Religiously-afflilated schools?

[kbean]

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Hi,

I was wondering how much people know about some of the clinical psych programs at religiously-affiliated schools (for instance, Loyola or Seattle Pacific University).

I'm not religious at all, and I'm wondering how much religion would be a part of education at these schools--like, would it be a big part of the program's orientation (probably not for me), or would I just most likely have a lot of peers there who were religious (totally fine with me).

Thanks!

 

[Illuminist]

Hi,

I was wondering how much people know about some of the clinical psych programs at religiously-affiliated schools (for instance, Loyola or Seattle Pacific University).

I'm not religious at all, and I'm wondering how much religion would be a part of education at these schools--like, would it be a big part of the program's orientation (probably not for me), or would I just most likely have a lot of peers there who were religious (totally fine with me).

Thanks!

Can't say for the ones you listed (though I doubt Loyola would be too Bible thumping), but some schools force religious content, like Reagent or Liberty U. Some classes there go so far as to make you incorporate Biblical content into papers and such, which I personally find to be questionable.

 

[cara susanna]

I think you'd be pretty safe at the graduate level.

 

[kbean]

Fantastic, thanks for the advice.

I definitely wouldn't be applying to any of the schools like Regent or Liberty that I think they have a clear religious agenda. However, I'll keep an open mind about some of the other religiously-affiliated schools!

 

[krisrox]

Hi,

I was wondering how much people know about some of the clinical psych programs at religiously-affiliated schools (for instance, Loyola or Seattle Pacific University).

I'm not religious at all, and I'm wondering how much religion would be a part of education at these schools--like, would it be a big part of the program's orientation (probably not for me), or would I just most likely have a lot of peers there who were religious (totally fine with me).

Thanks!

I can speak for Loyola's and DePaul's graduate and undergraduate programs, as I've worked with both students and faculty from them. Both are liberal Catholic universities that do not require you to incorporate Catholicism into your education. Loyola is a very research-heavy program run by top-notch (mainly liberal!) professors. DePaul offers a wide variety of clinical training opportunities through both religiously-affiliated and secular organizations. I've never felt like religion was "shoved down my throat" during my correspondence with either university's program.

 

[PrisonPsych]

I have a friend who went to Loyola tell me that it's actually more religiously oriented than you would think...

 

[kbean]

I have a friend who went to Loyola tell me that it's actually more religiously oriented than you would think...

Hmm, in what way?

 

[krisrox]

I have a friend who went to Loyola tell me that it's actually more religiously oriented than you would think...

It's no Liberty U, though, let's be honest. Academically, Catholicism is not incorporated into the curriculum at all (unless you take a class in it, of course).

 

[PrisonPsych]

culture of the campus, strong encouragement to participate in religiously oriented services and volunteer activities, presence of priests as instructors...

 

[krisrox]

culture of the campus, strong encouragement to participate in religiously oriented services and volunteer activities, presence of priests as instructors...

IMO, the culture of the campus is not religious, and certainly not Catholic. There IS a seminary on campus, but the Jesuits are a very liberal bunch and the seminary students also participate in scholarly research and on-campus sports. There is an availability of Catholic/Christian services on campus, but the programs are unpopular with the majority of the students. Students ARE encouraged to volunteer in the community. There ARE a number of instructors who are priests, but they make up less than 5% of the faculty.

DePaul has a similar demeanor. Religion is available if you're a fan, but can be completely ignored if you so choose.


PM me if you want more info. I enjoy being at both of these campuses (campi?) tremendously and obviously don't find it offensively Christian. Loyola's campus on the lake is especially gorgeous!

 

[miripsych]

I go to SPU and this was a major concern of mine when I applied.

I don't adhere to the Christian faith and feel 100% comfortable in the program. Many of the students aren't religious or even Christian. Faith is integrated as one part of a bio-psycho-social approach and is by no means (in my experience) the overarching orientation. I'd say you don't deal much with religion in 95% of your coursework and there are plenty of research and clinical opportunities for those of us who aren't interested in it! Feel free to PM me if you want specifics.

 

[IT514]

Its important to distinguish b/n Loyola University in Chicago and Loyola College in MD. I'm guessing the one in MD is the one that is more overtly religious or whatever you want to call it.

