| Bachelor of Sacred Theology | |||
| Master of Arts | |||
| Master of Arts in Ecclesial Ministry | |||
| Master of Divinity | |||
| Permanent Diaconate | |||
| Dual Degree Program | |||
| Continuing Education | |||
| The Bachelor of Sacred Theology program (STB), granted in affiliation with the Dominican House of Studies in Washington, D.C., is open to ordination students. This four-year program consists of five major areas: Sacred Scripture, Systematic Theology, Church History, Pastoral Studies and Languages. | ||
| Goals |
The goals of the program are as follows:
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| Admission Requirements |
The admission requirements are as follows:
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| Degree Requirements |
Click this link to view the degree and course requirements for the S.T.B. degree. |
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| Academic Advisement |
Each S.T.B. candidate is responsible for seeking an academic advisor from among the faculty of Saint Vincent Seminary. The student obtains from the Academic Dean a copy of an agreement form that is signed by the faculty member and indicates that member’s willingness to serve as advisor. It is the student’s responsibility to meet regularly with his faculty advisor to discuss the student’s progress in studies, seminar projects, research and preparation for comprehensive examinations. |
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| Comprehensive Examinations |
Purpose of the Examination: The principal purpose of the written component of the S.T.B. examination is to test the candidate’s ability to articulate theological matters, especially as it concerns doctrinal formulation, scriptural basis, historical development and theological context. The principal purpose of the oral component of the examination will be to test the candidate’s ability to order these materials towards a reasoned theological judgment or conclusion. Structure of the Examination, Part One: A three-hour written examination in which the S.T.B. candidate will be asked to write on three areas, one each from the assigned areas of Sacred Scripture, Systematic Theology and Moral Theology-Pastoral Studies. In each area the candidate will be able to choose from three possible questions. Students are expected to provide thorough and exhaustive answers to each question. Structure of the Examination, Part Two: The oral component consists of a forty-five minute examination. The examination board for the oral examination consists of five individuals:
The oral component of the S.T.B. examination will be scheduled within two weeks of the written component. No student will be admitted to the oral examination without having passed the written examination. During the oral component of the examination a complete set of study questions will be provided in the examination room for reference by both the examiners and the candidate. A Bible will be provided for the oral examination. Note that questions on the oral examination will not be limited to the list of questions utilized for the written exam. These questions are intended as a study guide to prepare students to field a variety of theological questions from the three areas of examination. Grading of the Examination: A percentage grade will be assigned for each part of the written exam in accord with the Seminary grading scale. An 83% constitutes a passing grade on each section of the examination. The average of the three areas of the written examination counts for 50% of the total grade. For the oral examination, each examiner will assign a grade evaluating only those questions of the examination which he/she presented. The average of the grades given by the five examiners in the oral examination counts for 50% of the total grade. The grades for both the oral and written examinations will be available from the Office of the Academic Dean. The final result of the examinations are recorded on the official transcript. In case of failure in any part of either the written or the oral examination, the failed section can be repeated once. The results of the S.T.B. comprehensives will be incorporated into the student’s cumulative G.P.A. for the S.T.B. course of studies according to the following formula:
The results of the S.T.B. comprehensives do not affect the student’s G.P.A. for the M.Div. or M.A. degree programs. The final results of the student’s S.T.B. grade point average will be recorded on the official transcript in the following way:
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| Credit Load for Bachelor of Sacred Theology Students | A normal credit load for the Bachelor of Sacred Theology degree student is 16/17 credits per semester. This consists of a planned balance of courses, some more heavily academic, some more pastoral, to help facilitate a holistic integration of studies, reflection and ministerial skills. | |
| Credit Transfer | A maximum of 60 credits may be transferred from other graduate schools, although not all transfer credits or courses may necessarily apply to the program. | |
| Academic Dismissal from the Bachelor of Sacred Theology | A student may be dismissed by the Seminary from the S.T.B. program for failing to attain a cumulative average of 3.0 by the end of the second semester of study. If a student’s cumulative average falls below 3.0 in the second year of the program, a warning letter will be issued. If the required cumulative average is not attained by the end of the following semester, the student will be dismissed from the S.T.B. program. A student may be readmitted to the S.T.B. program if he does acceptable remedial work. Once readmitted, the student must maintain the required cumulative average at each grading period. A second dismissal from the program is final. | |