The Department of Theological Studies makes an essential contribution to the mission of Loyola Marymount University through its teaching of theology and its investigation of the broader area of religious experience. Areas of study include biblical, historical, systematic, and moral theology, world religions/comparative theology, and pastoral theology, with special emphasis on the Roman Catholic theological tradition. The mission of the department includes the education of undergraduate and graduate students at Loyola Marymount, participation in the scholarly community of academic theology through presentations and publications, and service to the church community.

The Department offers several degree programs: an undergraduate major in Theology, two undergraduate minors (Theology and Lay Ministry), and two master of arts degrees (Theology and Pastoral Theology). Each of these programs offers students the opportunity to study in all five sub-fields of theology. The lay ministry and pastoral theology programs include an additional ministry and counseling emphasis in addition to foundational courses in theology.

The Department also offers a wide variety of courses as part of Loyola Marymount University's Core Curriculum. Each LMU student takes at least one 100-level theological studies course in the first two
years and one 300-level course in the second two.

The strengths and uniqueness of our program lie in our concern for global and cross-cultural theological studies, with a special emphasis on the Roman Catholic tradition. Our faculty members are actively pursuing research in Europe, Africa, Australia, Japan, and South Asia. We are also concerned with ethnic issues relating to theology in the United States, as reflected in our offerings in Latino theology and the African American religious experience. Each graduating student in theology is required to take a sequence of courses in the five sub-disciplines of theology, and to complete a capstone
seminar on a major Christian thinker.