The Master of Arts in Pastoral Leadership is a 36-credit degree program that prepares men and women for leadership and service in the Church as lay ecclesial ministers and religious educators. It is intended for teachers and administrators in Catholic education, catechists, directors of religious education, counselors, youth ministers, those involved in ministries of mercy or prayer, or any other lay leader. Our students dedicate their professional and personal lives to be instruments of God’s work so that the Church will flourish.
The degree program’s curricular and co-curricular elements are designed to prepare candidates to demonstrate competence in the criteria included in the National Certification Standards for Lay Ecclesial Ministers. They also incorporate guidelines and directives from the National Directory for Catechesis, The National Standards and Benchmarks for Effective Catholic Elementary and Secondary Schools, and other ecclesial documents that address Catholic education and lay ecclesial ministry.
The Master of Arts in Pastoral Leadership Program seeks to integrate human, intellectual, spiritual, and pastoral formation.
- The goal of human formation is to assist the student’s development of an integrated life and Christ-like character that fosters healthy ministerial leadership and service.
- The goal of intellectual formation is to prepare students with a unified theological understanding of the Catholic faith, rooted in God's revelation and embodied in the living tradition of the Church, for the purpose of exercising effective and informed pastoral leadership within the Catholic Church.
- The goal of spiritual formation is to support the student’s development of a personal, ecclesial relationship with God the Father through Jesus Christ in the Holy Spirit by promoting the attitudes, personal disposition, and habits of prayer required for Christian discipleship.
- The goal of pastoral formation is to equip students with the pastoral, pedagogical, administrative, and leadership skills necessary to witness effectively to Christ and to contribute to the mission and ministries of the Church in a manner proper to the laity’s share in Christ’s role as priest, prophet and king.
In addition to the application requirements, these additional items are required for a complete application to the Master of Arts in Pastoral Leadership degree program.
- A personal statement of 500-800 words describing the applicant’s interest in the degree and reasons for pursuing study in this area.
- For applicants whose last academic degree was achieved within the last 7 years:
- Submit a writing sample of approximately 10-12 pages from one of your courses. It should demonstrate skills in critical thinking, logical development, and writing style. Two shorter pieces may be submitted, if a longer writing sample is not available.
- For applicants whose last academic degree was achieved more than 7 years ago:
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- Write a 3-5 page paper on a question based from the pillars of the Catechism of the Catholic Church (CCC). This gives you an opportunity to demonstrate your ability to grapple with a basic topic from the fundamentals of the Catholic faith. It should demonstrate skills in critical thinking, logical development, and writing style. Questions can be found in the online application.
- Three letters of recommendation from individuals who can assess the applicant’s academic and ministerial abilities.
- If the applicant is currently involved in ministry in a setting other than their home parish, a fourth letter of recommendation addressing that ministry.
Required Courses - 24 credits
Elective Courses - 12 credits
Non-credit bearing requirements - Spiritual, Ministerial and Human Formation; Capstone Portfolio and Assessment
Required courses
DVDT 503: Theological Anthropology - 3 credits
DVDT 530: Nature and Mission of the Church - 3 credits
DVDT 560: God and Revelation - 3 credits
DVMT 602: Fundamental Moral Theology and Catholic Social Teaching - 3 credits
DVPT 510: Theology of Pastoral Ministry - 3 credits
DVPT 605: Canon and Civil Law for Pastoral Ministry - 3 credits
DVPT 612: Foundations of Personal and Ecclesial Prayer - 3 credits
DVSS 507: Theology of Sacred Scripture - 3 credits
Frequently offered electives
DVST 605: Liturgy and Sacraments - 3 credits
DVPT 728: Catechetical Leadership - 3 credits
DVPT 738: Administration and Stewardship - 3 credits
DVPT 930: Curriculum Development - 3 credits
For more information, view the complete course listing for The Saint Paul Seminary School of Divinity. Additional electives may be taken with approval from the student's academic advisor.