Master's Program
Full-time or Part-time • 36 credits • Day and Evening Course Offerings
Our most comprehensive graduate theology program. It has a simple, transparent structure that invites you to design your own course of studies based on your academic and professional interests. You may develop a concentration of four courses in up to two areas of study. The program offers a flexible schedule of day and evening classes, making it easier to juggle your coursework, job, and home life.
Joint Programs
Combined MA in Theology/Certificate in Pastoral Ministry
Full-time or Part-time • 42 credits • Day and Evening Course Offerings
This innovative program offers you the opportunity to combine our MA in Theology with our Certificate in Pastoral Ministry and study lay ministry within the Catholic Christian theological tradition. The program is conducted jointly by the Department of Theology and Religious Studies, Center for Pastoral Ministry Education and Internship, and the Department of Education and Counseling. It prepares you for lay ministerial leadership and broadens your understanding of the dynamic interaction between theology and lay ministry. Its format allows you to complete both programs in just two years or in up to six years if you work while you pursue your career goals.
Combined Master of Arts & Certificate in Pastoral Ministry & Campus Ministry Internship
Full-time • 42 credits • On-campus Practicum
Like our combined MA/CERT in Pastoral Ministry program, this academically rigorous program combines the MA in Theology with the Certificate in Pastoral Ministry. In addition, it enrolls you in the Villanova Graduate Campus Ministry Internship Program. The program prepares you for lay ministerial leadership with a particular emphasis on campus ministry. Its format allows you to complete all three programs in just two years.
Combined Master of Arts & Certificate in History
Full- and Part-time • 39 credits • Day and Evening Course Offerings
This program combines the MA in Theology with the Certificate in History offered by the Department of History. It provides a unique opportunity to graduate students in theology who seek to advance their understanding of the historical context(s) of religious thought, institutions, and faith traditions.
Combined Master of Arts & Certificate in Education
Full- and Part-time • 42 credits • Day and Evening Course Offerings
This program is offered jointly by the Department of Theology and Religious Studies and the Department of Education and Counseling. The option to include course work in education is especially important for MA students whose professional goals include teaching Theology or Religion in Elementary Schools, High Schools, and Academies. The program can be completed in two years of full-time studies or in up to six years if you work while you pursue your career goals.
Dual Master's Degree Programs
Full-time or Part-time • Accelerated • Student Designed
Our dual degree programs provide alternate paths to Villanova degrees. If you wish to to complement your theological education with studies in related or different disciplines, this program is the choice for you. You may complete all requirements for two master's programs in cost- and time-effective manners. Most may be completed in three years rather than four years it would take to earn them separately. You may earn dual degrees within the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences or across colleges.
Certificate Programs
Full- and Part-time • 18 credits • Day and Evening Course Offerings
The objective of this unique program is to enrich your professional experience with academic learning and enhance your career in teaching, ministry, or administration. It is independent of the MA in Theology degree program and includes coursework in theological, ministerial, and interdisciplinary studies and a ministerial practicum. You may be enrolled in the Certificate program only or pursue the Certificate in combination with our MA in Theology Program. If you plan to study part-time you may enroll in as little as one course per semester. To permit part-time students to work during the day, we schedule most courses in the late afternoon and evening hours.
Full- and Part-time • 18 credits • Day and Evening Course Offerings
A flexible program designed with applicants in mind who do not have a master's degree in theology or religion but wish to explore their interest in seeking a master’s degree in theology. All earned credits count toward the master's degree. To meet the requirements for the Certificate you complete 18 semester graduate credit hours of study on choose courses on the basis of your interests and professional objectives.
Interdisciplinary Theological Inquiry
Full- and Part-time • 18 credits • Day and Evening Course Offerings
The program responds to the growing interest among applicants with diverse levels of academic and professional expertise in pursuing Catholic Christian theological studies. It is a flexible gateway to a plurality of professional and personal opportunities. We designed this Certificate with students in mind who have not previously studied graduate theology or religion. You may choose two courses from non-theological fields of inquiry (for example, in the Humanities or Social Sciences) that complement your studies.
Full- and Part-time • 15 credits • Day and Evening Course Offerings
This certificate is open to students who have already earned a master's degree in Theology or Religion. It permits you to supplement your education and expand your knowledge of specific theological trends or areas. You may also tailor courses to your specific needs and professional objectives. The curriculum, which you develop yourself by choosing from among any of our graduate courses, provides the education you need to stay current in today's changing world and workplace.
Advanced Interdisciplinary Theological Inquiry
Full- and Part-time • 18 credits • Day and Evening Course Offerings
This unique program is modeled after the inter-disciplinary and multi-disciplinary nature of our MA in Theology program. It includes coursework in theological studies and related fields of inquiries. It is designed with students in mind who already have completed graduate course work in theology or religion. The program welcomes regional applicants with diverse levels of academic and professional expertise interested in exploring the intersection of theology and other academic disciplines. Like the other programs in theology, this certificate advances your understanding of theological knowing in the Augustinian tradition, which is distinctive in its emphasis on the union of mind and heart.
