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Department of Religious and Theological Studies

The Department of Religious and Theological Studies at Salve Regina offers students a deep intellectual engagement with the Christian religious tradition, including our Catholic heritage, as well as a rich, comparative approach to the great religious traditions of the world.

To both majors and minors, we offer four optional areas of focus - Christian theology, Scripture, ethics and world religions - allowing them to choose a path of study that best meets their needs and captures their interests.

For all students at Salve Regina, we offer our Common Core course, Christianity in Dialogue with World Religions. Usually taken in the sophomore year, this challenging course reflects the University's mission to be a community welcoming people of diverse beliefs, as well as the important Core Curriculum goal of preparing responsible citizens in our global society. Students then choose an additional upper-level Core Complement course from a range of offerings.

Beyond the classroom, we sponsor activities that complement our curriculum - from bringing to the University guest speakers who explore the relevant religious issues of the day to sponsoring study abroad courses in destinations such as Belize, Turkey and Israel.

Our graduates possess a strong liberal arts foundation for postgraduate work, including the study of religion, history or law, as well as careers in social services, education, business and church-related contexts.


												Photo of Existentialism and Religion

Featured Course

Existentialism and Religion
Department of Religious and Theological Studies

Existentialism takes the realities of the human condition with extreme seriousness. It does not offer platitudes to ease the burden of life, but rather views direct human experience as profoundly important. Existentialism demands an intense gaze at the harsh, unvarnished realities of the world in which we live, and often seems depressing or nihilistic. But if honest, one may discover personal meaning, forge courage and find hope even in the most empty moments of human experience. All of this has obvious and significant implications for religion that deserve attention. This course takes a literary, philosophical and theological approach and engages with authors in their intimate portrayals of existential struggle.

Faculty Spotlight

Dr. Daniel Cowdin
Associate Professor

Last year's sabbatical took Dr. Daniel Cowdin from Cambridge, England, to Jerusalem to research different aspects of Jewish-Christian relations.

Did you know?

Alumni attend top theology school
Alumni attend top theology school

In recent years, four religious and theological studies alumni been accepted to Chicago’s Catholic Theological Union, the largest Catholic graduate school for theology and ministry in North America. They are Marissa Brodie '09, Lindsay Little '06, Eldon Santiago '06 and Rick Stewart '10.

Related Groups and Organizations

  • Honor Society
    Theta Alpha Kappa, the national honor society for religious studies, encourages excellence in research, learning, teaching and publication in the discipline of religious and theological studies.