Certificate in Catholic Studies

About this programme

Planned outage: Beginning Nov. 1, you will not be able to access the USask admission application and event registration system for up to six days. Learn more . The certificate in Catholic studies provides an interdisciplinary approach to the academic study of Catholicism from the beginnings of Christianity in the ancient world to the presence of Catholicism as the largest Christian community in the world today. The certificate program in Catholic studies is interdisciplinary by design, allowing students the opportunity of meeting its requirements by means of courses in drama, English, history, interdisciplinary studies, philosophy, psychology, religious studies and sociology. This interdisciplinary approach will equip students with not only the ability to examine current questions in the field of Catholic studies and discuss the issues that affect Catholicism and its varied traditions, but also with the broader critical thinking and communication skills that are integral to a liberal arts education. Catholic studies is intended to provide students with an understanding of Catholicism and its history, artistic and literary culture, philosophical and theological thought, and role in contemporary society. In the world of late antiquity, the veneration of saints became a focus of the religious and cultural life of Christian communities. But what is it to be a saint? Many were martyrs and miracle workers, but we also find holy madmen, transvestites, prostitutes. In this class we explore the diverse representations of sanctity in the hagiographical tradition of the Middle Ag