Graduate studies

[Alterum]

I don’t know if this is quite the right forum, but I’m wondering for opinions on the Catholic University of America re: their graduate studies in theology. I understand that Duke and Notre Dame have pretty good schools: how does CUA compare? Are there other good schools as well? Thanks!

 

[Joannm]

I don’t know if this is quite the right forum, but I’m wondering for opinions on the Catholic University of America re: their graduate studies in theology. I understand that Duke and Notre Dame have pretty good schools: how does CUA compare? Are there other good schools as well? Thanks!

Since i have a grad degree in theology from Notre Dame I will put in a plug for the school. Despite all the bad press over one professor there, the rest of them are really good. I only had one professor that I did not like and he was a visiting prof.

I have friends who have been and are in the Theology dept at CUA and they love it. Duke is not a Catholic college, I think, so I would be a bit leary about their theology department with regard to Catholic theology.

 

[tuviskazinai]

Since i have a grad degree in theology from Notre Dame I will put in a plug for the school. Despite all the bad press over one professor there, the rest of them are really good. I only had one professor that I did not like and he was a visiting prof.

I have friends who have been and are in the Theology dept at CUA and they love it. Duke is not a Catholic college, I think, so I would be a bit leary about their theology department with regard to Catholic theology.

I think that most, if not all, of the Notre Dame grad programs offer full scholarships, too! As I’m sure you know, that is a BIG deal in graduate education.

I’ve heard that the Duke faculty and community are largely Baptist, but that the education is good. I have a friend who went there and appreciated the education she got, and was also happy to be one of a handful of Catholics on campus who were really able to bond.

I looked into div schools a year ago. Feel free to PM me if you want to compare notes…not that I know much! I thought CUA looked great, too, but I don’t know much about it. I would say it depends on what you want to study. Among the three you mentioned, for instance, I think that Duke is a lot more “professional ministry” oriented than the other two, which have both ministry and more academic / theological programs…but I may be wrong.

Good luck!

Peace,
+AMDG+

 

[Angel_Bradford]

Check out Saint Leo University’s Theology program. The chair is Dr. William Ditewig who was in charge of Deacon Formation for the USCCB and has written several books.

 

[Joannm]

I think that most, if not all, of the Notre Dame grad programs offer full scholarships, too! As I’m sure you know, that is a BIG deal in graduate education.

Peace,
+AMDG+

ND offers full scholarship for the Master in Theological Studies degree, not the MA in Theology and I am not sure about the MDiv. I know the PhD is full scholarship. The MA and MTS programs are fully academic and not focused on practical ministry but the MDiv is practical.

 

[Friar_David_O.Carm]

ND offers full scholarship for the Master in Theological Studies degree, not the MA in Theology and I am not sure about the MDiv. I know the PhD is full scholarship. The MA and MTS programs are fully academic and not focused on practical ministry but the MDiv is practical.

I have to ask this, why would a lay person wish to get an MDiv? The MDiv is required for priestly ordination. It is a four year professional masters degree program. Some of what is taught, such as preaching, is not really useful for a lay person in the areas of the Church that follow what the Church teaches.

There are other masters degree programs that are only two years and are not as expensive as the MDiv that I can see a lay person actually using.

 

[Joannm]

I have to ask this, why would a lay person wish to get an MDiv? The MDiv is required for priestly ordination. It is a four year professional masters degree program. Some of what is taught, such as preaching, is not really useful for a lay person in the areas of the Church that follow what the Church teaches.

There are other masters degree programs that are only two years and are not as expensive as the MDiv that I can see a lay person actually using.

There are many opportunites for lay people to preach outside of mass. I have given a preached reatreat several times and have given talks at communion breakfasts and days of recollection. Today with many lay people in ministry the MDiv can be very helpful. Also they get a year of pastoral ministry experience and since they are in class with seminarians they learn to work collaborativly. I agree that the practicums on celebrating the sacraments may not be as useful but they surely will learn how the sacraments are to be celebrated correctly which is helpful in positions they may get in parishes.

 

[Domer1997]

ND offers full scholarship for the Master in Theological Studies degree, not the MA in Theology and I am not sure about the MDiv. I know the PhD is full scholarship. The MA and MTS programs are fully academic and not focused on practical ministry but the MDiv is practical.

Notre Dame’s MDiv program is full scholarship for all who are accepted, assuming they will be working for the Catholic Church once graduated.

 

[Friar_David_O.Carm]

There are many opportunites for lay people to preach outside of mass. I have given a preached reatreat several times and have given talks at communion breakfasts and days of recollection. Today with many lay people in ministry the MDiv can be very helpful. Also they get a year of pastoral ministry experience and since they are in class with seminarians they learn to work collaborativly. I agree that the practicums on celebrating the sacraments may not be as useful but they surely will learn how the sacraments are to be celebrated correctly which is helpful in positions they may get in parishes.

That is one view, I am not sure I agree with it but I am open to it at this point.

This could change a bit though if the Church in America implements the recommendations from the report on the visitation of the Seminaries. The recommendation I am thinking of is separating those who are studying for the priesthood from the laity.