LU Chicago is a Catholic institution and incorporates catholicism broadly in a similar way as Notre Dame (from my understanding), but I doubt it has a day to day effect on the clinical psych department. Be sure to verify what I'm telling you...not entirely sure.

As an aside, I would challenge anyone to read the classic by John Henry Newman - The Idea of a University and tell me that Catholicism is antithetical to good scholarship.

 

[krisrox]

its important to distinguish b/n loyola university in chicago and loyola college in md. I'm guessing the one in md is the one that is more overtly religious or whatever you want to call it.

Lu chicago is a catholic institution and incorporates catholicism broadly in a similar way as notre dame (from my understanding), but i doubt it has a day to day effect on the clinical psych department. Be sure to verify what i'm telling you...not entirely sure.

+1

 

[cara susanna]

Most of us Catholics don't really consider Notre Dame to be that Catholic anymore.

 

[krisrox]

Most of us Catholics don't really consider Notre Dame to be that Catholic anymore.

Same with BC, so I hear. BC="Barely Catholic." All this is funny in light of the game today...

 

[kbean]

Yes, sorry, should have clarified--I meant Loyola-Chicago.

 

[PrisonPsych]

IMO, the culture of the campus is not religious, and certainly not Catholic. There IS a seminary on campus, but the Jesuits are a very liberal bunch and the seminary students also participate in scholarly research and on-campus sports. There is an availability of Catholic/Christian services on campus, but the programs are unpopular with the majority of the students. Students ARE encouraged to volunteer in the community. There ARE a number of instructors who are priests, but they make up less than 5% of the faculty.

DePaul has a similar demeanor. Religion is available if you're a fan, but can be completely ignored if you so choose.


PM me if you want more info. I enjoy being at both of these campuses (campi?) tremendously and obviously don't find it offensively Christian. Loyola's campus on the lake is especially gorgeous!

Heh. I'm just repeating what an alum told me - so take it with secondharnd salt...

 

[SingingCow]

Remember who they invited to their convocation last year? 🙄
And the controversy...

Most of us Catholics don't really consider Notre Dame to be that Catholic anymore.

 

[cara susanna]

Yeah, that was kind of what sealed it for most people.

 

[irish80122]

Most of us Catholics don't really consider Notre Dame to be that Catholic anymore.

Notre Dame is still quite Catholic, and the graduate students are technically held to the same rules as the undergrads (for instance, you can't be in the same bedroom as a member of the opposite sex after midnight unless you are married to them), though they aren't enforced for grad students. I knew a lot of graduate students when I was there (I got my BA from ND in 2007) and the religious nature of the school didn't seem to affect them.

Notre Dame still has a strong Catholic presence, and 80% of the student body is Catholic which is much higher than the Jesuit schools mentioned before (they are usually under 30%). Notre Dame may not be viewed as Catholic by some of the very orthodox who disagree with Obama speaking at graduation, but I would argue that it is still one of the most Catholic schools in the nation. It is take it or leave it for grad students though, I really don't think it would be a problem if you weren't Catholic.

Also, I did attend a Jesuit school for one year in undergrad and then transferred to Notre Dame, so I do have some basis for saying it is more Catholic than the Jesuit schools mentioned previously.

 

[Chenelsea3]

Anyone know anything about how truly "Catholic" Catholic University is? I have a friend in their Applied Psychology program and he's not Catholic, but they did have a question on the application...

 

[PhDClinical]

You should also keep in mind that supporting a religious institution with your attendance implies, at least on some level, that you support their ideas. I have a great research match at Catholic, but never want to have to add a caveat when I tell people where I went (e.g., "I went to Catholic, but I think birth control and gay people are great!").

For me, the cynical atheist that I am, it is one thing to value religious diversity and have classmates of varying religions, and completely another to attend and support an organization that has a hand in the proliferation of views that I see as dogmatic, irrational, discriminatory, and dangerous.


*****I know that not every Catholic is against birth control and homophobic (indeed I have found most individual Catholics I know to have pretty different ideas than the larger religious system itself), so please don't slam me for a generalization that I am not espousing. I also don't want to start a big religion debate -- this is hardly the place for that. I just want people to think through the implications of attending a religious school, beyond the cursory thought of "will I feel out of place?"

