Courses
The MDiv program is carefully designed to give students a strong, common foundation for ministry as well as the freedom to explore the theological and pastoral topics that would best serve their own particular vocational paths. All students (lay and seminarian) generally take the same set of foundational courses in the first year, establishing a strong cohort community grounded in an exploration of the richness of the Catholic faith. Years two and three continue to have a set of required common courses as well as electives.
Biblical Studies (12 credits)
- Introduction to the Old Testament
- Introduction to the New Testament
- Biblical studies elective
- Biblical studies elective
- Regularly offered electives include: the Prophets, the Bible in its Ancient Near Eastern Context, the Option for the Poor in the Bible, the Gospel of John, the Synoptic Gospels, and the Letters of Paul
History of Christianity (6 credits)
- Introduction to the Early Church
- History elective
- Regularly offered electives include: U.S. Catholicism, Images of Church and Reform, Patristic Exegesis, Medieval Theology, the Church in Africa, the Qur’an and the Bible, and Contemplation and Action.
Liturgical Studies (6 credits)
- Sacramental Theology
- Liturgy elective
- Regularly offered electives include: Liturgical History, the Liturgical Year, Initiation, Eucharist, Liturgy and the Female Body, and the History of Christian Architecture
Moral Theology (6 credits)
- Foundations of Moral Theology
- Moral Theology elective
- Regularly offered electives include: Christian Ethics and Pastoral Praxis, Catholic Social Teaching, Medical Ethics, Sexual Ethics, Improvising Peace, and Christian Political Theology and Ethics
Systematic Theology (15 credits)
- Fundamentals of Systematic Theology
- Christ the Beautiful
- Ecclesiology
- Orders and Ministry
- Systematics elective
- Regularly offered electives include: Theologians of Grace, Mystery of God, Christian Spirituality, U.S. Latino Theology, Feminist and Multicultural Theology, and Teología en español
Pastoral Studies (17 credits)
- Five semesters field education seminars
- Fundamentals of Pastoral Care
- Pastoral Administration
- Preaching I
- Preaching II
- Liturgical Celebration I
Human and Spiritual Formation (6 credits)
- Human and Spiritual Formation (1 credit each semester)
Electives (6 credits)
Students also have six credits of open electives that can be taken in any area of study or even outside of the department. In recent years, in addition to course in Theology, students have taken courses in Poetry, Philosophy, Literature, Accounting, Italian, Swahili, Spanish, French, and Latin and much more.