The Master of Divinity is a degree that prepares students for
professional ministry in the Church. The introductory year
fosters the student’s commitment to ministry, serves as an
introduction to graduate study and pastoral field education.
The second phase of the program is M.A. studies, which examine the
richness of the Catholic faith and its theological heritage in the
light of modern human experience. The post-M.A. work ensures
that the student has a comprehensive and well-balanced program
conforming to M. Div guidelines established by the USCCB.
Learning Objectives
This program will prepare graduates to:
Demonstrate an understanding of biblical
scholarship.
- Articulate principles of contemporary biblical
scholarship.
- Demonstrate an understanding of how the contemporary Catholic
church interprets biblical writings.
- Demonstrate the ability to utilize contemporary hermeneutical
methods for critical reading.
Demonstrate an understanding of the
history of Christian tradition.
- Identify significant theological concepts from the bible that
pertain to the origins of Christian tradition.
- Articulate an understanding of the timeline of Christian
history.
- Articulate key elements of the Second Vatican Council as they
relate to current Catholic thinking.
- Demonstrate the ability to utilize historical method in
analyzing historical texts.
Demonstrate an understanding of Christian
moral teachings.
- Articulate principles of Christian moral teaching.
- Articulate principles of Catholic social teaching.
- Think analytically about ethical behavior in light of the
Catholic theological tradition.
- Apply principles of Christian morality to a variety of life
experiences.
Demonstrate an understanding of key topics
in systematic theology.
- Articulate an understanding of the person of Jesus, from
historical and theological perspectives.
- Articulate an understanding of the human person and his or her
dignity.
- Articulate an understanding of church structure and
worship.
- Engage in the process of developing a personal theology based
on the key topics of the Catholic theological tradition.
- Engage in the process of critical thinking about contemporary
systematic theology issues.
Demonstrate an understanding of the
world’s religions.
- Articulate the principles of Judaism
- Articulate the principles of Islam
- Articulate the principles of Hinduism
- Articulate the principles of Buddhism
- Engage in the process of critical thinking about the
relationships among the world’s religions.
Demonstrate an understanding of the
pastoral application of theological knowledge.
- Articulate principles of applying theological knowledge to
pastoral situations.
- Demonstrate the ability to trace biblical and historical
developments in ministry.
- Engage in the process of thinking critically about applications
of theological knowledge to pastoral situations.
Demonstrate competence in pastoral field
education
- Demonstrate the ability to provide pastoral care in a clinical
setting.
- Demonstrate the ability to preach.
- Demonstrate the ability to preside at Church rituals.
- Demonstrate the ability to think critically about ministry in
contemporary society.
Conduct independent scholarly
research
- Gather, organize, and present information using the Chicago or
MLA style.
- Access and evaluate relevant information on the Internet, as
well as other contemporary sources that contribute to academic
discourse.
- Locate easily the best pertinent research sources pertaining to
the theological sub-specialties.
- Write essays and research papers that compare, contrast, and
evaluate theological concepts.
- Use empirical evidence and logical argumentation in the
presentation of theological concepts.
Graduate Admission
Information
Office of Graduate Admission
(718) 990-1601
gradhelp@stjohns.edu