Master of Divinity Program (M.DIV.) - The Configuration Stage

All seminarians who enter into theological studies at STPSU are enrolled in the MDiv Program. Together with MDiv Program Requirements and 12 units of Ordination Requirements, seminarians who successfully complete this course of study will have the intellectual formation necessary for priestly ministry.

With STPSU’s comprehensive and integrative theological curriculum, seminarians come to embody the Church’s rich intellectual heritage so that they can communicate it faithfully and convincingly to others. Field experiences integrated with the curriculum equip the seminarians with the administrative and ministerial skills for parish leadership. Courses in Homiletics and preaching opportunities for our transitional deacons help form engaging preachers. Our Liturgical Theology course sequence, community liturgies, and Practicum courses expose our seminarians to the beauty of the Liturgy so that they can celebrate the Sacraments reverently.

Prerequisites for Admission:

Applicants must have an undergraduate degree, have completed 30 semester units of philosophy in the areas identified in the Program of Priestly Formation (6^th ed.) and 12 semester units of religious studies. All other admission requirements as outlined in Section IV of the amademic catalog apply.

Program Learning Outcomes:

By the end of the program, students will be able to:

1. Explain the Catholic Faith as revealed in Sacred Scripture and Tradition and historically developed by the Magisterium.
2. Apply prudently the principles of faith and morals to the lived experiences of the Christian faithful.
3. Preach the Word of God faithfully and effectively. 
4. Apply the relevant principles and norms in the reverent celebration of the liturgy and the sacraments.
5. Demonstrate the qualities of spiritual fatherhood in pastoral ministry. 
6. Practice responsible and collaborative leadership in parish administration.  

Program Requirements:

The first sequence of the MDiv curriculum equips seminarians with the necessary Scriptural and Theological foundations. The second sequence, “Pastoral Foundations”, provides students with courses in Pastoral Theology and offers a Pastoral Year Internship. The Pastoral Year Internship is a 9-month full-time parish experience of pastoral ministry, typically in the student’s own diocese. This program is a five-unit program carefully monitored by a trained on-site supervisor (usually the pastor) in conjunction with the Director of the Pastoral Year Internship at the Seminary. Normally, the Pastoral Year Internship takes place after Theology II. Two online pastoral courses (Introduction to Parish Ministry and Introduction to Parish Administration & Finance) are taken during the Pastoral Year to support the internship experience. After the Pastoral Year, students return to the Seminary for the completion of their final two years of theological training, the “Synthesis and Application” sequence.

The academic courses, which contribute to the achievement of Program Learning Outcomes, cover the following specific areas and number of credits:

*Students may opt to take Pastoral Spanish/Greek/Latin in lieu of Field Education in Fall and Spring semesters of Theology I. 

Ordination Requirements:

In addition to the MDiv curriculum, all seminarians are required to complete the following 12 credits of Ordination Requirements: 

• SS-5217: Luke-Acts (2)
• SS-5218: Matthew-Mark (2) 
• MT-5202: Virtues and Vices (3) 
• SD-5213: Christology/Soteriology (3) 
• SD-4124: Patristics (2)

*Some dioceses may require additional language studies

The MDiv degree has the Pastoral Year Internship as a program requirement. If the diocese should decide not to include the Pastoral Year in a seminarian’s program, the student should earn the six credits of pastoral year through additional pastoral work during the seminary program.

To complete successfully the program, students are expected to maintain an overall Grade Point Average (GPA) of 2.0. During the last semester, the MDiv student must pass an oral comprehensive exam with a score of 2.5 out of 4.0. 

MDiv Course of Study

* = Ordination Requirement