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Catholic Studies Minor

David Turnbloom, Ph.D., theology, director

Through the Catholic studies minor students seek to understand the mutual influences of Catholic Christianity and world cultures over the course of 2,000 years. Drawing on the resources of many departments at the University of Portland, students will study how faith and reason have shaped Catholic texts, systems of thought, institutions, and devotional practices and how Catholic Christianity has contributed to world cultures through works of charity, justice, and peace up to the present day. At the same time, students will engage in rigorous assessment of the Church’s contributions to intellectual, cultural, spiritual, and social developments, in order to achieve a mature understanding of the Church’s role.

Besides providing opportunities to explore the dynamic and mutual interaction between the Church and cultures, the minor challenges students to add their own transformative contributions to the rich and living tradition of Catholic Christianity.

The Catholic studies minor provides opportunities for students to engage in sustained reflection on the Catholic tradition and to experience its many facets — intellectual, spiritual, liturgical, artistic, and service. Because it is necessarily interdisciplinary and promotes the study of faith and service, the Catholic studies minor clearly manifests the mission of the University of Portland.

Learning Outcomes for Catholic Studies Minors

Catholic studies graduates at the University of Portland should be able to:

  1. Identify informing principles of Catholic thought and culture through examples from selected times and places.
    1. Explain orally and in writing informing principles of Catholic thought and culture.
    2. Explain orally and in writing how these principles are instantiated in various times and places.
  2. Explain how expressions of Catholic faith and thought influence surrounding cultures and, in turn, are influenced by them.
    1. Explain orally and in writing how Catholic faith and thought influences at least one culture in which they are found.
    2. Explain orally and in writing how at least one culture in which Catholic faith and thought are found has influenced that faith and thought.

Capstone Experience

Students pursuing the Catholic studies minor will participate in a three-credit Capstone Directed Readings course in either philosophy or theology, as approved by the director of the minor.

Requirements - 18 credit hours

  1. PHL 334 (Problem of Being)
  2. Either PHL 490 or THE 490 (Directed Readings in Philosophy or Theology)
  3. 12 upper-division elective credit hours from the following list of courses: ECN 426, ENG 375, ENG 401 (when Chaucer), ENV 400, ENV 482, HST 332, HST 333, HST 335, PHL 325, PHL 372, THE 302, THE 322, THE 325, THE 328, THE 341, THE 342, THE 353, THE 356, THE 363, THE 402, THE 425, THE 457, THEP 482