Theology Religious Studies Major
Theology religious studies majors are members of the theological community formed by the department’s faculty and graduate students. The theology religious studies major offers students foundational study in the disciplines of biblical studies, historical theology, and systematic theology.
The theology religious studies major requires 10 courses. It is structured so as to bring together two elements:
- Content: a consideration of traditional theological themes, such as God, Christ, Church, ethics and liturgy; and
- Method: various aspects of Christianity are approached through distinct methods, which may or may not be engaged in doing theology per se, but whose end results are relevant to theology
The major is comprised of four required courses, a concentration requirement, and a capstone course, THEO 3860 CONTEMPORARY CONVERSATIONS IN THEOLOGY. The capstone course crowns the requirements for the major by focusing on a common theological theme. The theme of the course and the works utilized will depend on the expertise of the instructor; it includes a 25-to 30-page final paper.
| Course | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Course Requirements of All Majors | ||
| THEO 1000 | FAITH AND CRITICAL REASON | 3 |
| Select one Sacred Texts and Traditions course 1 | ||
| Select two of the following: | 8 | |
| CHRISTIAN THOUGHT AND PRACTICE I | ||
| CHRISTIAN THOUGHT AND PRACTICE II | ||
| CHRISTIAN THOUGHT AND PRACTICE III | ||
| Concentration | ||
| Select one of the following concentrations: | ||
Theological Studies | ||
Sacred Texts | ||
Faith and Culture | ||
American Catholicism | ||
| Capstone Seminar | ||
| THEO 3860 | CONTEMPORARY CONVERSATIONS IN THEOLOGY | 4 |
| 1 | Any course with the STXT attribute may qualify for this requirement. Courses with this attribute are the same as those that count toward the Core Curriculum. |
Concentrations
The course requirements for each concentration are as follows where elective courses are indicated, students will choose elective courses from any of the offerings of the theology department:
Theological Studies
This concentration consists of systematics, ethics, liturgy, and historical courses and fosters critical capacities for thinking about fundamental questions such as God, the human person, truth, and society, as well as questions about how to live. It requires the following:
| Course | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Select two Sacred Texts and Traditions courses, chosen in such a way that between these two courses and the Sacred Texts and Traditions course required in the core curriculum, each major will: | ||
Select one course on the Old Testament | ||
Select one course on the New Testament | ||
Select one course on the sacred texts of a non-Christian tradition | ||
| Select one of the following (not already taken in the first tier): | 4 | |
| CHRISTIAN THOUGHT AND PRACTICE I | ||
| CHRISTIAN THOUGHT AND PRACTICE II | ||
| CHRISTIAN THOUGHT AND PRACTICE III | ||
| Select two electives | ||
Sacred Texts
This concentration centers primarily on the textual traditions of Christianity but also allows space for the sacred scriptures of other traditions. This concentration trains its students in the methods of exegesis and scriptural interpretation. It requires the following:
| Course | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Select two Sacred Texts and Traditions courses, chosen in such a way that between these two courses and the Sacred Texts and Traditions course required in the core curriculum, each major will: | ||
Select one course on the Old Testament | ||
Select one course on the New Testament | ||
Select one course on the sacred texts of a non-Christian tradition | ||
| Select three electives | ||
Faith and Culture
This concentration focuses on the dynamics of religious beliefs and practices as an area of human experience shared across time and cultures and seeks to develop a broader understanding of the phenomenon of religion as practiced by persons of various faiths. It requires the following:
| Course | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| THEO 3870 | RELIGION AS HUMAN EXPERIENCE | 4 |
| Select a course on the Old Testament or New Testament (if not already taken in the first tier) | ||
| Select a course on a major non-Christian religious tradition | ||
| Select either two or three electives (such that the total number of courses a student takes in this concentration will be five) | ||
American Catholicism
This concentration focuses on the theology, history, and practice of Roman Catholicism in the United States. It requires the following:
| Course | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| AMCS 3981 | CATHOLIC STUDIES SEMINAR I | 4 |
| AMCS 3982 | CATHOLIC STUDIES SEMINAR II | 4 |
| One course chosen from the offerings of the theology department which focuses on American Catholicism | ||
| Select two electives 1 | ||
| 1 | Concentrators in American Catholicism take at least one course in either of the testaments of the Christian Bible, if not already taken in the first tier. If a student in this concentration took a non-biblical course in the first tier, the biblical course taken in this tier would count as an elective. |
Availability
The major in theology-religious studies is available at Fordham College at Rose Hill, Fordham College at Lincoln Center and Fordham School of Professional and Continuing Studies at Lincoln Center and Rose Hill.
Fordham College at Rose Hill students: The requirements above are in addition to those of the Core Curriculum.
Fordham College at Lincoln Center students: The requirements above are in addition to those of the Core Curriculum.
Professional and Continuing Studies students: The requirements above are in addition to those of the PCS Core Curriculum.