Master of Arts in Religious Studies

The Master of Arts (M.A.) in Religious Studies program is designed for students with a wide range of pursuits and career goals, from education and catechetics to preparation for a doctoral degree in religious studies or a related field. The M.A. in Religious Studies program is a 30 credit degree program. Each student is required to take 21 credits of a core curriculum, which consists of introductory courses in the areas of biblical studies, systematic theology and historical theology. The remaining nine credits are electives and allow a student to concentrate in biblical, systematic or historical theology. The Professional Development Seminar is taken in the first semester of the program and is designed to assess a student’s personal, spiritual and academic readiness for graduate studies and to assist in planning for personal and career development.The Religious Studies Department also offers M.A. in Religious Studies program candidates the opportunity for theological reflection and spiritual direction.

Degree Requirements

Additional Information

Electives Choose area of concentration; three courses (total of 9 cr.) Biblical Studies •RS 515 Contemporary Old Testament Studies (3 cr. each) * Pentateuch * Prophets * Wisdom and Psalms •RS 524 Synoptic Gospels (3 cr.) •RS 522 Johannine Writings (3 cr.) •RS 539 Letters of Paul (3 cr.) •RS 541 Biblical Greek 1 (3 cr.) •RS 542 Biblical Greek 2 (3 cr.) •RS 547 Later New Testament Letters (3 cr.) Systematic Theology •RS 505 Christology (3 cr.) •RS 513 Sacramental Theology (3 cr.) •RS 514 Ecumenical and Interfaith Relations (3 cr.) •RS 520 Women and Theology (3 cr.) •RS 527 Christian Anthropology (3 cr.) •RS 534 Pastoral Counseling (3 cr.) •RS 545 Spirituality and Human Growth (3 cr.) •RS 550 Christian Moral Theology (3 cr.) Historical Theology •RS 508 Contemporary Catholicism (3 cr.) •RS 523 Augustine of Hippo and Thomas Aquinas (3 cr.) •RS 525 Religion in America (3 cr.) •RS 528 Franciscan Intellectual Tradition (3 cr.) •RS 533 Catholic Education in America (3 cr.) Final Course RS 502 Synthesis Paper (3 cr.)