Program Overview

University of Dayton Religious Studies Program

The University of Dayton's Department of Religious Studies offers a comprehensive program that explores the diverse aspects of religious traditions, beliefs, and practices. The department is committed to fostering a community of scholars who serve the university and local communities through teaching, research, criticism, and action.

Program Overview

The Religious Studies program at the University of Dayton is designed to deepen students' knowledge of Catholic and other Christian traditions, as well as non-Christian traditions, and their impact on modern life and issues. The program prepares students for church ministry, graduate school in theology or religious studies, or careers in fields where knowledge of religion is beneficial, such as healthcare, business, and education.

Bachelor of Arts in Religious Studies and Theology

The Bachelor of Arts in Religious Studies and Theology requires a minimum of 120 credit hours. The program includes:

• Common Academic Program (CAP): 44-48 credit hours
• Religious Studies Major: 30 credit hours
• Electives: 12-15 credit hours
• Language Proficiency: 0-9 credit hours

Major Requirements

The Religious Studies major requires:

• REL 399: Readings in Religious Studies (1 credit hour, taken three times)
• REL 490: Capstone Seminar (3 credit hours)
• Four 3-credit courses from four of the following topic areas:
  • Church History
  • Ethics
  • Religion and Culture
  • Bible
  • Systematic Theology
  • World Religions
• 12 additional credit hours in open REL electives, including any 1-credit REL courses

Minors

The Department of Religious Studies offers several minors, including:

• Catholic Social Thought and Practice: 12 credit hours
• Disability Studies: 12 credit hours
• Jewish Studies: 12 credit hours
• Marianist Studies: 12 credit hours
• Religions and Professional Practice: 15 credit hours
• Religious Studies: 12 credit hours
• Theology-Catechesis: 19 credit hours
• Theology: 15 credit hours

Courses

The Department of Religious Studies offers a wide range of courses, including:

• REL 199: Wayfinders: Topics in Catholic Theology
• REL 204: Jesus in the Jewish Imagination
• REL 207: Faith Traditions: Judaism
• REL 208: Faith Traditions: Islamic Religious Traditions
• REL 213: The New Testament and Related Ancient Literature
• REL 214: Magic, Medicine, or Miracles: Disability in the Ancient World, the Bible, and Today
• REL 227: Faith Traditions: Beliefs in Dialogue
• REL 228: Faith Traditions: Historical Encounters
• REL 244: Faith Traditions: Celebrating and Living the Eucharist
• REL 250: Faith Traditions: Special Topics in Religious Studies
• REL 256: Faith Traditions: Prayer
• REL 261: Faith Traditions: Human Rights
• REL 266: Faith Traditions: Moral Reasoning
• REL 267: Holocaust
• REL 269: Faith Traditions and Care for the Earth
• REL 270: Popular Culture, American Religions
• REL 277: Faith Traditions: Women and Gender
• REL 281: Forum for Catechetical Leaders I
• REL 282: Forum for Catechetical Leaders II
• REL 283: Forum for Catechetical Leaders III
• REL 284: Forum for Catechetical Leaders IV
• REL 285: Internship in Theology and Religious Studies
• REL 304: Hinduism
• REL 306: Buddhism
• REL 307: Topics in Judaism
• REL 310: The Pentateuch
• REL 311: The Prophets
• REL 312: The Psalms & the Wisdom Literature
• REL 313: Topics in New Testament Studies
• REL 315: The Gospels
• REL 316: New Testament Theologies
• REL 318: Studies in Paul
• REL 319: The Book of Revelation
• REL 322: Latino/Latina Religious Experiences
• REL 323: History of Early Christianity
• REL 327: United States Religious Experience
• REL 328: United States Catholic Experience
• REL 329: African-American Religion
• REL 330: Faith of Immigrants
• REL 333: Topics in Islam
• REL 334: History of Christianity II: Medieval
• REL 335: History of Christianity III: Reformations and Early Modern
• REL 336: History of Christianity IV: Modern and Contemporary
• REL 343: Theology of Humanity, Sexuality, and Marriage
• REL 344: Christian Marriage
• REL 352: Understanding Sacred Music in Worship in the Local Church
• REL 355: Topics in Marianist Studies
• REL 357: Peacebuilding
• REL 358: Liberation Theologies
• REL 359: The Road to Hell: The Apocalypse in Classical and Contemporary Forms
• REL 360: Christian Ethics
• REL 363: Faith & Justice
• REL 364: Current Moral Issues
• REL 365: Christian Theology and Environmental Ethics
• REL 366: The Holocaust: Theological & Religious Responses
• REL 367: Christian Ethics & Health Care Issues
• REL 368: Christian Ethics & the Business World
• REL 369: Christian Ethics and Engineering
• REL 371: C.S. Lewis: Life and Christian Writings
• REL 372: Religion & Film
• REL 373: Religion & Literature
• REL 374: Visual and Material Cultures of Religion
• REL 375: Religion & Science
• REL 379: Sustaining Art and Faith
• REL 380: The Masters of Suspicion: Marx, Nietzsche, and Freud on Religion
• REL 382: Theories of Religion
• REL 399: Readings in Religious Studies
• REL 401: Biblical Hebrew
• REL 402: Biblical Greek
• REL 405: Ecclesiastical Latin
• REL 407: Topics in World Religions
• REL 408: Islam in the Modern World
• REL 425: Augustine
• REL 426: Topics in Church History
• REL 429: Modern Catholicism
• REL 437: Significance of Jesus
• REL 440: The Church
• REL 441: Theology of Mary
• REL 442: God & Atheism
• REL 443: The Sacraments
• REL 444: God in Christian Tradition
• REL 445: Topics in Systematic Theology
• REL 446: Christian Liturgy
• REL 447: Selected Catholic Doctrines
• REL 449: Aquinas
• REL 457: Living as Marianist Student Communities
• REL 465: Topics in Ethics and Moral Theology
• REL 471: Women & Religion
• REL 472: Ecology & Religion
• REL 474: Women & the Global Church
• REL 475: Theology of Inculturation
• REL 477: Honors Thesis Project
• REL 478: Honors Thesis Project
• REL 482: Topics in Cultural Study of Religion
• REL 485: Lay Ministry
• REL 490: Capstone Seminar
• REL 491: Philosophical Theology
• REL 492: Special Topics

Faculty and Research

The Department of Religious Studies at the University of Dayton is committed to fostering a community of scholars who serve the university and local communities through teaching, research, criticism, and action. The faculty are engaged in various research areas, including:

• Biblical Studies
• Historical Theology
• Systematic Theology
• Moral Theology
• Religious Studies
• Catholic Social Thought
• Marianist Studies
• Jewish Studies
• Islamic Studies
• Ecumenical and Interfaith Studies

Conclusion

The University of Dayton's Department of Religious Studies offers a comprehensive program that explores the diverse aspects of religious traditions, beliefs, and practices. The department is committed to fostering a community of scholars who serve the university and local communities through teaching, research, criticism, and action. With a wide range of courses and research areas, the department provides students with a rich and engaging educational experience that prepares them for careers in fields where knowledge of religion is beneficial.