We prepare cadets to be outstanding communicators and adaptable critical thinkers who can synthesize concepts; appreciate diverse cultures, ideas, and forms of expression; and assess clearly the implications of complex ethical questions. To this end, the department teaches a robust core-course sequence, along with numerous electives that support our interdisciplinary major in Art, Philosophy, and
Literature (APL). The core sequence includes EN101 (Composition) and EN102 (Literature), taken in the first year; PY201 (Philosophy), taken during the sophomore year; and EN302 (Advanced Composition), usually taken during the junior year. In the spirit of interdisciplinary pedagogy, we routinely collaborate with other USMA departments, including Mathematical Sciences, Civil and Mechanical Engineering, History, and Foreign Languages. Our academic outreach also extends beyond West Point to organizations such as the Center for the Army Profession and Ethic, the Carnegie Council for Ethics in International Affairs, the Hudson Valley Shakespeare Festival, the National Military Academy of Afghanistan, and the Oxford Institute for Ethics, Law, and Armed Conflict. Finally, as a leading advocate for the arts and culture at West Point, the Department of English and Philosophy sponsors various performances, readings, and exhibits; oversees the clubs and activities of the Cadet Fine Arts Forum; and hosts the Academy’s annual “Night of the Arts.”
