Bachelor of Sacred Theology (S.T.B.)

The S.T.B. degree provides the student with the opportunity to attain a foundational theological orientation at the graduate level. (please note that everything said in this section is also applicable to the Joint S.T.B./M.Div. degree with the exception of what is said in the description of the Joint Baccalaureate in Sacred Theology (S.T.B.) and Master of Divinity (M.Div.) below.

Admission Requirements:
1. A bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university with a minimum GPA of 2.75.
2. An undergraduate foundation in philosophy (18 credits), including courses drawn from among the following areas: History of Philosophy, Logic, Metaphysics, Ethics, Philosophy of God, and Philosophical Anthropology.
3. An undergraduate background in theology and religious studies that includes one introductory course in the Old Testament (3 credits) and another introductory course in the New Testament (3 credits).
4. A reading knowledge of Latin.
5. A completed and signed application form (submitted through the Office of Graduate Admissions (OGA) website.
6. A Statement of Purpose: In an essay of 500-700 words, applicants state their purpose in undertaking graduate study in theology and religious studies. The essay also includes the applicant's academic objectives, research interests, and career plans as well as related qualifications, such as, e.g., collegiate activities, professional experience, community involvement, and any other substantial accomplishments not already mentioned on the application form.
7. Official Transcripts: Applicants should contact the registrar of every post-secondary school previously attended and request an official transcript be sent directly to the OGA. Transcripts marked "Student Copy" or "Issued to the Student" will not be accepted. Official transcripts must be sent in sealed envelopes with an official university stamp or signature across the seal to ensure confidentiality or sent electronically directly to the OGA. Please note: OGA provisionally accepts Unofficial Transcripts to help complete the application process; however, a Provisional admit hold will be placed on applicant's record, which will prevent the student from obtaining a copy of his or her Catholic University transcript or receiving a Catholic University diploma until it is resolved. Transcripts should show: (a) receipt of a B.A. degree from an accredited institution; (b) the courses completed toward the degree; (c) the grade in each course; and (d) the basis for grading in effect at the institution. Admission to University graduate courses for students completing their final year of undergraduate or graduate degree study at another institution is contingent upon the OGA’s receipt of the final transcript from that institution showing the conferral of the degree.
  Note: All transcripts issued from outside the United States must be certified by a recognized evaluator of international education records (such as WES or AACRAO), even if the transcripts are in English. Education completed at institutions outside of the United States, as shown by official documents, may be accepted as equivalent to educational experience in the United States subject to this evaluation.
8. Three Letters of Recommendation: Submit three confidential letters of recommendation using the electronic form sent from the OGA. Along with the form, it is highly recommended to include a letter from the recommender. Recommendations should come from former or present college or university instructors and/or employers or supervisors and give evidence of the applicant's personal aptitude for, as well as interest in and motivation for, graduate level work in theology and religious studies.
9. Applicants to the degree programs of the School of Theology and Religious Studies (STRS) who are seminarians, priests, deacons, or members of religious communities are required to submit a letter of endorsement from their Bishop or Religious Superior (in addition to their three letters of recommendation) with their application. All applicants who will be funded for their studies by a diocese or religious community are required to submit a separate letter from their ecclesiastical superior attesting to this financial support.
10. Nonrefundable Application Fee.
11. An academic writing sample must be submitted.
12. International Students: Applicants from non-English speaking nations as well as some from nations where English is one of the official languages whose previous education has not been at institutions of higher education in the United States are required to certify their proficiency in English by submitting scores from the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) or the International English Language Testing System (IELTS). A minimum score on the TOEFL of 80 (Internet-based) is required. On the IELTS an overall band score of 6.5 or higher is required.
Coursework Requirements:
The S.T.B. degree requires 69 credit hours with the following distribution:
