Graduate Certificate in Catholic Philosophy

Graduate Certificate in Catholic Philosophy (GCCP)

“… [P]hilosophy shows in different modes and forms that the desire for truth is part of human nature itself. It is an innate property of human reason to ask why things are as they are.” - Pope St. John Paul II, Fides et Ratio, 3, 5

The Graduate Certificate in Catholic Philosophy (GCCP) provides a dynamic, introductory study of philosophy as realized within the Catholic intellectual tradition. The GCCP fosters the pursuit of philosophy, mindful of the essential value that reason and contemplation have for the sake of the goods for which the ministries of the Roman Catholic Church exist.

The GCCP is well-designed for those who wish to engage in further study, for those who wish to teach philosophy and other disciplines as teachers in secondary education, or for those who wish to receive philosophical formation in order to improve their thinking and writing abilities/capacities, causing an increase in excellence in any field or occupation.

The GCCP is comprised of five courses (15 credit hours) and can be attended live from anywhere in the country or the world, or live asynchronously (for those in difficult time zones or who have conflicting work schedules, for example).

The 4 required courses are:

• CP601 - Introduction to Catholic Philosophy
• CP605 - Beyond Deception: Logic and the Freedom of the Mind
• CP621 - Philosophy of Nature
• CP631 - Metaphysics

There is flexibility concerning the 1 elective requirement; any of the following courses could serve as the elective, though other courses may full the requirement as well (subject to the approval of the Program Director):

• CP651 - Philosophical Anthropology
• CP661 - Ethics
• CP614 - Epistemology
• CP611 - History of Philosophy (Ancient)
• CP612 - History of Philosophy (Medieval)
• CP613 - History of Philosophy (Modern and Contemporary