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Catholic Studies, Minor

Explore the Catholic tradition in the context of philosophy and theology, the natural and social sciences, business and law, literature, art, and culture.

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About this Program

Study the Catholic Tradition to Better Understand Challenges Faced by Humankind Today

Intended for students in all disciplines, the Catholic Studies Minor at Seattle University explores the Catholic tradition in the context of philosophy and theology, the natural and social sciences, business and law, literature, art, and culture. You will engage the wealth and depth of Catholic thought and culture in history and in the contemporary world, and will probe intellectual and ethical issues raised by the dialog of Catholicism with other fields of human inquiry.

You will work with the director of Catholic Studies to create a program of study that fits your particular needs and interests.

This program provides a scholarly means of assessing the weaknesses and strengths of Catholic tradition in all of its dimensions. You will approach Catholic tradition both critically and constructively for its contribution to wise and fruitful responses to economic, political, cultural, and ecological challenges faced by humankind today.

Our Catholic Studies Minor stands in continuity with the centuries-long project of fides quaerens intellectum, "faith seeking understanding." This quest for understanding engages all fields of human knowledge, for Catholic theology holds that God is revealed not only in the Word of scripture but also in the whole created world. The Catholic vision includes a notion of nature as the product of dynamic divine providence, of the fine arts as an intimation of divine beauty, and of history as a drama of revelation and response.

Catholic tradition rests on a vision of the transcendent meaning and value of the human person, and of the earth and its life forms. In Ignatian terms, appropriate to Seattle University's Jesuit, Catholic identity, the tradition attempts to assist human beings to become who they really are precisely by seeking and seeing God in all things.

What You'll Learn

As a Catholic Studies Minor student, you will meet the following objectives:

  • To increase awareness of and insight into the history, culture, and intellectual traditions of Catholicism.
  • To provide a more systematic means to encounter, learn from, challenge, and build upon Catholic traditions as expressed in a variety of different fields, among them theology, philosophy, spirituality, literature, art, and the natural and social sciences.
  • To promote a better understanding of the relations between theology and philosophy, faith and reason, and science and religion, particularly in the context of Catholicism.
  • To enable students to respond to economic, political, and cultural, and ecological challenges through the knowledge they have achieved in assessing the strengths and weaknesses of Catholic traditions, including traditions of Catholic social thought.

Hear From Our Alumni

Student Julie Dinh

Julie Dinh

"The Catholic Studies minor is unique in that it is not confined to the classroom. I was able to apply my experiences in the minor to all areas of my life including my nursing major and now my career as a nurse. The minor deepened my own Catholic faith, and it also helped me to appreciate other faith traditions. My director provided me with insightful resources, events, and connections which elevated my experience in the minor. I am so grateful for this opportunity in my undergraduate career."

Nursing ’23

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