More about our degrees

• Catholic Imagination
• Ignatian Spirituality
• New Testament Storytellers: Jesus
• Latin American Liberation Theology
• Global Bioethics and Religion
• Social Justice, Christian Ethics
• Challenges to Christian Faith

• Gender in the Hebrew Bible.
• Introduction to the Qur'an.
• Introduction to Islam.
• Buddhism and Film.
• Buddhist Thought and Culture.

• Christian -Buddhist Dialogue
• Christian-Muslim Dialogue
• The Holocaust and Christian Faith
• Jewish-Catholic Engagement

You will earn your degree with 9 courses (45 credits) in Theology and Religious Studies.

The Christian Theology specialization requires two courses in Christian Thought, and one course each in Hebrew Bible/Old Testament, New Testament, Theological Ethics, Methods in Theology and Religious Studies, Advanced Scripture, Major Themes and Thinkers in Christian Theology, and a Capstone course.

You will earn your degree with 9 courses (45 credits) in Theology and Religious Studies.

The Comparative Religion specialization requires three courses in World Religions, one course each in Sacred Texts, Theological Ethics, Interreligious Dialogue, Methods in Theology and Religious Studies, Advanced Comparative Religion, and a Capstone course.

The Honors major in the BA, Theology and Religious Studies offers an opportunity for motivated and capable students to engage in more extensive interaction with faculty and to complete challenging individual research projects that will further their personal and professional goals.

In order to complete the requirements for departmental honors and receive a notation to that effect on their transcripts, students must earn 60 credits in Theology and Religious Studies, two courses (10 credits) more than the usual major requirement), earn a cumulative and major/program grade point average of 3.50, and receive an A or A- for THRS 4790 Theology and Religious Studies Honors Thesis Supervision.

Program Requirements

Application to the major: To be accepted to the program, students must have a cumulative and major/program grade point average of 3.50. Interested students should apply to the department Honors Coordinator or Department Chair in spring quarter of the junior year or early fall quarter of the senior year. A Change of Major, Degree or Specialization form must be submitted to the Office of the Registrar upon acceptance.

Completion of the major: During senior year, departmental honors students will complete two courses (10 credits) of independent study, THRS 4770 Theology and Religious Studies Honors Directed Reading and THRS 4790 Theology and Religious Studies Honors Thesis Supervision, which they undertake with a professor-mentor, and write a 25-40 page thesis . The thesis is to be presented orally in an appropriate context to be determined by the Departmental Honors Coordinator or Department Chair.

To earn a minor in Theology and Religious Studies, students must complete six courses (30 credits) in Theology and Religious Studies. This total includes the Core requirements of UCOR 2100 Theological Explorations and UCOR 3100 Religion in a Global Context. Although UCOR courses do not count toward the major in THRS, they do count toward the minor. Note too that the specialization categories are different from those of the major.

Requirements

Choose three courses in one of the following specializations: (15 credits):

• World Religions.
• Christian Thought.
• Sacred Texts.
• Theological Ethics.

Choose one course from three areas outside the chosen specialization (15 credits):

• World Religions.
• Christian Thought.
• Sacred Texts.
• Theological Ethics.

Many of our majors are double majors who combine their interests in multiple areas, such as psychology and spirituality or political science and Catholic social teaching, for example, by majoring in Theology and Religious Studies (THRS) and Psychology or Political Science. Those who are interested in working for nonprofits, NGOs, or local government might find it helpful to combine a major in Public Affairs and THRS, especially if they are considering the possibility of working for faith-based organizations. Since we have faculty interested in exploring the relationship between science and religion, we have had science majors pursue either a double major or double degree with THRS as one of their majors.

Right after graduation our majors and minors have gone directly into the workforce at nonprofit organizations, churches in professional ministry positions, and Catholic high schools as theology teachers. Some of our graduates have gone on to masters programs in theology and religious studies at Boston College, Notre Dame, Harvard, Union Theological Seminary, Duke, as well as Seattle University’s own School of Theology and Ministry. Others have gone on to law school or graduate programs in social work and other fields.