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This program invites students to examine the significance of religious experience through the disciplines of theology and religious studies. Courses explore the human encounter with the divine through its historical and contemporary expressions in the lives of individuals and communities.
As a Catholic university, Marymount offers courses that examine the richness of the Catholic faith and its theological heritage. This program offers introductory and advanced courses in systematic and moral theology, scripture studies, and church history. These theology courses are combined with religious studies courses that introduce students to the complexity of the religious experience in human existence, the major religious traditions of the world, and the interaction of religion and culture. The department reflects the university’s emphasis on ethics by offering an array of courses concerned with social justice and employing service learning.
The major in theology and religious studies aims to develop in students a critical understanding of basic religious beliefs and their embodiment in dynamic religious traditions. The approach to theology and religious studies is critical and analytical. Students in the major are expected to take introductory courses in both theology and religious studies. Students will then concentrate their upper-division courses. Senior students complete a senior seminar, which assesses the comprehensive knowledge of the student and requires a thesis.
Upon successful completion of this program, students will be able to
Degree Planning: Students in this program who are interested in pursuing graduate studies are strongly encouraged to take a foreign language to fulfill the Global Perspective component of the University Requirements, as well as the history of philosophy sequence, PH 325 Ancient Philosophy and PH 326 Medieval Philosophy.
Degree Requirements — Theology and Religious Studies
Liberal Arts Core and University Requirements
See University Requirements and the Liberal Arts Core for details. Theology and religious studies majors will satisfy the three-course university Writing-Intensive (WI) requirement in the following way: TRS 499 Senior Seminar and two (2) elective courses from TRS 320 American Religious History, TRS 361 Grace and Sin, Heaven and Hell, TRS 362 Friendship, Marriage, and God, TRS 380 Early Christian History, and TRS 381 Medieval and Reformed Theology.
Major Requirements
To fulfill the requirements of the major, all students in this program will take the following coursework in a sequence determined in collaboration with a faculty advisor. Some courses also satisfy Liberal Arts Core and/or University Requirements.
TRS 100 Theological Inquiry
TRS 201 Understanding Religion
TRS 202 Religions of the World
TRS 400 Internship
TRS 451 Christian Faith in the Modern World
TRS 499 Senior Seminar
One (1) course from the following: TRS 251 The Religion of the Old Testament, TRS 260 The New Testament Gospels, TRS 261 The New Testament Epistles
One (1) course from the following: TRS 380 The History of the Early Church, TRS 381 Medieval and Reformed Theology, TRS 382 The Church in the Modern World
Twelve (12) credits in theology and religious studies electives
Sample Degree Plan — Theology and Religious Studies
Please note that this is a sample plan; all students must consult with an advisor in making course selections.
Year One — Fall
EN 101 Composition I (WR core course)*
Mathematics (MT) core course*
Introductory Social Science (SS-1) core course*
TRS 100 Theological Inquiry (TRS-1 core course) § *
DSC 101 DISCOVER First-Year Seminar*
Year One — Spring
EN 102 Composition II (WR core course)*
Introductory History (HI-1) core course*
Natural Science (NS) core course*
PH 200 Introduction to Philosophy (PH-1 core course)*
One (1) elective
Year Two — Fall
TRS 201 Understanding Religion § *
TRS 251 The Religion of the Old Testament, TRS 260 The New Testament Gospels, or TRS 261 The New Testament Epistles §
Fine Arts (FNA), Advanced History (HI-2), or Advanced Literature (LT-2) core course*
Introductory Literature (LT-1) core course*
Introductory Social Science (SS-1) core course*
Year Two — Spring
TRS 202 Religions of the World §
TRS 380 The History of the Early Church, TRS 381 Medieval and Reformed Theology or TRS 382 The Church in the Modern World (TRS-2 core
course) § *
Philosophical Ethics (PH-E) core course*
Advanced Social Science (SS-2) core course*
One (1) elective
Year Three — Fall
Two (2) theology/religious studies courses §
Three (3) electives
Year Three — Spring
Two (2) theology/religious studies courses §
Fine Arts (FNA), Advanced History (HI-2), or Advanced Literature (LT-2) core course*
Introductory Social Science (SS-1) or Natural Science (NS) core course*
One (1) elective
Year Four — Fall
TRS 451 Christian Faith in the Modern World § *
Four (4) electives
Year Four — Spring
TRS 400 Internship § *
TRS 499 Senior Seminar § *
Three (3) electives
§ Requirement for the major
* Fulfills Liberal Arts Core/University Requirements. See University Requirements and the Liberal Arts Core and Course Descriptions for further information.
Minor Requirements
TRS 100 Theological Inquiry
TRS 201 Understanding Religion or TRS 202 Religions of the World
Twelve (12) credits in theology and religious studies electives
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