 

[PrisonPsych]

You should also keep in mind that supporting a religious institution with your attendance implies, at least on some level, that you support their ideas. I have a great research match at Catholic, but never want to have to add a caveat when I tell people where I went (e.g., "I went to Catholic, but I think birth control and gay people are great!").

For me, the cynical atheist that I am, it is one thing to value religious diversity and have classmates of varying religions, and completely another to attend and support an organization that has a hand in the proliferation of views that I see as dogmatic, irrational, discriminatory, and dangerous.


*****I know that not every Catholic is against birth control and homophobic (indeed I have found most individual Catholics I know to have pretty different ideas than the larger religious system itself), so please don't slam me for a generalization that I am not espousing. I also don't want to start a big religion debate -- this is hardly the place for that. I just want people to think through the implications of attending a religious school, beyond the cursory thought of "will I feel out of place?"

I'm a queer liberal in a mixed race same sex relationship. I decided against applying to any of the religious schools for the same reasons (had a research match at Fordham).

 

[PhDClinical]

Wow, I didn't realize that Fordham is religiously affiliated (guess I should do my homework more thoroughly!). I only briefly considered it before deciding that NYC is not the place for me (I'm not a city person).

 

[krisrox]

I think that, while it's important to have a good match with the school as well as a faculty member, writing a school off just because it's religiously-affiliated may cause one to miss out on excellent opportunities. At least check the school out! Loyola in Chicago is a Catholic Jesuit school, but so much of the psych faculty is hardcore liberal, from a variety of racial and religious backgrounds, and support many sexual orientations. I'm not saying force yourself to be happy at a bible belt school, but I am urging everyone to keep an open mind... for your own sake!

 

[cara susanna]

Yeah, a Catholic university has much different implications than does, say, a Catholic high school.

 

[TooTall91]

I go to Loyola-Chicago and the religious aspect of the school has little to no impact on my daily life there. I honestly don't think it has ever come into play once.

 

[PhDToBe]

One thing I have heard people say, is that some of the religious-oriented programs (Fuller Theological Seminary or whatever it's called) and others REQUIRE one of your letter of recommendations to be from a priest/minister, etc.

AND, I also heard that Fuller and the like also ask you if you live with your bf/gf, and other types of questions...and weed you out accordingly, I suppose.

I have a friend at Regent, and I have been meaning to ask her if this is true. I know that two of their classes incorporated Christianity, too.

 

[AlaskanJustin]

Not sure if this thing is dead, but I will post some...

best word of advice? Read the departments mission statement, or for that matter read the SCHOOLS mission statement, no?

I am an atheist, outright, but am still applying to Fordham, yes its Jesuit, but the psych program only introduces the moral aspects, not the overtly religious aspects.

i am obviously NOT applying to Catholic University of America, even though they have a good clin psych phd program, they are overtly religious in nature (as apparent by their mission statements etc).

Just do your research you will make proper choices

cheers

 

[73BARMYPgsp]

culture of the campus, strong encouragement to participate in religiously oriented services and volunteer activities, presence of priests as instructors...

Oh the horror.

This entire thread cracks me up. The secular academic world (about 99% of higher education) holds itself up as the guardian of tolerance and open mindedness, however even a hint of religiousity on an american campus is not tolerated and a priest is the boogeyman.

 

[kbean]

I'm not saying that schools don't have the right to be religious--they absolutely do. However, I would not be a good fit for a school that would require me to participate in overtly religious activities or study psychology as it fits into the theoretical framework of a particular religion (much like I would not be a good fit at a school that subscribes strongly to a psychodynamic orientation, because I don't particularly believe in it).

I couldn't care less if other students would like to study psychology under the guidelines of a certain religion, but I'm not interested in that. I asked the question purely to help me decide if I wanted to apply to some schools that were on my list.

 

[FadedC]

I'm a queer liberal in a mixed race same sex relationship. I decided against applying to any of the religious schools for the same reasons (had a research match at Fordham).

I attend Fordham and I don't think you would have felt remotely out of place here. A lot of people don't even realize it's theoretically a religious school and the only signs you will see are posters in the lobby iniviting people to service (and really you see those in non religious schools as well). One of my professors this semester is openly gay so I kind of doubt there's much prejudice there.