1. Proseminar for New Graduate Ministerial Students (TRS 699A), which is to be taken during the student’s first fall semester in the program.
2. Foundational credit hours (21): Introduction to Theology (3), Foundations of Christian Moral Life (3), Introduction to Patristic Theology (3), Foundations of Liturgy and Sacramental Theology (3), Pastoral Theology (3), Introduction to the History of Christian Spirituality (3), and Basic Principles of Canon Law (3). Introduction to Theology, Foundations of Christian Moral Life, Foundations of Liturgy and Sacramental Theology, and Pastoral Theology must be taken by S.T.B. students during their first year in the program.
3. Systematic Theology credits hours (15) beyond Introduction to Theology, as follows: Theology of God (3), Christian Anthropology (3), Christology (3), Theology of the Church (3), and Christian Eschatology (3).
4. Liturgical Studies and Sacramental Theology credit hours (6) beyond the Foundations of Liturgy and Sacramental Theology course to be chosen from the following list: Sacraments of Initiation (3), Eucharist (3), Sacraments of Reconciliation and Anointing (3), and Ordained Ministries (3).
5. Moral Theology credit hours (9) beyond the Foundations of Christian Moral Life course, i.e. Christian Marriage and Family (3), Christian Social Ethics, and (3), Biomedical Ethics (3).
6. Scripture credit hours (15): Two courses from Old Testament offerings (6), two courses from New Testament offerings (6), and one course chosen from either set of offerings (3). These courses are to be chosen from the following list: Pentateuch; Prophecy in Israel; Psalms; Wisdom Literature; Synoptic Gospels; The Gospel According to John; and Pauline Letters.
7. Church History credit hours (3): One course chosen from the appropriate offerings in the field.
8. Students who are candidates for priesthood in the Catholic Church must take 1 course in a non-Catholic ecclesial tradition during their course of studies.
9. Students must maintain a grade point average of at least 2.75 in their coursework to be eligible for the S.T.B. degree. Students who incur two or more failing grades in formal coursework are subject to academic dismissal.
Language Requirements:
Students must demonstrate a reading knowledge of Latin. This requirement should be satisfied by the end of the first year of studies in the program. Students may be exempted from this requirement by passing a proficiency test administered online through the Greek and Latin Department. The student should contact the department to arrange for the test between the time of matriculation and the first day of the fall semester. Students with insufficient Latin are required to take one of three options in their first year of studies: 1) LAT 501 (Introduction to Elementary Latin) in the fall semester for three credits; or 2) LAT 501X-LAT 501Y (Introduction to Elementary Latin) in the fall and spring semesters for two credits per semester; or 3) LAT 509 in the summer semester for six credits in either an online or on-campus format. It is highly recommended that students who anticipate proceeding to the STL program take LAT 509 in order to achieve a higher level of Latin reading proficiency. See further under Five-Year S.T.B.-S.T.L sequence. No other languages are required for the S.T.B. degree.
Comprehensive Examination:
1. To qualify for the comprehensive examination, the student must have satisfied the Latin requirement and have a grade point average of 2.75 or above. Awarding of the S.T.B. degree depends on the successful completion of the comprehensive examination.
2. Usually, students take the comprehensive examination during their sixth semester of study. The subject matter of the examination is material covered in the courses in (a) Systematic and Sacramental Theology; (b) Moral Theology; and (c) Scripture.
3. The comprehensive exam consists of a three-hour written examination, which will be graded by a total of six STRS faculty members, two from each of the three academic areas mentioned in ii.
4. In order to pass the comprehensive examination, a student must receive an average grade of 2.5 (on a scale of 0 to 4.0) on the exam.
5. Candidates for the S.T.B. degree may not continue their studies for this degree after failing the comprehensive examination twice.
Residency Requirements:
The residency requirement for the S.T.B. degree is six semesters of full-time enrollment or the equivalent.
Transfer Students:
Students transferring to STRS from another institution may ask to have up to 33 graduate credit hours for work done at their former institutions applied towards their S.T.B. requirements.

Only courses in which the student received a grade of B or higher can be considered for transfer credit.

Transfer students should discuss their transfer of credits questions with The Associate Dean for Graduate Ministerial Studies who will make the final decision about the number of credits that may be transferred.