Religious Studies (BA)
Curriculum
At least five (5) of the 12 courses required for the major must be at the 300-level or higher.
Code | Title | Hours |
---|---|---|
Christian Traditions | ||
Select one of the following: | 3 | |
Christian Theology 1 | ||
Christian Ethics | ||
New Testament | ||
Sacraments and the Christian Imagination | ||
Jesus Christ | ||
Roman Catholicism | ||
Christianity Through Time | ||
Christian Thought: Ancient-Medieval | ||
Christian Thought: Reformation to Modern | ||
Non-Christian Traditions | ||
Select three of the following: | 9 | |
Judaism | ||
Hinduism | ||
Islam | ||
Buddhism | ||
Religions of Asia | ||
Religious Comparisons or Themes Course | ||
Select two of the following: | 6 | |
Introduction to Religious Studies | ||
Religion & Gender | ||
Global Religious Ethics | ||
Topics in Moral Problems (various titles) | ||
Seminar (various titles) | ||
Religious Studies Elective Courses | ||
Select five elective courses 2 | 15 | |
Capstone | ||
THEO 353 | Religious Traditions 3 | 3 |
Total Hours | 36 |
- 1
Eligible students may substitute HONR 101 Western Traditions - Antiquity to the Middle Ages/HONR D101 Developments Western Thought I Discussion, THEO 190 Loyola's Mission: Ignatian Traditions, or PHIL 190 Loyola's Mission: The Philosophical Vision for THEO 100 Christian Theology.
- 2
Up to three (3) courses may be taken outside of the Theology department with prior permission from the undergraduate program director.
- 3
With prior approval from the undergraduate program director, students may replace THEO 353 Religious Traditions with THEO 373 Theology Capstone.
THEO 280 Theology & Interdisciplinary Study may be taken to fulfill a major requirement, depending on the course topic. Please consult your department for more information.
Suggested Sequence of Courses
Freshman | ||
---|---|---|
Fall | Hours | |
Religious Comparison Course (THEO 107) | 3 | |
Religious Comparisons Course (THEO 185) | 3 | |
Hours | 6 | |
Spring | ||
Christian Traditions Course (200-Level or higher) | 3 | |
Non-Christian Traditions Course #1 (200-Level or higher) | 3 | |
Hours | 6 | |
Sophomore | ||
Fall | ||
Non-Christian Traditions Course #2 (200-Level or higher) | 3 | |
Non-Christian Traditions Course #3 (200-Level or higher) | 3 | |
Hours | 6 | |
Spring | ||
THEO 200-Level or higher Elective Course | 3 | |
THEO 300-Level or higher Elective Course | 3 | |
Hours | 6 | |
Junior | ||
Fall | ||
THEO 300-Level or higher Elective Course | 3 | |
Hours | 3 | |
Spring | ||
THEO 300-Level or higher Elective Course | 3 | |
Hours | 3 | |
Senior | ||
Fall | ||
THEO 300-Level or higher Elective Course | 3 | |
Hours | 3 | |
Spring | ||
THEO 353 | Religious Traditions | 3 |
Hours | 3 | |
Total Hours | 36 |
Transfer-Student Residency Requirement
At least 18 credit hours of RELS-BA requirements must be completed at Loyola
Double-Dipping Policy
This department observes the CAS Double-Dipping Policy regarding unique credits required for each declared major/minor.
College of Arts and Sciences Graduation Requirements
All Undergraduate students in the College of Arts and Sciences are required to take two Writing Intensive courses (6 credit hours) as well as complete a foreign language requirement at 102-level or higher (3 credit hours) or a language competency test. More information can be found here.
Additional Undergraduate Graduation Requirements
All Undergraduate students are required to complete the University Core, at least one Engaged Learning course, and UNIV 101. SCPS students are not required to take UNIV 101. Nursing students in the Accelerated BSN program are not required to take core or UNIV 101. You can find more information in the University Requirements area.
Learning Outcomes
Students completing the Religious Studies Major should be able to:
- Demonstrate conceptual understanding of the general concept of religion and specific knowledge of key features of two or more religions. For example:
- Delineate the key features of a religion and discuss how they interact.
- Describe and compare the central elements of two or more world religions.
- Demonstrate knowledge of the major scriptures, doctrines and practices of two or more religions.
- Know and use academic and analytical scholarly methods and terminology employed in the field of Religious Studies. For example:
- Demonstrate knowledge of a range of scholarly methodologies
- Accurately use the academic and scholarly terminology used in the field of religious studies
- Be able to apply scholarly methodologies to research questions
- Analyze how a religion’s components interact with the culture to which it belongs, explaining how it shapes and is shaped by the surrounding society. For example:
- Articulate how religions shape aspects of people’s everyday lives. Discuss aspects such as: family organization and relationships, social structure, food choices, clothing choices, ethical behavior, or gender roles.
- Describe how religions interact with popular culture (as evidenced by literature, visual arts, film, music, TV, the Internet, etc.) and how that interaction functions to influence public opinion and belief.
- Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of religious approaches to ethics and ethical issues.