Archives: Major/Minors

Your studies in historical and systematic theology will delve into the earliest days of the church and allow you to develop a profound understanding of the Christian faith. Your coursework will span topics of spiritual formation, church and Christian traditions, the teachings of the Christian faith, history of Christianity, and the nature and ministry of church.

Trinity’s campus is located in Palos Heights, Ill., just a few miles from Chicago. That means you will have the resources of the nation’s third-largest city minutes away as you conduct your field education and seek out opportunities to put your faith into practice.

As a biblical studies major at Trinity, you will have the opportunity to explore the word of God in close detail, with a foundation built on our strong liberal arts tradition and Reformed worldview. In your academic studies, you will focus on specific sections of the Bible, such as the historical books, the prophets, the gospels, and the epistles.

A biblical studies degree from Trinity will prepare you for a vocation in churches, non-profit organizations, schools, and mission agencies or to continue your studies in graduate or seminary school.

You can also take biblical studies as a second major, which prepares you to develop a Christian perspective in other academic and vocational areas.

Trinity’s location, in the suburbs of Chicago, offers unmatched opportunities for servant leadership. There are also many options for summer work in missions, ministries, camps, and churches.

Music is a gift of God and one of the best ways to praise His name. By majoring in music education at Trinity, you will learn to listen to music with discrimination and sensitivity, carefully analyze music, display technical competence in performance, and interpret music expressively. With a bachelor of art degree from Trinity in music education, you will also earn a minor in K-12 education.

Since Trinity is located just 25 miles from downtown Chicago, you will be in the heart of a vibrant music scene that ranges from classical to blues, with everything in between.

Music education majors are eligible for the Illinois Professional Educator License with an endorsement to teach at the elementary, middle, and secondary levels (K-12).

With a minor in urban studies, you will delve into advanced urban sociology and its analysis and application. And your studies will be more than theoretical—since Trinity is less than 25 miles from downtown Chicago, you will have unparalleled opportunities for hands-on learning in the nation’s third-largest city.

If law school is part of your future plans, a Pre-Law minor from Trinity
will help prepare you for the next step in your journey.  This interdisciplinary minor offers a core of History, Philosophy, and Political Science courses, and it allows you to choose additional courses in particular areas of interest.  Course work will help prepare you for the Law School Admissions Test (LSAT), for law school, and for a career as a lawyer.

You will also develop:

• Greater knowledge of American government
• Advanced skills in reading, thinking, writing, and speaking, and
• Familiarity with broader historical, social, and legal themes.

Finally, you will be challenged to think about how a legal career can be an opportunity to serve God’s justice and love in this fallen world.

By studying history education at Trinity, you will learn to see how God has shaped our world from the Creation to today. A historical view of people, places, and events gives meaning to current developments around the globe.

History education majors double major in middle grades social science education.  With this course of study, you will be eligible for an Illinois Professional Educator License in two endorsement areas: secondary (9-12) social science: history and middle grades (5-8) social science.

With a minor in Black Studies, you will explore the global experience of people of African descent through history, literature, music, politics, psychology, and sociology. A black studies minor will increase your knowledge of black culture and help you better understand the world.

The interdisciplinary nature of the minor will also help you develop the ability to consider the world from multiple perspectives, enhancing your understanding of your major field and better preparing you for a career or graduate studies.

The Black Studies minor is an important part of Trinity’s mission. By increasing your overall knowledge about the diverse peoples of God’s kingdom and their legacy, you will better understand both the brokenness of the world and the possibilities for redemption. Black Studies minor is beneficial to students of any race, ethnicity, or major and may be of particular interest for those considering programs in history, English, social work, or education.

Your love of words and web design can set you on the path to your career. Expert writing, combined with design skills and technological know-how about the web, will open many opportunities: in professional careers, business, non-profit organizations, civic life, and more. The writing and web design B.A. can even be paired with a second major to strengthen your graduating profile.

Trinity’s writing and web design B.A. draws on courses in visual design from the art department, in web technologies from the computer science department, and on writing from the English and communication arts departments. The writing courses focus on professional writing, media writing, journalism, and writing on social issues, as well as poetry and fiction writing.

No matter what your major is, a minor in writing will be invaluable throughout any career you chose. You will take courses in both Communication Arts and English, as well as writing-intensive classes.

The growing number of English language learners is transforming our schools.  Along with enriching our communities, teachers are also challenged to recognize the unique needs of these students.

In order to prepare teachers for these challenges, Trinity offers a minor in English as a second language/bilingual. This minor meets the State of Illinois requirements of endorsement to work in English as a second language or bilingual education classroom. Students who pursue the bilingual endorsement must take the applicable Target Language Proficiency test.