Religion Degrees Online

The Theology Department offers students a faithful but critical consideration of the Judeo-Christian tradition. The program provides a forum for considering the transcendent and ultimate questions of human existence and prepares men and women for a variety of ministries within the Church. The major and minor programs both require specific liberal education courses in history and philosophy.

Philosophy Minor
The Philosophy minor program gives students an opportunity to examine the fundamental questions of human existence through courses on great philosophical thinkers and important philosophical issues. The program places special emphasis on a knowledge of the historical origins of the Western philosophical tradition and on the development of skills of philosophical analysis.

Religion Program Requirements
The courses offered by the Religion Department explore the religious dimensions of human experience as expressed in literary, historical, & symbolic forms. They focus on how human response to the sacred in word and deed becomes part of a system of meaning and purpose. Using a variety of disciplinary perspectives, Religion Department courses introduce students to a wide range of the religious traditions of the world.

The main goal of all Religion Department courses is to equip students with the skills for understanding and appreciating the rich diversity of religious traditions from around the world, as well as their own religious experience, and for identifying and interpreting for themselves the ultimate questions religious traditions address.

The courses of the department are grounded in a commitment to the liberal arts by their focus on interdisciplinary approaches, critical thinking, writing skills and personal and spiritual development. While a religion major is ideal for the pursuit of a Christian vocation or graduate work in religious studies, its emphases on thinking, writing, and ethics make it equally valuable for a variety of careers in the public or private sector.

Religion Major
Computer Code: RELG

Minimum credits required: 36 (plus prerequisites as indicated)
Required Courses (* = Prerequisite Required)

REL
100
Introduction to Religion
3 credits

REL
490
Departmental Colloquium
3 credits

2 advanced seminars
6-8 credits

REL
499
Senior Project
3 credits

Distribution Requirements:

World Religions- Choose one from:
REL
215I
Death and the Afterlife in the World’s Religions
3 credits

REL
216I
Women and Religion
3 credits

REL
217I
Religion and Violence
3 credits

REL
218D
American Religious Pluralism
3 credits

Spirituality- Choose one from:
REL
121
Spiritual Disciplines
3 credits

REL
125
Modern Spiritual Paths
3 credits

REL
127
Contemplative Spirituality
3 credits

REL
222
History of Christian Spirituality
3 credits

Scripture- Choose one from:
REL
242
Introduction to the Hebrew Bible/Old Testament
3 credits

REL
243
Jesus and the Gospels
3 credits

REL
244
Christianity in the New Testament
3 credits

Religion in Cultural Contexts: History, Theology, Ethics- Choose one from:
REL
161
Christian Faith & Thought
3 credits

REL
261
Christian Ethics
3 credits

REL
265
Religion and Literature
3 credits

REL
266
Religion & Film
3 credits

Elective Courses:
Three or more Religion elective courses
7-9 credits

Religion Minor
Minimum credits required: 19 (plus prerequisites as indicated)

Required Courses
REL
100
Introduction to Religion
3 credits

REL
490
Departmental Colloquium
1 credit

One advanced seminar
3-4 credits

Elective Courses
Four or more Religion elective courses
11-12 credits

Since Mount Marty College is a Catholic college, Religious Studies and Philosophy, as a major program, serves students of all program areas. Mount Marty College is the only institution in South Dakota where students can obtain a Bachelor of Arts degree in Religious Studies complete with both broad content foundations and supervised field experience.

The Religious Studies and Philosophy program includes a variety of courses designed to assist students in examining their Christian and Catholic heritage and in reflecting upon and internalizing their human and religious experiences.

A major in Religious Studies and Philosophy (RSP) provides students with a strong liberal arts background. Studying RSP helps students develop analytic skills and problem-solving activities. While earning a Religious Studies and Philosophy degree, students have the option of specializing in youth ministry.

Philosophy is an integral essential part of intellectual endeavor in a liberal arts curriculum. Philosophy is the exploration of the ideas that shape laws, culture, history, politics, and values. Though philosophy has its own special areas of investigation, it pursues the ultimate questions about reality, truth, and values.

As part of the Religious Studies and Philosophy program, students will:
Examine human concerns and think through contemporary issues in a disciplined and imaginative way.
Examine value system in dialogue with ethical principles consistent with the Christian and Catholic character of MMC.
Participate in primary research experiences.
Develop in-depth knowledge and competence in Religious Studies & Philosophy.
Be knowledgeable in use of current technologies and processes in their major of study.

Religious Studies
Through a variety of course offerings in Religious Studies, Wesley students have an opportunity to develop an appreciation for cultural diversity, to discover the roots of Western civilization, and to achieve an understanding of the underlying forces that often drive current events. Religion courses at Wesley emphasize reading and writing skills as well as critical thinking about ultimate questions. We believe that the aim of education is summed up in the words of William Scott Green: it is “deliberate exposure to the unfamiliar and rigorous examination of the familiar.”

Religion is a significant force in the contemporary world. It motivates human ideas and behaviors, shaping societies and cultures both for good and ill. Understanding how religion works can help you to understand current events, such as the the tragedy of 9/11/01, the conflict in Israel and the tensions in Ireland between Catholics and Protestants. Understanding religion also helps you to understand people and what inspires them.

Religious studies courses are designed to encourage thoughtful reflection about matters of faith. You do not have to be religious to study religion at St. Norbert College. You may simply want to explore questions of ultimacy and investigate how religious people grapple with them. But deepening your own faith might be reason enough to embark on a course of study that will challenge and broaden your perspective.

As a part of the General Education Program, religious studies courses should enable students to approach religion as an academic discipline, lead them to a critical awareness of the problems of religious faith and acquaint them with various theologies and religions, particularly their impact on human life.

Religious studies mission statement
The goal of the Religious Studies discipline at St. Norbert College is to provide students with the opportunity and skills to explore the role and the significance of religion in human life and culture, to reflect critically on the nature and meaning of religious belief, to grapple with the ultimate questions and issues religion addresses and to consider thoughtfully those biblical, historical, theological and ethical sources that contribute to the Christian heritage.

The goals of our program:
Cultivate a critical awareness of and appreciation for the Catholic Christian tradition, its breadth and trajectory.
Examine and promote an understanding of the nature, scope and significance of religion as it is embedded in diverse cultures and contexts.
Investigate how the Christian tradition informs and is informed by its historical situation.
Introduce students to the biblical sources of Jewish and Christian heritages.
Enhance proficiency in the use of analytical tools and scholarly methods germane to the academic study of religion, thus increasing the capacity of students to interpret critically and appraise biblical, historical, theological, ethical and comparative materials.
Foster thoughtful evaluations of and informed responses to ideas and practices relevant to the ethical, spiritual and ecclesiological dimensions of the Catholic heritage.
Empower a greater integration of faith and work in the lives of students, especially as concerning the aspect of vocation.

The Theology major at Bellarmine University probes the ultimate questions of our existence: What is the meaning and purpose of life? What are our obligations to God and to each other? Theology majors will explore these issues through the study of theology, comparative religions, spirituality, morality, and social justice. Students will develop their communication and critical thinking skills. A Theology major provides the student with a sound liberal arts background.