About the Department of Philosophy & Religion
Learn about our department faculty and program offerings.
The Department of Philosophy & Religion is located in Bryant Hall.
Department of Philosophy & Religion
What We Do: Explore Big Ideas
Students in the Department of Philosophy & Religion grapple with questions at the heart of human existence, like how do we know what we know? and what is the difference between right and wrong? Philosophy students are encouraged to answer questions like these for themselves while studying the most important and influential thinkers who have tried to address them. Students who focus on Religious Studies work to understand sympathetically yet critically the world’s religions, and to explore the phenomenon of religion itself as a prominent component of human life and culture.
Who We Are: Study with Top-Tier Experts
The University of Mississippi is classified by Carnegie as an R1 university, a designation reserved for the top 2.5% of universities in the nation.
Why does R1 matter to students? They will have professors who bring exciting new discoveries into the classroom, give students a chance to work alongside them as they conduct their research, and introduce students to a network of top-tier scholars from around the world.
Our faculty of philosophers and religion scholars are world-class researchers also dedicated to teaching. Our department is small enough that professors know their students personally, offering advice in scheduling classes, deciding upon a career, and seeking complementary educational opportunities (such as internships and study abroad).
- Dr. James Bos, Associate Professor of Philosophy & Religion has been presented with a Cora Lee Graham Award for Outstanding Teaching of First Year Students from the College of Liberal Arts.
- Dr. Deborah Mower, Professor of Philosophy, Mr and Mrs Bryant Lectureship in Ethics and Director of the Center for Practical Ethics, is leading a new study funded by the National Science Foundation to create the first-ever baseline model of AI ethics education.
Dr. Timothy Paul Yenter, Associate Professor of Philosophy, received the Howell Family Outstanding Teacher of the Year Award from the College of Liberal Arts. Criteria for the annual award include, but are not limited to, excellence of class instruction, intellectual stimulation of students, and concern for students’ welfare.
Welcome from the Chair
Pursuing a degree in philosophy offers students an opportunity to confront many of life’s most profound and enduring questions. Moreover, studying philosophy provides unique training in clear and critical thinking. Our students learn how to challenge assumptions using rational and civil inquiry, they practice analyzing complex problems, they are trained to both follow and construct logical arguments, and our students are required to exercise all of these skills in their reading, writing, and speaking. While a degree in philosophy may not open any particular career door, our faculty is convinced that philosophy develops the habits of mind that help employees succeed in almost any profession.
Steven C Skultety
Chair and Professor of Philosophy and Director of the Declaration of Independence Center for the Study of American Freedom
Department Leadership and Support
Steven Skultety
- Chair and Professor of Philosophy and Director of the Declaration of Independence Center for the Study of American Freedom
Brett King
- Operations Coordinator II
Donovan Wishon
- Associate Professor of Philosophy and Graduate Program Coordinator
Philosophy Faculty
Robert Barnard
- Professor of Philosophy
Robert English
- Instructional Assistant Professor of Philosophy
Aaron Graham
- Assistant Professor of Philosophy
Fei Lan
- Associate Professor of Religion
Neil Manson
- Professor of Philosophy
Deborah Mower
- Director of the Center for Practical Ethics, Professor of Philosophy, Mr and Mrs Bryant Lectureship in Ethics
Steven Skultety
- Chair and Professor of Philosophy and Director of the Declaration of Independence Center for the Study of American Freedom
Bryan Smyth
- Instructional Assistant Professor of Philosophy
Donovan Wishon
- Associate Professor of Philosophy and Graduate Program Coordinator
Timothy Yenter
- Associate Dean for Capstone and Associate Professor of Philosophy
Religious Studies Faculty
Drew Billings
- Instructional Associate Professor of Philosophy & Religion
James Bos
- Associate Professor of Religion
Fei Lan
- Associate Professor of Religion
Neil Manson
- Professor of Philosophy
Shem Miller
- Instructional Associate Professor of Philosophy & Religion
Mary Thurlkill
- Professor of Religion
Faculty Leading Centers
The Center for Practical Ethics
Professor Deborah Mower is the Director of The Center for Practical Ethics. The mission of TCPE is to promote civil public discourse and provide pragmatic solutions to real-world policy problems in an ethically informed way.
Declaration of Independence Center for the Study of American Freedom
Professor Steven Skultety is the Director of the Declaration of Independence Center for the Study of American Freedom. The mission of the Declaration Center is to encourage academic and open-minded exploration into the fundamental principles of American freedom.
Our Community
A Place That Ever Calls
Located 70 miles from Memphis and surrounded by the natural beauty of Northern Mississippi, Oxford boasts thriving music, art, and literary scenes along with great restaurants. UM's athletics provide many opportunities to watch and participate in sports—and one of the world's best tailgating parties.
With everything Oxford has to offer, it's no wonder USA Today named Oxford as one of the Top Six College Towns in the Nation.
Come see why.