Philosophy and Society
Jesuits beginning First Studies undertake a three-year interdisciplinary course of graduate study that will prepare them to evaluate and engage the complex contexts of ministry as members of the global Society of Jesus. They will acquire the competencies necessary to communicate the Gospel to the contemporary world while appropriating the meaning and implications of the Jesuit charism for their life and mission. Distinctive features of the program include:
- a commitment to interdisciplinarity that integrates the study of philosophy and theology with the arts, humanities, social and natural sciences;
- a praxis-based pedagogy in which intellectual inquiry and moral reflection are rooted in direct contact with the poor and marginalized so as to foster a well-educated solidarity;
- an intercultural exchange experience with ITESO, the Jesuit university in Guadalajara, Mexico, that will form Jesuits for global mission;
- a commitment to deepening individual and communal spirituality, not only exercising the habits of genuine spiritual conversation but also cultivating the skills necessary for communal discernment.
The program incorporates a robust advising model in which students collaborate with advisers to discern an appropriate pathway through the First Studies experience taking into account their emerging intellectual and apostolic interests as well as the pressing needs of the world and the church to which the Society of Jesus is committed to respond.
The below courses are offered through the Philosophy and Society program.
MAPS 0900. Spanish Language Proficiency. (0 Credits)
Following the completion of their Spanish language training, students in the M.A. in Philosophy and Society program register for—and are graded in—this 0-credit, pass/fail course, which signifies their completion of the program's language requirement.
MAPS 0941. Language Proficiency. (0 Credits)
Successful completion of this course signifies that a student in the M.A. in Philosophy and Society program has attained proficiency in a second language relevant to their ministry.
MAPS 5000. Universidad Jesuita de Guadalajara Study Abroad. (0 to 9 Credits)
This is an administrative registration for M.A. in Philosophy and Society students participating in the ITESO, Universidad Jesuita de Guadalajara study abroad program.
MAPS 5001. M.A. in Philosophy and Society Study Abroad. (0 to 9 Credits)
This is an administrative registration for M.A. in Philosophy and Society students participating in study abroad programs other than the ITESO program.
MAPS 5100. Introduction to Contextual Learning and the Bronx. (3 Credits)
Taken during the first semester of the M.A. in Philosophy and Society (MAPS), this course serves as an overture to the interdisciplinary learning that will take place throughout the program. Drawing from students’ prior experience with praxis communities and the contemporary social issues raised within them, it introduces students to the history, culture, and economy of the Bronx, the borough in which students spend their years at Fordham.
MAPS 5201. Ignatian Reflection on Contextual Ministry I. (1 Credit)
The overwhelming majority of M.A. in Philosophy and Society (MAPS) students will spend their lives in ministry. It is crucial, therefore, that they acquire skills to be effective, collaborative, integrated members of ministry teams; leading and following, learning to contribute deeply to the shared work. During the entirety of three-year MAPS program, students will be engaged in a community-based project, selected in consultation with program leadership and in partnership with both members of the local community and fellow students. Based in the tradition of Ignatian communal discernment and spiritual conversation, this course provides a valuable opportunity for the students to learn to reflect deeply on their shared ministry, focusing on building skills to read the local context and to plan, execute, and evaluate ministry initiatives. This weekly course will provide another space for ongoing integration of theory and praxis in light of faith that is a hallmark of the First Studies Program.
MAPS 5202. Ignatian Reflection on Contextual Ministry II. (1 Credit)
The overwhelming majority of M.A. in Philosophy and Society (MAPS) students will spend their lives in ministry. It is crucial, therefore, that they acquire skills to be effective, collaborative, integrated members of ministry teams; leading and following, learning to contribute deeply to the shared work. During the entirety of three-year MAPS program, students will be engaged in a community-based project, selected in consultation with program leadership and in partnership with both members of the local community and fellow students. Based in the tradition of Ignatian communal discernment and spiritual conversation, this course provides a valuable opportunity for the students to learn to reflect deeply on their shared ministry, focusing on building skills to read the local context and to plan, execute, and evaluate ministry initiatives. This weekly course will provide another space for ongoing integration of theory and praxis in light of faith that is a hallmark of the First Studies Program.
MAPS 5203. Ignatian Reflection on Contextual Ministry III. (1 Credit)
The overwhelming majority of M.A. in Philosophy and Society (MAPS) students will spend their lives in ministry. It is crucial, therefore, that they acquire skills to be effective, collaborative, integrated members of ministry teams; leading and following, learning to contribute deeply to the shared work. During the entirety of three-year MAPS program, students will be engaged in a community-based project, selected in consultation with program leadership and in partnership with both members of the local community and fellow students. Based in the tradition of Ignatian communal discernment and spiritual conversation, this course provides a valuable opportunity for the students to learn to reflect deeply on their shared ministry, focusing on building skills to read the local context and to plan, execute, and evaluate ministry initiatives. This weekly course will provide another space for ongoing integration of theory and praxis in light of faith that is a hallmark of the First Studies Program.
