The disciplines of Theology and Philosophy address the big questions of life: Where have we come from? What is the purpose of existence? What can we expect when we die? What makes for a good life? Philosophy draws on the resources of human reason to answer these questions, while Catholic theology reflects on the Christian faith tradition, shaped by the Scriptures and Church teachings. Both philosophy and theology are key elements of the Catholic intellectual tradition, and together these two disciplines provide a rich set of resources in the search for meaning and purpose in life.
The Faculty offers a wide range of courses including a Bachelor of Theology (including Honours), Master of Theological Studies, and specialist Graduate courses in Catholic education, health, welfare and ministry. At the graduate level, many of our courses are offered in fully online and/or Blended delivery modes that ensure a distinctive, responsive and relevant learning experience.
Research is a real strength of the Faculty of Theology and Philosophy. In the 2010 assessment of research performance under the Australian Research Council’s Excellence in Research (ERA) initiative, ACU’s research activity in the field of Religion and Religious Studies was assessed as being at a level “above the world standard.” This assessment placed ACU at the equal top of all Universities in Australia engaged in research in the area of theology.
The Faculty has four main internationally recognised areas of research strength; all of which are encompassed within the Institute for Religion and Critical Enquiry which promotes interdisciplinary and collaborative study that seeks to enrich and extend the traditional fields of philosophy and theology at an international level.
The theologians and philosophers engaged with such questions are highly qualified with strong international reputations in research and publishing and a wealth of expertise in the supervision of higher degree research students. The Faculty of Theology of Philosophy offers supervised research degrees across all of these core research areas and we welcome enquiries from suitably qualified students for any of the following programmes: Master of Theology (Research), Master of Philosophy (MPhil) or Doctor of Philosophy (PhD).
Our students come to the study of theology and/or philosophy for a wide range of reasons, some for professional development and career advancement, but many for the sheer joy and interest in exploring the meaning of life and the significance of faith in contemporary culture. Irrespective of motive, the skills learnt and developed in these disciplines, and particularly the ability to think critically around a range of complex issues; to contextualise different standpoints and perspectives in a coherent and convincing manner; to work within a team; and finally, to be a self-directed, independent learner will set you apart in what is an increasingly competitive and multicultural labour market.
Many graduates from the Faculty of Theology and Philosophy have been drawn towards those professions that are committed to promoting human flourishing such as pastoral care roles, counselling, chaplaincy, teaching, social work, psychology, advocacy, and humanitarian aid and development; either within the Church itself or in the wider public or private sector. Many more have seen fit to apply their particular skills to government policymaking roles and/or administrative departments. The expertise and broad skills base of Theology graduates are also highly prized by many large scale commercial organisations and are equally at home in the legal profession, journalism, library and information management, public relations and Human Resources roles.
We welcome you to your study at ACU. We also hope that you have the opportunity to take some of our course offerings and discover a real passion for the questions raised by the disciplines of theology and philosophy.
As the Psalmist says, “taste and see the good things of the Lord” (Ps 34:8).
Professor Dermot Nestor
Executive Dean, Faculty of Theology and Philosophy
Page last updated: 2017-06-28
Short url: https://handbook.acu.edu.au/948902
Page last updated: 2017-06-28
Short url: https://handbook.acu.edu.au/948902