Boston College ranked sixth among the world's top universities in Theology, Divinity & Religious Studies in the 2018 QS World University Rankings, further advancing its strategic goal of becoming the world’s leading Catholic university and theological center.
The Theology, Divinity & Religious Studies ranking, which aims to help prospective students identify the world’s leading schools in their field of interest, is based on academic reputation, employer reputation, and research impact. Boston College was the highest-ranked Catholic institution in the survey.
The top 10 schools in this year’s QS rankings are Harvard University, Oxford, Durham and Cambridge universities in Great Britain, Vrije Universiteit in Amsterdam, Boston College, University of Notre Dame, University of Toronto and KU Leuven University in Belgium (tied), and University of Chicago.
Provost and Dean of Faculties David Quigley said the ranking is a testament to the University's well-earned reputation as a global leader in theological studies.
“Here at Boston College, we take great pride in the strength of our faculty and students in Theology and related disciplines, and in our scholars' commitment to engaging a range of publics around Boston and around the globe,” said Quigley. “The QS World Rankings offer helpful external validation of our community of theologians and the high esteem in which they are held by colleagues in the field.”
“The QS rankings are gratifying to see, as the School of Theology and Ministry strives hard to be a community of scholars and students who bring outstanding theological training to ministry in and for the Church,” said School of Theology and Ministry Dean Thomas Stegman, S.J. “Our primary concern remains to grow more in embodying the way of excellence set forth by Christ in the Gospels. We are pleased to share this impressive ranking with our colleagues in the Theology Department within the Morrissey College of Arts and Sciences. ”
Theology Department chair Richard Gaillardetz, holder of the University's Joseph Chair in Catholic Systematic Theology, said the rankings reflect the hard work and commitment of faculty to teaching, research, and service.
“We are gratified to learn of our recent international ranking,” said Gaillardetz. “We have worked hard as a department to maintain, along with the School of Theology and Ministry, a world-class faculty that is committed to scholarship at the highest level, excellence in the classroom, and a concern for the welfare of our students. We hope to continue as a premier institution for students interested in pursuing advanced theological studies as we put our considerable intellectual resources to the service of the Church and world.”
The School of Theology and Ministry, which will celebrate its 10th anniversary in the coming academic year, prepares lay and religious graduate students from throughout the world for careers and vocations within the Church. Its graduates pursue leadership positions where their theological foundation and professional preparation support mission-based careers. The STM places 98 percent of all its graduates in careers within six months of graduation.
The Theology Department provides undergraduate and graduate students with the knowledge and skills necessary for reasoned reflection on their values, faith and tradition, as well as on the religious forces that shape our society and world. The department’s five primary areas of research include biblical studies, historical theology/history of Christianity, comparative theology, systematic theology, and theological ethics.
The QS Rankings are prepared by British firm Quacquarelli Symonds, considered to be among the most influential providers of international university rankings. Its Theology, Divinity & Religious Studies ranking was launched in 2017.
—University Communications