Christian Studies Program
The Christian Studies program enables students to become life-long agents of transformative change in the world. In the program, students not only study and experience the Christian faith, but also reflect upon the relevance of this faith for their own lives and the world in which they live.
All students take a set of required courses in Bible, Christian theology and history, and world religions. In the major, students may choose to focus on one of two optional streams, enabling them to specialize in biblical studies or Christian theology.
Since Christian Studies is one of the programs in the Humanities Department, all Christian Studies students also take a series of humanities courses, which include academic writing, the Christian intellectual tradition, cognate credits in English, history, and philosophy, and a humanities capstone course.
Profile of the Graduating Student
The graduating student will develop:
- Understanding: Graduates will be able to articulate their rich understanding of the human story, as expressed in Christian texts, beliefs, and practices found in diverse Western, Indigenous Canadian, and other world cultures.
- Research: Graduates will be able to apply advanced research skills employed in biblical studies and theology to solve problems and advance knowledge.
- Analysis: Graduates will be able to apply the skill of critical thinking, using the methods, approaches, and theories appropriate to the disciplines of biblical studies and theology to analyze diverse and complex forms of information.
- Communication: Graduates will be able to communicate clearly, concisely, and compellingly to impart knowledge and express themselves.
- Character: Graduates will exemplify maturity of character which represents the best of the Christian intellectual tradition and a liberal arts education, and which expresses itself in wisdom, integrity, service to neighbour and society, and responsibility towards the world in which they live.
Career and Education Paths
The graduating student will:
- have a solid foundation for living out the Christian faith in professional vocations such as law, medicine, and education;
- be prepared to work in para-church organizations, non-governmental organizations, or some church ministry positions;
- be able to pursue graduate studies in biblical studies, theology, or church history at a seminary or university. Students who wish to pursue further Christian studies at the graduate level need to complete the four-year major and consult with the Department Chair early in their studies.