The best education contends with the most fundamental and persistent ideas and questions. History, political science, and philosophy help us to ask the 'Big Questions' while also sensitizing us to unique times and places. We search for truth and meaning to understand the world and our place in it.
History
The study of history has long been an essential part of a first-rate education. It does not merely impart a deep knowledge of facts, dates and actions, but it teaches one to read deeply, write persuasively and think well: skills that are highly valued in all walks of life. History has long been one of, if not the most, popular majors on any campus. Generations of students majored in history to pursue vocations in law, education, business or politics.
Political Science
Political science is at the heart of citizenship. It is the systematic study of political structures, values, and processes. In a world changing as fast as ours, leaders and citizens must know a wide array of forces and trends shaping our world. Political science students learn and practice how societies choose their priorities and achieve them. This diverse field includes American politics, international relations, political theory, public policy, and research methods.
Philosophy
The discipline of philosophy seeks intellectually satisfying answers to life's most basic and enduring questions--the so-called 'Big Questions' of human experience. What makes an action wrong as opposed to right? What makes life meaningful? Does God exist? What is the nature of reality, truth, beauty, goodness, and freedom?
Drawing on the work of many of the greatest thinkers throughout history, the philosophy major at Lipscomb University is designed to help students identify and evaluate the fundamental assumptions that shape the way we think about ourselves and the world around us.