![[Picture: Fr. Arthur Cavitt, O.P.]](../../images/acavitt.jpg)
Fr. Arthur Cavitt (M.Div., 2002) preaches at St. Alphonsus Ligouri Parish in St. Louis. Fr. Arthur is the minister of evangelization and spiritual advisor for the St. Charles Lwanga Center.
Preparing students for varied ministries, the Master of Divinity provides general theological education in the Roman Catholic tradition and professional skills that they will need to serve in ministry. Students in the M.Div. program learn to attend to the needs of the Church and promote social change in a manner that contributes to the common good.
What kind of skills will I acquire?
We expect graduates to:
Does the program train candidates for ordination to the priesthood?
Yes, it fulfills "The Program of Priestly Formation" guidelines set forth by the National Conference of Catholic Bishops. The spiritual formation of candidates and the exact requirements for ordination remain the responsibility of each candidate's sponsoring religious body. These students usually obtain a Master of Divinity degree as part of their preparation for ordination.
Can a lay Catholic apply for the M.Div. degree?
Increasingly, laity are being called to serve in pastoral leadership roles. The M.Div. is the comprehensive professional preparation for a career in ministry. To apply, follow the instructions contained in the Application for Admission. If you have any questions about downloading the application, read About PDF. A personal interview may also be advised.
Program Content
The 90 hours of course work required for the M.Div. degree are distributed as follows:
| Course Title | Credit Hours |
|---|---|
| Integrative Studies | |
| Proseminar | 3 |
| Integrative Seminar | 1 |
| Philosophy | |
| Uses of Philosophy in Theology | 3 |
| Biblical Studies | |
| Bible Interpretation | 3 |
| Old Testament Electives | 4 |
| New Testament Elective | 6 |
| Systematic Theology | |
| Introduction to Theology and Theological Method | 3 |
| Christology | 3 |
| Ecclesiology | 3 |
| Systematic Electives | 6 |
| Cross-Disciplinary Seminar | |
| Sacramental and Theological Foundations of Ministry | 3 |
| Historical Studies | |
| Church History I: Patristic and Medieval | 3 |
| Church History II: Reformation to Post-Modern Era | 3 |
| Moral Theology | |
| Foundations of Catholic Morality | 3 |
| Morality Electives | 6 |
| Pastoral Theology | |
| Foundations of Pastoral and Ethical Care | 3 |
| Foundations of Pastoral Counseling | 3 |
| Principles of Canon Law or Theology and Spirituality of Marriage | 3 |
| Preaching | |
| Foundations of Preaching I | 2 |
| Foundations of Preaching II | 2 |
| Liturgical Theology | |
| Theology of Worship | 3 |
| Christian Initiation or Eucharist | 3 |
| Liturgical Leadership I | 2 |
| Liturgical Elective | 3 |
| Professional Ministerial Formation | |
| Supervised Practice of Ministry I | 3 |
| Supervised Practice of Ministry II | 3 |
| Supervised Practice of Ministry III | 3 |
| Clinical Pastoral Education | 4 |
| Spiritual Formation | |
| Lay Formation I-VI (lay students only) | - |
Fr. Arthur Cavitt (M.Div., 2002) preaches at St. Alphonsus Ligouri Parish in St. Louis. Fr. Arthur is the minister of evangelization and spiritual advisor for the St. Charles Lwanga Center.
Aquinas Institute of Theology
23 South Spring Avenue
St. Louis, Missouri
63108-3323
800.977.3869
314.256.8800
314.256.8888 (fax)
admissions@ai.edu
Impelled by the Catholic faith and the Dominican mission, Aquinas Institute of Theology educates men and women to preach, to teach, to minister, and to lead.