Since 2005, about 50% of MTS alumni have entered Ph.D. programs in theology, religious studies, and related fields. Other alumni have elected to pursue another advanced degree, such as a second master’s degree or a law degree.
A significant number of alumni have accepted teaching positions, usually at high schools. Still others have gone into academic administration, worked for nonprofit organizations, accepted positions involving Church service, or entered other fields, such as publishing.
Of the MTS students who apply for doctoral programs, more than 80% have been accepted into at least one Ph.D. program in recent years, with last year’s acceptance rate being 90%.
About 150 MTS alumni have entered doctoral programs in the past 15 years, for an average of about 9.5 students per year. Many of these alumni accepted offers of admission from a doctoral program at Notre Dame. Since 2005, a total of 80 — more than 56% — have elected to remain at Notre Dame for their Ph.D. Others have entered doctoral programs in North America or abroad, including at Boston College, the University of Chicago, Duke University, Harvard University, Johns Hopkins University, Yale University, and many others.
I loved the MTS program because it provided me with a broad understanding and approach to theology, which I had not been introduced to in my undergraduate education as a chemical engineering and history major. In addition, my cohort had diverse interests and backgrounds which led to fascinating discussions, and I enjoyed the opportunity of serving as a teaching assistant and journeying with undergraduates and/or graduate students each semester. My MTS experience ultimately gifted me with a desire to be student-facing at a Catholic collegiate institution and prepared me thoroughly for the position I now have.
The MTS program at Notre Dame provided me with a rigorous theological education that challenged me to grow, think, and write in new and deeper ways. It fostered an integrated approach to theology, where the life of faith and the life of the mind are not separated but mutually enriching. Most importantly, I was encouraged to situate theology within the pressing needs of the Church and the world, all within a community that was rich in mentorship and friendship.
