Religious Studies Program

1) Program Course Requirements:
This program offers a Bachelor of Arts degree to students who obtain the 122 credits required for graduation. These credits refer to four categories of courses:

Major courses in Theology (63 credits)

Minor courses in Theology or other Minor programs offered in other departments or faculties (18 credits)

Core courses (34 credits)

Elective courses (07 credits)

 

1. Major courses are as follows, in the order of the curriculum:

 

1. Christian theology and religious studies
2. Foundations in Philosophy
3. Christian Doctrine
4. The Bible and its Interpretation
5. Introduction to Christian Ethics
6. Four Gospels
7. Church History I (50 AD - 500 AD)
8. Christian Sacraments and Liturgy
9. Old Testament Biblical Theology
10. Church History II (Christian Arab Literature)
11. The Johannine Writings
12. Islam: Faith and Practice
13. The Holy Land: Geography and Spirituality
14. Church History III (500 AD - 1600 AD)
15. St. Paul's Writings
16. 16. Judaism: Faith and Practice
17. Ethics II
18. Christology
19. Church History IV (Ecumenical: 1600 AD - 2000 AD)
20. Selected topics (written presentations)
21. Contextual Theology
22. Foundations in Pastoral Theology
23. The Church

 

2. Minor Programs have to be taken by all students: They may be taken in theology or in other departments and faculties offering minors. Minors in theology depend upon the number of students interested, the available director, and financing. Theology minors proposed are: catechetics, Catholic Studies, Eastern Church Studies, Protestant Studies, Spirituality, Bible. These can be reconceived and reformulated in minors such as, say, Ecumenical Studies, Middle East Churches, etc., depending upon welcome initiatives and qualified staff.
Minors in other departments of the Arts Faculty, and in the Faculties of Business and Science are possible.

3. The core courses are those required by all university students, with the exception of Philosophy and Religious Studies, which are included in our own program. Thus there are 13 Core courses for THRS students: 2 in Arabic, 3 in English, Mathematics, Physical Education, Science, History, Fine Arts, Community Service, Political Science, Economics.

2) Entry requirements for students:
These are the same as for all students of the univerity, that is, a minimum of 65% in the Scientific or Literary Tawjihi, or its equivalent. Graduates of the St. Cyril Program for the Formation of Catechists (a two-year diploma program in the Faculty of Education) with a minimum of 60% and above in Tawjihi are eligible to enter this program. Students may be full-time or part- time. Only currently employed teachers can be admitted in the part-time program.

3) Registration fees:
These are the same as for other students in the Faculty of Arts: 16.5 JD per credit hour. Thus, full time students (with five 3 cr. courses per semester) pay a fee of 247.5 JD per semester.
Part time students (with three 3 cr. courses per semester) pay a fee of 148.5 JD per semester.

4) The Adventure of Religious Studies :
Not only is this a new program at the University, but it is a new university-level attempt to bring students and staff together in a study of their religious traditions, in an effort to better understand and evaluate the religious components of local, regional, and global societies. It is not merely academic, theoretical, and historical, but it is concerned with living one's own faith with greater understanding and practice, and with learning to respect, appreciate and engage with the faiths of others. Its goal is to develop the practice of a critical "theology", of speaking about God with others, of speaking with God about others, and of listening from others and from God what we have to learn about ourselves, our limitations, and our deepest aspirations.

5) Contact: Director of Religious Studies Program

Bethlehem University

Bethlehem, Palestine