08 Survey of World Religions 11437 Pollick Blended MW (in-person) F (online, asynchronous) 10:00–10:50 AM
RELN 209 01 Christianity in Historical and Global Contexts 13309 Pollick Blended MW (in-person) F (online, asynchronous) 3:00–3:50 PM
RELN 212 01 Historical Perspectives on Religion and Healthcare 11440 Thomas Online Asynchronous  
RELN 350 01 Religion in India 11441 Jordan In-Person TR 2:00–3:15 PM
RELN 420 01 The Social Construction of Evil (Topics in Religious Studies) 11442 Thomas In-Person TR 12:30–1:45 PM