Objectives and Expectations of Theology Majors
Students who choose to major in theology
are a diverse group who have a variety of goals and interests. Some have
definite career goals of service to the church and/or society; others
are seeking God and a sense of meaning and purpose in their lives. Some
are interested in religious education, others in ministry, and still
others see theology and spirituality as a complement to a career in
psychology, education, social work, business, or nursing, etc. Some are
committed (Catholic) Christians, and others are seekers or are more
interested in religion than theology.
The theology department recognizes the
variety of goals that our majors bring to their course of study, and we
recognize that the department’s primary role at Bellarmine is in service
to the general education goals of the curriculum. We believe that a
major in theology, the foundational discipline of the university in the
West, provides a sound liberal arts education for any student that can
serve the student well in earning their living and in enhancing their
lives by growing in the love of truth.
The theology department has the following
objectives for the major in theology:
- To prepare the able student
for graduate studies in theology, ministry, or religion or for graduate
studies in any number of disciplines or professions.
- To prepare the student for a basic level
of service to the church and/or society.
- To introduce the student to the major
areas within the discipline of theology: biblical studies, historical or
comparative studies, systematic theology, and practical theology
(ethics/spirituality), and to the methodology of each and to theological
method—how to think theologically.
The theology department has the following
objectives and expectations of a student who graduates with a major in
theology:
- The student will have met
and exceeded the expectations for a “Theological Foundation” in the
“General Education Core Requirements” in the Bellarmine University
Catalog.
- The student will have satisfactory
skills in critical thinking and communication.
- The student will have taken a course in
the four major areas of the discipline of theology and be able to think
theologically.
- The student will demonstrate the ability
to do research in theology and to write a research paper.
Assessing the Objectives and Expectations of the Theology Major
The requirements for the major in theology
are designed to meet the above objectives while allowing the student the
flexibility to design a program of study that will fulfill the
student’s personal goals. The student is required to take Theo 200
Ultimate Questions, which is an introduction to theology and the study
of religion, and to take a course in the four major areas of the
discipline of theology, and at least five other upper level courses in
the theology curriculum. Thus, the objectives are met primarily through
the courses the student takes and the evaluation of the student that
takes place in those courses. Beginning with the academic year 2003-04,
each student will be given an oral comprehensive exam in the form of an
exit interview, focused on the above objectives and expectations, with
the full-time faculty in theology.
The annual report of the theology
department will include a summary of the results of the exit interview
and any recommendations for improving the program that arise from these
interviews. In addition every five years the department will seek an
assessment from alumni/ae. The results and recommendations for program
improvement will also be included in the theology department’s annual
report.