About
We are committed to the conception of theology as the science of “faith seeking understanding.” Our teaching and research are dedicated both to a creative appropriation of the riches of the Christian tradition and to a thorough engagement with the questions and concerns of the contemporary world.
Like the University of Notre Dame itself, the department is explicitly Catholic in its religious tradition and is centrally engaged with the interpretation and articulation of the Catholic tradition. At the same time, we comprise a wide range of religious perspectives, and we are committed to ecumenical and interreligious dialogue.
With programming in academic, pastoral, spiritual, and professional formation, the Department of Theology prepares students for rewarding careers in a variety of fields. MTS and Ph.D. students typically go on for further studies or careers in teaching and scholarship. While some M.Div. students go on for further graduate studies, the majority graduate to careers in pastoral leadership and pastoral ministry in the Catholic Church. Our M.A. students generally continue in the fields they are already in as they enter the program.
Therefore every scribe who has been trained for the kingdom of heaven is like a head of a household, who brings forth out of his treasure things new and old.
– Matthew 13:52 NAS
Accreditation and educational effectiveness
In line with the accreditation requirements of the Association of Theological Schools, we publish the following statement of educational effectiveness:
Each of our graduate programs maintains a high graduation rate, with nearly all students completing the degree. For Ph.D. students who started between 2014–20 (113 total), 84% graduated, with 10% still in progress; for MTS students starting between 2017–23 (145 total), 92% graduated; for M.Div. students starting between 2015–20 (88 total), 82% graduated, with 2% still in the program. M.Div. students who did not graduate were almost entirely men in formation with the Congregation of Holy Cross who discerned not to continue in formation. Over 95% of lay students who began the M.Div. completed the program. For M.A. students starting between 2015–20 (276 total), 90% graduated, with 5% still in the program.
Our programs also continue to place students well in their respective fields. For Ph.D students graduating between 2018-2025, 65% are in full-time academic employment (52% tenure-track), 8% are in postdoctoral fellowships, 14% have other full-time professional employment, inside or outside higher education. Over the past five years, 90% of our lay M.Div. graduates found full-time employment before or very soon after graduation. Of the 112 MTS graduates between 2020–25, 51% entered top-tier Ph.D. programs, with the remainder going into diverse fields (with high school teaching being the second most frequent outcome). Our M.A. does not keep placement statistics since most of our students in that program already have employment when starting the program.
Our students also express a high degree of satisfaction with their programs. A recent survey (summer 2024) of Ph.D. students found that 92% were satisfied or extremely satisfied with the program; 92% of our 2024 MTS graduating class reported that they were satisfied or very satisfied with the program. Our M.Div. and M.A. programs collect mainly qualitative data on student satisfaction. However, a recent survey of 38 graduates of the M.Div. program focused on pastoral formation reported a high degree of satisfaction, with 96% rating the formation they receive as good, very good, or excellent.
[updated in March 2026]
Support us
The Department of Theology welcomes your support in any number of ways. We value the time, talent, and treasure of our graduates and friends and welcome collaborative efforts to further our work. Make a gift or connect with the department about other ways to get involved.