The Department of Philosophy and Religion offers programs of study leading to the bachelor of arts degree with a major in philosophy, a major in religion, a minor in philosophy, or a minor in religion.

The term "philosophy" means the love of wisdom, and it is to this tradition that the Department of Philosophy and Religion is dedicated. In general, the department offers programs of study that are designed to help students gain a better understanding of themselves, their world, their own beliefs, and those of others. Probably as well as any other discipline, an education in philosophy prepares one for the self-reflection, critical thought, and reasoned assuredness necessary to the development of a mature and personally satisfying outlook on life. Thus, it might be said that while one or another disciple may prepare an individual for a specific profession, an education in philosophy prepares one for life in general. In itself, at the undergraduate level, philosophy is not a professional program, yet it is one of the best preprofessional (law, medicine, ministry, etc.) programs available. Thus, majors may elect classes in the philosophy of law, philosophy of science, ethics, political philosophy, or religious studies, depending upon their interest and/or professional choice, or may elect a major in philosophy in combination with another discipline to give greater depth to their professional training. The department has designed a core program to ensure a solid background in western philosophy while at the same time allowing considerable flexibility so that each student's program may be designed in accordance with his own special interests and professional choice. Thus, most of the majors in philosophy are either preprofessional students or are taking philosophy as a double major or minor in an allied professional discipline.

The purpose of the bachelor of arts in religion program is to teach students the art of critical thinking, to challenge them to think creatively, and to lead them to make a deliberate and rational attempt to understand both the whole and the parts of their experience for the purpose of obtaining wisdom for effective living. The program encourages students to discover and examine the basic religious ideas of diverse cultures in order to gain illumination of personal and social values. Like philosophy, an education in religion prepares one for life in general. The program in religion provides training in the critical analytic skills, reading abilities, and writing skills demanded by a religion major. It prepares students to enter academic graduate programs in religious studies, philosophy, law, medicine, and cognate fields or to go on to seminary school and study for a ministry degree.