Program Overview

Catholic Theology (M.A.)

The M.A. in Catholic Theology consists of 10 courses for students concentrating in the historical or systematic areas and 12 courses for students concentrating in Bible. All students take a core of six classes comprised of two courses each from the biblical, historical, and systematic wings of the department.

Requirements

• Core Courses:
  • THEO 5820: Hebrew Bible/Old Testament Interpretation (3 credits)
  • THEO 5890: New Testament Interpretation (3 credits)
  • THEO 5300: History of Christianity I (3 credits)
  • THEO 5301: History of Christianity II (3 credits)
  • THEO 5620: Introduction to Systematic Theology (3 credits)
  • THEO 5640: Introduction to Theological Ethics (3 credits)
• Electives: 12 to 18 credits
  • Six additional courses required for the Bible concentration
  • Four additional courses required for the Historical Theology concentration
  • Four additional courses for the Systematic Theology concentration
• Language Requirement:
  • One of the following:
    • ZZGA 0941: GSAS Language Exam
    • FREN 5090: French for Reading
    • SPAN 5090: Spanish for Reading
    • GERM 5001: Graduate Reading in German I
• Final Research Project:
  • THEO 0938: Master's Capstone-Theology (0 credits)
• Total Credits: 30-36

Language Requirements

Proficiency in either French or German is also required for the master's degree (Spanish may be substituted for one of these languages depending on the student's academic interests). The ability to read theology in a foreign language is important for two reasons: It makes the student a member of a community of theologians that is broader than English-speaking North Americans, and it enriches the theological imagination by offering access to different ways of speaking and hence of thinking.

Core Course Examinations

Every M.A. student is required to take a subject examination immediately at the end of each core course to fulfill the requirements of the master's degree. These exams are the same as the course's final exam. These exams will be comprehensive in scope in the sense that they will cover the material studied over the duration of the semester.

Final Research Project

Each M.A. student will select a paper written for one of their courses and will revise the paper to develop interdisciplinary dimensions of this work in light of conversations conducted with faculty members in two fields of study other than the one in which the paper was originally prepared. The revised paper will be submitted by the Friday of the 12th week of the student's final semester to the three faculty members involved in the project. In consultation with these three faculty members, the student will schedule a one-hour time period during the last week of the semester for an oral exam on the paper. The oral exam will explore the interdisciplinary and integrative character of the work conducted.

CIP Code

38.0203 - Christian Studies.