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Department of Theology

Theology Major

Theology students in a classroom

Undergraduate Theology Major:

The curriculum for majors requires 31 credit hours, which is comprised of 10 three credit courses and the one credit senior project:

  • All majors take the following foundational courses:
    • THEO 111, Theological Foundations
    • Biblical course: Either Intro to Hebrew Scripture (THEO 351) or Intro to Christian Scriptures (THEO 328)
    • Historical course: Either Exploring Christian Past I (THEO 209) or Exploring Christian Past II (THEO 210)
    • Christian Ethics: Methods & Questions (THEO 303)
  • All majors take a common seminar (usually junior year) and complete a theological project in senior year
    • THEO 295: Map to Theological Diversity: a common seminar for all majors
    • THEO 490: Senior Project (1 credit) 

Majors usually choose one of the following concentrations* 

  • OPTION ONE: Christian Life and Community. Students choose one course from each category:  
    • Scripture: The biblical course must be from the testament not chosen as the foundational biblical course.
    • Historical Theology: The historical course must be from the period not chosen as the foundational historical course.
    • Perspectives on God and the Human Person
    • Spirituality
    • Community & Christian Practice
  • OPTION TWO: Contemporary Ethical and Religious Challenges.  These are the required course or required categories from which students will choose:
    • Spirituality and Solidarity (THEO 386)
    • One course from Scripture: The biblical course must be from the testament not chosen as the foundational biblical course.
    • One course in interreligious dialogue or non-Christian religious tradition
    • Any two theology courses from an approved list of courses giving substantive attention to contemporary ethical challenges or to contemporary religious challenges
  • OPTION THREE: Interfaith.  These are the required course or required categories from which students will choose:
    • Comparative Theology (THEO 363)
    • One course that deals substantively with Judaism
    • One course that deals substantively with Islam
    • Two elective courses that have substantive content concerning non-Christian religions or interreligious/interfaith encounters

*In special circumstances, a student could choose an independent course of studies comprised of five courses, in addition to the foundational courses that every major completes.  This option requires the approval of the student’s faculty adviser and the chair of the department.   This option is available only to students who have demonstrated high academic performance and seriousness of purpose in the foundational theology courses. Normally, the student may not choose this option before the completion of at least three of the foundational courses.