The Master of Divinity program is open to diocesan, religious, and lay students. This is a four-year program. The curriculum consists of four major areas: Sacred Scripture, Systematic Theology, Church History, and Pastoral Studies.

"The Master of Divinity degree is the normative degree to prepare persons for ordained ministry and for general pastoral and religious leadership responsibilities in congregations and other settings.  It is the required degree for admission to the Doctor of Ministry degree program, and the recommended first theological degree for admission to advanced programs oriented to theological research and teaching” (The Association of Theological Schools Bulletin 47, Part 1, 2006, p. 191).

The goals of the program are as follows:

• Students will learn the doctrinal heritage of the Roman Catholic Church and acquire the capacity to communicate this heritage through academic courses in systematic theology, Sacred Scripture, Church history, pastoral and spiritual theology, and pastoral studies, as well as formation conferences and structured opportunities for faith sharing;
• Students will develop pastoral and leadership skills required by the diverse contexts and cultural dimensions of Roman Catholic parish ministry, by acquiring the academic and professional competency needed to begin ecclesial ministry;
• Students will develop a commitment to life-long learning, rooted in the Word of God and integrated with their spiritual lives;
• Students will acquire the competency requisite for preaching that is biblically grounded, doctrinally sound, pastorally focused and rhetorically effective.

The admission requirements are as follows:

• A bachelor’s degree from an accredited college;
• 18 credits in philosophy for non-ordination students and, in accord with the Program of Priestly Formation. 30 credits for ordination students; 12 credits in Judeo-Christian theology (please see the Pre-Theology cycle of courses on page 8);
• 2 credits in New Testament Greek and a working knowledge of Latin;
• Non-ordination students are required to have a personal interview with the Academic Dean and to submit three letters of recommendation, at least one of which must be from a person who knows their academic ability;
• In particular circumstances, the Admissions Committee will determine whether deficiencies may be corrected after admission;
• Students for whom English is a second language are required to submit scores from a recent TOEFL examination, according to the requirements on page 20;
• In order to apply previous course work to the Pre-Theology core requirements, courses must have been taken within the last ten years; and
• Those applying for the ordination program must submit all of the required documents and meet the requirements listed on the current Admissions Checklist before being admitted into the ordination program.

The degree requirements are as follows:

• 100 credits as specified:
  • 14 credits in Sacred Scripture
  • 24 credits in Systematic Theology
  • 12 credits in Church History
  • 24 credits in Pastoral Studies, (6 of which must be in field education and 6 more in Pastoral Counseling)
  • 26 credits in electives (including one two-credit seminar);
• A grade point average of 2.5;
• A minimum of 60 credits must be accomplished at Saint Vincent Seminary. Note that not all transfer credits and courses can apply to the ordination program

The Ordination Program builds on the foundation of the Master of Divinity degree program but goes beyond it. Hence, 120 credits are required, or 20 more than the number of credits required for the Master of Divinity degree. A maximum of 60 credits may be transferred. Note that transfer credits must have been earned within the previous ten year period and not all courses may be transferred into the Seminary Ordination Program. Ordination students will receive their Master of Divinity degrees after their fourth year of study.

A candidate must complete all degree requirements within ten years after acceptance into the M.Div. program.

A normal credit load for the Master of Divinity candidate 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.

A student may be dismissed by the Seminary for failing to attain a cumulative average of 2.5 by the end of the second semester. If a student’s cumulative average falls below 2.5 in the second year of theology, a warning letter will be issued.  If the required cumulative average is not attained by the end of the following semester, the student is subject to dismissal. A student may be readmitted to the Seminary if he or she does acceptable remedial work.  Once readmitted, the student must maintain the required cumulative average at each grading period.  A second dismissal is final.