SENIOR EDUCATIONAL EXPERIENCE

Department of Philosophy and Religion

UNIVERSITY OF TENNESSEE AT CHATTANOOGA

In order to complete the major in Philosophy and Religion, each student must complete a research paper, prepared under the supervision of a faculty member, on a topic mutually agreed upon by the student and the adviser. The paper will serve as the basis for a thirty-minute oral examination before a faculty committee. The grade for the entire project will be based on both the written and oral components.

Selecting a topic: The topic should be selected in consultation with one or more faculty members, and the choice should be made before the beginning of the semester in which the student registers for the senior project. Any member of the department will be happy to discuss possible topics with students and suggest an appropriate adviser. A useful strategy for selecting a topic is to develop further a project one has worked on in a previous course. Some students have found it helpful to register for a one-semester directed readings course in preparation for the senior project.

Registration: Students in the philosophy or the combined concentration should register for Philosophy 498r. Those in the religious studies concentration may register either for Philosophy 498r or Religion 498r. Registration should be for three hours credit.

Working with the adviser: Once the project has formally begun, the student is responsible for making regular appointments to consult with the adviser and submit drafts of the paper. These appointments should normally be scheduled weekly. The department will refuse to accept papers prepared without benefit of regular consultation with the adviser. No oral examination will be scheduled until the adviser has approved the final draft of the paper.

Size and format: The paper must be a minimum of twenty typed, double-spaced pages in length, not including footnotes and bibliography. The paper must follow a standard format for annotation, such as that of the American Psychological Association. A variation of this format can be found in the Journal of the American Academy of Religion.

Sources: When appropriate, the paper should refer to primary literature relevant to the selected topic. In all cases the paper must refer to contemporary scholarly discussions of the topic, including those to be found in periodical literature. Students are strongly encouraged to make use of such reference tools as The Philosopher’s Index and The Guide to Religious Periodical Literature.

Due date: In order for a student to receive a final grade in 498r in a given semester, the final draft of the paper must be approved by the adviser and be ready for distribution to the examining committee by the last day of classes for that semester.

Oral examination: Ordinarily three or four faculty will participate in the oral examination. They will be selected by the student in consultation with the adviser. The adviser is always one of the examiners. Faculty from other departments who have an interest in the project may be selected. As an alternative to the oral examination, a student may choose to read and defend a portion of the paper before the Southeastern Undergraduate Philosophy Conference or a similar forum. The paper in its entirety must subsequently be submitted to and approved by the student’s adviser.

Departmental Honors: Students may also fulfill the Senior Educational Experience requirement by completing a Departmental Honors project, registered as Philosophy 495r for two semesters. Guidelines for the project are set by the University Departmental Honors Committee. Applications for admission to Departmental Honors are due to the Committee on March 1 for projects beginning the following Fall semester and November 1 for projects beginning the following Spring or Summer semesters.

Rev. 9/93