MAPS 5301. History and Culture of the Jesuits I. (1 Credit)
Since its foundation in 1540, the Society of Jesus has made important theological, philosophical, educational, and cultural contributions to Catholic and secular culture. This course will be delivered in three discrete, yet interconnected, one-credit modules whose specific topics will always be directly related to the primary aims of First Studies—the evaluation of the contexts of ministry and the appropriation of the Jesuit charism in service of the world and the church.
MAPS 5302. History and Culture of the Jesuits II. (1 Credit)
Since its foundation in 1540, the Society of Jesus has made important theological, philosophical, educational, and cultural contributions to Catholic and secular culture. This course will be delivered in three discrete, yet interconnected, one-credit modules whose specific topics will always be directly related to the primary aims of First Studies—the evaluation of the contexts of ministry and the appropriation of the Jesuit charism in service of the world and the church.
MAPS 5303. History and Culture of the Jesuits III. (1 Credit)
Since its foundation in 1540, the Society of Jesus has made important theological, philosophical, educational, and cultural contributions to Catholic and secular culture. This course will be delivered in three discrete, yet interconnected, one-credit modules whose specific topics will always be directly related to the primary aims of First Studies—the evaluation of the contexts of ministry and the appropriation of the Jesuit charism in service of the world and the church.
MAPS 5401. Contours of the Ancient and Late Antique World. (1 Credit)
The M.A. in Philosophy and Society includes three one-credit “contours” courses that are paired with corresponding core courses in the history of philosophy. Each of these courses aims to provide students with the opportunity to explore more deeply the cultural climate within which philosophical inquiry takes place. Through readings, museum visits, and performance attendance, students will experience and reflect on the pivotal role played by the arts and humanities in reflecting and constructing human cultures. This first movement will be taken alongside ancient philosophy and will focus on the shape of the ancient and late antique world.
MAPS 5402. Contours of the Late Medieval and Early Modern World. (1 Credit)
The M.A. in Philosophy and Society includes three one-credit “contours” courses that are paired with corresponding core courses in the history of philosophy. Each of these courses aims to provide students with the opportunity to explore more deeply the cultural climate within which philosophical inquiry takes place. Through readings, museum visits, and performance attendance, students will experience and reflect on the pivotal role played by the arts and humanities in reflecting and constructing human cultures. This second movement will be taken alongside the philosophy course in Aquinas and will focus on the shape of the later medieval and early modern world.
MAPS 5403. Contours of Modernity and Postmodernity. (1 Credit)
The M.A. in Philosophy and Society includes three one-credit “contours” courses that are paired with corresponding core courses in the history of philosophy. Each of these courses aims to provide students with the opportunity to explore more deeply the cultural climate within which philosophical inquiry takes place. Through readings, museum visits, and performance attendance, students will experience and reflect on the pivotal role played by the arts and humanities in reflecting and constructing human cultures. This third movement will be taken alongside the contemporary philosophy course and will focus on the shape of the modern and postmodern worlds.
MAPS 5500. Introduction to Philosophical Inquiry. (3 Credits)
The course provides an introduction to philosophy as a discipline and to philosophical ways of thinking in order to prepare for the study of philosophy and of broader intellectual history, especially in regard to the formation of the Christian tradition and the context of the contemporary world. That is to say: (1) It develops philosophical skills, such as critical thinking, reasoned argument, and philosophical writing. (2) It exposes students to the most significant philosophical topics and ideas and gives them a sense of the historical progression of the broader philosophical conversation. (3) It focuses especially on the topics and ideas most significant for the development of the Catholic tradition and helps students discover the important role philosophy played in this formation. (4) The course will also show the continued relevance of philosophy today for understanding the contemporary world and its various intellectual challenges.
MAPS 6000. Concluding Integration Capstone Seminar. (3 Credits)
The M.A. in Philosophy and Society concludes with a final Integration Seminar that provides students in the program with the opportunity to synthesize the interdisciplinary learning that has taken place over the previous three years. Facilitated by select faculty from representative disciplines as well as a member of the learning community’s leadership team, the course will assist students in producing the final capstone project that demonstrates their acquired competencies.
MAPS 8999. Independent Study. (1 to 3 Credits)
Independent study for M.A. in Philosophy and Society students with a faculty member on an agreed-upon topic.