Loyola’s Catholic Studies minor is an interdisciplinary program that incorporates courses in philosophy, theology, history, literature, classical studies, political science, and the arts. Students in the program:

• Focus on the multicultural, multidisciplinary phenomenon of Roman Catholicism.
• Explore the Catholic intellectual tradition as a set of developing meanings and values that informs the lives of Catholic communities.
• Learn about the developing nature of Catholic beliefs and practices through history, especially Catholicism’s relationship with modern Western culture and political institutions.
• Discover what is often called the “Catholic imagination” in the production and expression of culture through literature, art, theater, and music.
• Study and engage in Catholic social teaching, issues of justice, and what the Church calls “the preferential option for the poor.”

Curriculum

Each semester, courses that are approved to count toward the minor can be found on the courses page. If you have any questions about a specific course or about your progress toward the minor, please contact the director, Naomi Fisher (nfisher1@luc.edu).

The Catholic Studies minor consists of six courses (18 credit hours). No more than two courses from a single academic discipline may count toward the minor, and at least two elective courses must be taken at the 300-level. Academic requirements are divided into three categories: foundational course, electives, and capstone seminar.

¹

CATH 296 fulfills an LUC Engaged Learning requirement and a (300-level) Theology elective.

²

CATH 303 is cross-listed with PHIL 342, and so many instead count as an upper level Philosophy elective.

³

At least one elective must be from Philosophy, one elective must be from Theology, and at least two electives must be 300-level.

Elective Courses

Students may choose the remaining five courses from several academic disciplines, including theology, philosophy, history, English, classical studies, fine arts, or political science. Courses may overlap with Core Curriculum requirements. At least one elective must be from Philosophy, at least one elective must be from Theology, and at least two must be 300-level.

Each semester, before registration is open, a list of the current courses that are approved for the minor will be published. Below is a list of courses from various academic disciplines which count toward the minor. Other courses are approved on a case-by-case basis.

Capstone Seminars

All students working toward a Catholic studies minor must attend three capstone seminars with the program director or a designated Catholic studies faculty member during the final semester of the senior year. Two capstone seminars involve making presentations to fellow seniors. The purpose of these two presentations is to create an informal context for students to explore and discuss the relationship between the Catholic intellectual and artistic tradition and their major field of study using various media, including film, literature, theology, philosophy, poetry, autobiography, music, and development in the sciences. At the third capstone seminar, students will present their work to faculty members and a larger group of students participating in the Catholic studies minor.

Extracurricular Activities

The Catholic Studies program works closely with the Joan and Bill Hank Center for the Catholic Intellectual Heritage to promote a community of learning for students and faculty.

Students can take advantage of many academic, cultural, social, and religious opportunities including lectures, retreats, concerts, internships, social events, and group activities designed for the Catholic studies minors. The Loyola University Museum of Art (LUMA) often hosts exhibits and lectures focusing on artists who create their work through their exploration and interaction with Catholicism.

Research Fellowship

Every year, the Joan and Bill Hank Center for the Catholic Intellectual Heritage (CCIH), in support of the Catholic Studies Minor, funds a one-year fellowship to undergraduate students who are currently enrolled in the Catholic Studies Minor program. This fellowship is dedicated to the support of CCIH-funded faculty research projects, as well as CCIH's international research projects. Interested students should submit a completed application online through the Loyola Undergraduate Research Opportunities Program (LUROP) by March 1.

Suggested Sequence of Courses

The below sequence of courses is meant to be used as a suggested path for completing coursework.  An individual student’s completion of requirements depends on course offerings in a given term as well as the start term for a major or graduate study.  Students should consult their advisor for assistance with course selection.

¹

At least one elective must be a THEO course; at least one elective must be a PHIL course. Only two courses from a single discipline can count toward the minor. 

Double Dipping Policy

Per recommendations from the CAS's Academic Council, Catholic Studies will adhere to and enforce the following policies:

• Not less than 6 credit hours in the individual student's transcript must be unique to each minor; that is, the courses in question are considered as actually fulfilling requirements of one minor, not of more than one minor or major.
• General exceptions will be made if approved by the chairs/directors of the department(s)/program(s) housing each affected major and minor. A list of standing general exceptions will be maintained by the Dean's office.
• Individual student exceptions may be made in appropriate cases by the Program Director. As always, comprehensive education is encouraged and valued; alternative classes and approaches may provide the perfect fit.
• As always, students are to make certain that an individual tracking sheet has been filled out with the Program Director and filed with the student's advisor.
• Departments and Programs may enforce stricter double-dipping policies than those stated above, which also should be provided to the Dean's Office.

Learning Outcomes

Upon completion of this program, students will:

• understand the nature of reality as advanced in Roman Catholicism, including the nature of the human person, our relations and obligations to each other and God, and the manner in which we come to know timeless truths. Students will be conversant with this vision as it is presented throughout the history of Catholicism, in thinkers such as St. Augustine, Pseudo-Dionysius the Areopagite, and St. Thomas Aquinas.
• engage with become familiar with the “Catholic imagination”, as the manner in which Catholicism informs and enriches imaginative expression in the arts, in movements such as the Renaissance and the Catholic literary revival of the 19th and 20th centuries.
• know and be able to engage with Church history, including its institutional history and the development of doctrine and practice as well as the expression of Catholicism at various times, places, and cultures.
• understand and engage with the specifically Catholic notion of social justice, as advancing the common good through a holy life.