CATH - Catholic Studies
An examination of the Magisterium as a teaching institution from within the Catholic perspective of discipleship to Christ. The course will examine select teachings of Magisterium, especially cooperative grace, as related to important secondary teachings within the Church, including social teachings.
An exploration of the goodness of human nature as presented by the Catholic Magisterium and Theology. This study considers human beings as creatures called to a final end, and considers philosophical and sociological treatments that complement, and also contend against, this view. Topics will explore the concept of ontological receptivity which grounds the human person and defines the person's creative capacities.
An exploration of how grace (the divine life) is communicated to and received by human persons, including study of the sacramental life of the church, the Christian moral life (particularly natural law), and Catholic social teachings. The course focuses on creative responses to grace, both individual and communal, such as the Rule of St, Benedict, the rise of the mendicant orders, Ignatian spirituality, the great spiritual classics of the late renaissance, and the contemporary lay movements.
This course continues
CATH 205 by examining the role of philosophy and reasoning to the Catholic Church's fulfillment of its own mission to express the truth about God, and follows the historical emergence of the synthesis of faith and reason. The course also considers how the Catholic intellectual life manifests itself in deference towards faith.
Continues the exploration of goodness begun in
CATH 206 through the study of lives of the Saints. The lives of the Saints present extraordinary examples of Christian life lived out in goodness and beauty, often in the face of personal and social challenges of their culture and time. The course will consider the saint's (or saints') achievements both in terms of their intellectual and cultural significance, and of their significance to Catholic history and the development of the Catholic understanding of the possibilities of grace and freedom.
The Catholic Intellectual & Artistic Tradition. The continued exploration of the expression of beauty in human life begun in
CATH 207, by a more concentrated study of Catholic contributions tot he intellectual and artistic life. This course will study one or more distinct areas of intellectual endeavor(such as art or music of a specific period, the history of philosophy, theological developments, literature), consider both in terms of its own goals and methodology, and as expressions of the creativity of field and the grace of Christian vocation. Where possible, the course will include study and analysis of the culture and of specific figure's own writing; otherwise, it will rely on bibliographical and other sources to inform course analysis.
This capstone course applies the broader dialogue begun in previous CSP course into a specific, 21st Century context. The first half of the course will look at a specific example of integration, drawing the students to formulate and configure their faith for their majors, future careers, or vocations, and to integrate the broad spectrum fo Truth, Beauty, and Goodness within their own lives. Then the course will develop research and writing skills, in preparation for the senior paper required in
CATH 497.
The senior paper is an original work a student prepares under the guidance of a professor in the Catholic Studies Department. Drawing upon their understanding of the Catholic faith tradition, and the insights learned ion the previous courses, students complete a 5000-7000 word essay that integrates their faith with their academic major, career,or chosen profession. The thesis must be approved by the director of the Catholic Studies Program.
The senior thesis is designed to encourage creative thinking and to stimulate individual research. A student may undertake a thesis in an area in which s/he has the necessary background. Ordinarily a thesis topic is chosen in the student's major or minor. It is also possible to choose an interdisciplinary topic. Interested students should decide upon a thesis topic as early as possible in the junior year so that adequate attention may be given to the project. In order to be eligible to apply to write a thesis, a student must have achieved a cumulative grade point average of at least 3.25 based upon all courses attempted at Carroll College. The thesis committee consists of a director and two readers. The thesis director is a full-time Carroll College faculty member from the student's major discipline or approved by the department chair of the student's major. At least one reader must be from outside the student's major. The thesis director and the appropriate department chair must approve all readers. The thesis committee should assist and mentor the student during the entire project. For any projects involving human participants, each student and his or her director must follow the guidelines published by the Institutional Review Board (IRB). Students must submit a copy of their IRB approval letter with their thesis application. As part of the IRB approval process, each student and his or her director must also complete training by the National Cancer Institute Protection of Human Participants. The thesis is typically to be completed for three (3) credits in the discipline that best matches the content of the thesis. Departments with a designated thesis research/writing course may award credits differently with approval of the Curriculum Committee. If the thesis credits exceed the full-time tuition credit limit for students, the charge for additional credits will be waived. Applications and further information are available in the Registrar's Office.
Catholic Studies students are expected to participate in three types of co-curricular activities. Majors must complete three per academic year, and minors two, to graduate in the program. Truth: e.g. academic lectures. Beauty: e.g. symphonies, a Latin Mass, a trip to an art gallery. Goodness: e.g. Campus Ministry group or retreat; service project coordinated with the Hunthausen Center for Peace and Justice. Activities will be tracked in an account, such as Moddle, that remains every year where students can upload yearly materials. The required Co-Curricular activities will be recorded once during the student's senior year, in a 0-credit, required course, called CATH COCURR. They will be reviewed in the senior year by the CSP program director and recorded. CATH COCURR would be required for completion of the major or minor, but would not bear any credit towards the major. Yearly Retreats. CSP is planning to sponsor one yearly retreat. This retreat will be co-directed with Campus Ministry. The retreats will be co-educational, and will be open to majors, and minors, and the general student body until all spaces are filled. The retreats will focus on integration of a particular Church teaching into the lives of the students, asking what it would actually mean to live that teaching out in a substantive manner. Retreats will combine intellectual and spiritual elements through speakers and break out sessions. All majors and minors would be required to attend this retreat. Attendance records from the retreats will be maintained with the CSP director. Speaker Series. Part of our funding request includes funds for two yearly Catholic Studies speakers. This may be ambitious, but at least one per year would be achievable. We would expect all the majors and minors to attend this lecture. The series will focus on teachings and witness of the Church in the contemporary world, including what it means to live out the Catholic faith both openly and substantially. There may be brown-bag luncheons or discussions associated with the speakers which could function as an alternative should students be unable to attend the lecture itself. We would ask for written student reflections from the students. Contemplative Activities. Majors will be expected to attend and reflect on 3 external events per year in their track of study and 1 external event outside that track. These events would be identified by the program director. Events that count toward Truth include any approved and external speaker who comes to Carroll. Unless the event is oriented explicitly toward activism, the event will be approved as the point is not simply to put students in front of Catholic thinkers but ask them to think through any speaker's lecture with a Catholic lens. Events that count toward Beauty are arts affairs, select concerts, and symphonies. The art walk is a great example of such an event as is attending the Carroll college choir concert. Goodness includes attendance to programs such as COR or VIA run by Campus Ministry but may also include talks on the Carroll College campus with ethical themes, or even service learning projects developed in collaboration with the Hunthausen Center for Peace and Justice. Students will be required to submit a record of their activities for the year and brief reflection of their effect on the student.