Guadalupe's Scholars Program
This four-year leadership formation program for Catholic studies majors and minors also offers generous tuition scholarships based on merit and need.
Bachelor of Arts in Catholic Studies
Catholic studies at the 91ÖÆƬ³§. Thomas is an interdisciplinary program designed to help you see how all things are related by providing intellectual, spiritual and personal development in an integrated learning environment.
Why Study Catholic Studies at St. Thomas?
We are the oldest and largest Catholic studies program in the world. Our students come from a wide range of academic fields across St. Thomas to explore how Christ is present in everything around us from an interdisciplinary perspective. You will engage the Catholic intellectual tradition in every course you take, developing a capacity for integrative thinking across disciplines. You will graduate as an informed and faithful citizen ready to apply your knowledge to both your personal and professional life.
Faith Informing Reason
Course Requirements
You will start by taking a course exploring the search for happiness, progressing into coursework examining topics such as Dante's The Divine Comedy, practical leadership in Catholic organizations and the Catholic vision. From there, you will choose courses examining important themes, traditions and significant players in the Catholic Church’s history.
Four-Year Plan
Catholic studies is a flexible program, meaning you can pair it with many other programs at the 91ÖÆƬ³§. Thomas. We recommend connecting with a faculty member to tailor your four-year plan to fit your interests and career goals.
Degrees Awarded
- Bachelor of Arts in Catholic Studies
- Combined Bachelor or Arts and Master of Arts in Catholic Studies
- Minor in Catholic Studies
Outside the Classroom
There are numerous opportunities to engage with your peers and the greater community outside of the classroom. Whether it is the hands-on mentorship in the Catholic schoolteacher apprenticeship program or studying abroad at the Bernardi Campus in Rome, we are confident you will find an opportunity that gives you a transformative learning experience.
Course Requirements
Course Requirements
You will start by taking a course exploring the search for happiness, progressing into coursework examining topics such as Dante's The Divine Comedy, practical leadership in Catholic organizations and the Catholic vision. From there, you will choose courses examining important themes, traditions and significant players in the Catholic Church’s history.
Four-Year Plan
Four-Year Plan
Catholic studies is a flexible program, meaning you can pair it with many other programs at the 91ÖÆƬ³§. Thomas. We recommend connecting with a faculty member to tailor your four-year plan to fit your interests and career goals.
Degrees Awarded
Degrees Awarded
- Bachelor of Arts in Catholic Studies
- Combined Bachelor or Arts and Master of Arts in Catholic Studies
- Minor in Catholic Studies
Outside the Classroom
Outside the Classroom
There are numerous opportunities to engage with your peers and the greater community outside of the classroom. Whether it is the hands-on mentorship in the Catholic schoolteacher apprenticeship program or studying abroad at the Bernardi Campus in Rome, we are confident you will find an opportunity that gives you a transformative learning experience.
Seeing the World From Another Lens
Faculty are prolific authors and researchers, and most importantly, your teachers and mentors. Alumni are making a difference in the world with the knowledge they gained from our program. Our students are discovering how their faith can inform their passions.
Monsignor Martin Schlag, JD
Monsignor Schlag teaches courses on a variety of topics, including the Catholic social tradition and business ethics. He is the director of the John A. Ryan Institute for Catholic Social Thought. He has written over 80 publications and his research focuses on the history of economic thought and what it means to be a Christian in modern society.
Meg McDonnell ‘07
Meg graduated from St. Thomas with a double major in Catholic studies and psychology, along with a minor in theology. She is Editor-in-Chief at Verily magazine and uses her position to empower women and help them thrive amid pressures and demands so they can sort out what is best for their relationships, work and loved ones.
Milad Audi '19
Milad is a mechanical engineering major and Catholic studies minor, and initially thought engineering and Catholic studies were unrelated. After starting Catholic studies classes, he realized he was wrong. He discovered the importance of a well-rounded life and letting love for others, not money or success, guide him to become a better engineer.
Career Paths
We give you a set of interdisciplinary tools that allow you to flourish in a variety of settings.
- Business
- Education
- Chemistry
- Journalism
- Engineering
Scholarships
Catholic Studies Rome Semester Scholarships
Catholic studies majors and minors are eligible to apply for these generous scholarships to help offset living expenses while studying abroad.
Catholic Studies Scholarships for First-Year Students
Competitive scholarships of up to $2,000 are awarded to engaged high school students who have been admitted to St. Thomas and are interested in pursuing a major or minor in Catholic studies.
Prepared for the future
50%+
Over 50% of students study abroad with the Catholic studies Rome program.
30+
Current Catholic studies students are pursuing additional degrees in more than 30 fields.
90%
Ninety percent of graduates say their Catholic studies academic experience had a highly positive impact on their lives.
Faculty with Real Experience
Dr. John Boyle
Dr. Boyle writes on Thomas Aquinas and Thomas More and published a lost work of Thomas Aquinas.
Dr. Erika Kidd
Dr. Kidd’s work focuses on the writings of St. Augustine. She recently presented her research at a University of Oxford conference.
Dr. William Junker
Dr. Junker studies Renaissance poetry and drama, the history of political thought, and Dante.
Vast Knowledge. Versatile Skills.
The interdisciplinary nature of our program helps you develop a body of knowledge that can help you in any professional field.
Our Catholic Studies Home
- Our program is located in Sitzmann Hall, home to student lounges, a lending library, a computer lab and Albertus Magnus Chapel.
- We offer daily mass Monday through Thursday, as well as student-led Eucharistic Adoration every week.
Study Abroad
The Catholic studies study abroad program in Rome allows you to explore the Eternal City and the rich history of the Catholic Church.
Find Your Community
- Live with other students sharing your interests. We have Catholic Studies floors and houses available for men and women.
- You can engage with fellow students in a variety of ways. From national speakers visiting campus to our annual talent show, we offer numerous events and socials each year for our students.
Combined BA + MA
You can enroll in Catholic studies graduate-level courses as an undergraduate student! These courses will count toward your undergraduate degree in Catholic studies AND will count towards your Catholic studies master degree, which you will be able to complete within one calendar year of graduation.
Quick Facts
We are the first, largest and oldest Catholic studies program in the world.
More than half of our students are pursuing additional majors or minors in conjunction with Catholic studies.
The Catholic Studies Rome program sees students live steps from the Vatican and study at the Angelicum, where St. John Paul II studied in his younger days.
A Faith-Based Education
Catholic studies provides students with an understanding of how everything in our lives connects to each other. Students explore how Christ is present in everything around them, and become faithful and compassionate citizens and professionals in the process.
Take the Next Step
There is more to learn about St. Thomas; including our ranking as a Best Value School by U.S. News & World Report, the many classroom and extracurricular activities that will be part of your student experience and so much more. Schedule a visit to see our beautiful campus or start your application today.