Master of Theological Studies

Applying to Doctoral Programs

Doctoral Program Placements

In recent years, Notre Dame M.T.S. students have been admitted with full funding to doctoral programs at Harvard University, the University of Chicago Divinity School, Duke University, Johns Hopkins University, Emory University, the University of Southern California, the University of Colorado, and the University of Buffalo, as well as the University of Notre Dame, Fordham University, Catholic University of America, and Loyola University in Chicago.

Postponing Doctoral Work

We have found that up to half of graduating M.T.S. students do not go on for doctoral work right away, but rather decide to teach theology at the high school level for a few years before going on. The Department has made both doctoral work and high school teaching the two objectives of the M.T.S. degree, and it is increasing the courses offered to prepare students to be effective teachers, as well as effective researchers.

Applying to Notre Dame's Doctoral Program

The M.T.S. program prepares people to be admitted into the finest Ph.D. programs in the country, including Notre Dame’s. However, there is no formal linkage between this University’s M.T.S. and Ph.D. programs.

M.T.S. students will need to fill out the same application for our Ph.D. that students from other institutions do and will compete against a national pool of applicants.

However, M.T.S. students have the distinct advantage of being known by our faculty for over three semesters by the time they apply for the Ph.D., and if they have done well here that cannot but help their application.

Learn about applying to the Notre Dame Doctoral Program in Theology >

Transfer of Credits

Students who have completed the M.T.S. degree and are admitted to the Ph.D. Program in Theology at Notre Dame may, at the end of their first year of doctoral work, petition the Ph.D. Committee for the transfer up to nine (9) semester credit hours of M.T.S. courses to their Ph.D. program.

Learn more about credit transfers at The Graduate School > http://graduateschool.nd.edu/html/policies/index.html#transfer_credits

Graduate School > http://graduateschool.nd.edu/index.html