Chapter 4: Admission to the Jesuit School of Theology

Introduction

The Jesuit School of Theology of Santa Clara University appreciates your interest in our programs, and we warmly invite you to apply for admission to our school. Below is a description of the admissions prerequisites and application process for the various programs we offer. Please do not hesitate to contact us for additional information at JSTAdmissions@scu.edu.

Master of Divinity (M.Div.) Admission Requirements & Checklist

Prerequisites

  • Completion of a bachelor's degree. (Occasionally, an individual may be admitted with the academic equivalent of a bachelor's degree, subject to the discretion of the faculty.)
  • 9 semester hours or 12 quarter hours of philosophy. Typically, this prerequisite is satisfied by courses in the areas of history of philosophy, ethics, or systematic philosophy. Students preparing for ordination are required to have completed 24 semester units or 36 quarter hours of philosophy. At the discretion of the faculty, applicants with fewer than the required number of philosophy units may still be considered for admission, particularly if they have completed other relevant courses and have significant ministerial experience. However, these applicants may be required to complete additional philosophy coursework either prior to or upon enrollment in the M.Div. program.
  • The personal maturity and faith commitment commensurate with preparation for full-time ministry. To this end, preference is given to applicants with significant service or ministerial experience.

See the Full Application Checklist for more details.

Master of Theological Studies (M.T.S.) Admission Requirements & Checklist

Prerequisites

  • Completion of a bachelor's degree. (In some circumstances, an individual may be admitted with the academic equivalent of a bachelor's degree, subject to the discretion of the faculty.)

See the Full Application Checklist for more details.

Master of Arts (M.A.) Admissions

The Jesuit School of Theology offers the Masters of Arts (M.A.) degree in cooperation with the Graduate Theological Union (GTU)

The Master of Arts (Common M.A.) is a two-year program leading to an academic degree in theology. The program provides ecumenical and interreligious learning opportunities, and students have access to courses offered throughout the consortium, as well as many courses at UC Berkeley. The GTU M.A. student is required to affiliate with a member school. Students select a specific academic field or Area of Study as the focus of their M.A. work.

The primary academic base for the M.A. student is the school of affiliation, chosen according to the applicants study interests and/or denominational ties. The Common M.A. student affiliates with JST and chooses a JST faculty advisor appropriate for their intended program of study. The Common M.A. is an exciting opportunity to explore theology and religion in response to the challenges posed by contemporary cultures. Our students seek to understand the issues and hope to make a difference with their pursuits.

Please navigate to the Master of Arts (M.A.) admissions page on the GTU website for more details about applying to this program.

Master of Theology (Th.M.) Admission Requirements & Checklist

Prerequisites

  1. The Bachelor of Arts degree or its equivalent.
  2. The Master of Divinity or its academic equivalent must have been completed, with an overall 3.0 (B) average, within the previous five years at the Jesuit School of Theology or at a comparable theological center. Requests for exceptions will be considered by the Admissions Committee and the Academic Dean.

See the Full Application Checklist for more details.

Bachelor of Sacred Theology (S.T.B.) Admission Requirements & Checklist

Prerequisites

  1. The degree of Bachelor of Arts or its equivalent with at least 24 semester hours or 32 quarter hours of philosophy.
  2. A "suitable knowledge of the Latin language" is required. This is understood to be a working reading knowledge sufficient to use ecclesiastical documents in Latin. This requirement can be met either by course work, generally two semesters, or by an examination.
  3. The applicant should possess the personal maturity and faith commitment commensurate with preparation for full-time ministry. To this end, preference is given to applicants who have at least one year of post-college work experience, and at least part-time, direct ministerial experience.

See the Full Application Checklist for more details.

Licentiate in Sacred Theology (S.T.L.) Admission Requirements & Checklist

Prerequisites

  1. The Master of Divinity, Bachelor of Sacred Theology, or their academic equivalent must have been completed with an overall 3.0 (B) average, within the previous five years at the Jesuit School of Theology or at a comparable theological center. Requests for exceptions will be considered by the Admissions Committee and the Academic Dean.
  2. A "suitable knowledge of the Latin language" is required.  This is understood to be a working reading knowledge sufficient to use ecclesiastical documents in Latin.  This requirement can be met either by coursework, generally two semesters, or by an examination.
  3. The completion of 24 hours of philosophy.

To fulfill the Latin language pre-requisite for the S.T.L. program, language proficiency may be demonstrated by the following means:

  1. Successful completion of two semester-long, 3-unit courses, in the Latin language while in studies at JST.
  2. Four semesters of undergraduate language study with the equivalent of a B grade in the fourth semester.
  3. A written examination by a Latin instructor who is approved by the JST Academic Dean.
  4. Evidence of the completion of this language requirement at another school (transcript notation is acceptable).

See the Full Application Checklist for more details.

Doctorate in Sacred Theology (S.T.D.) Admission Requirements & Checklist

Prerequisites

  1. A completed Licentiate in Sacred Theology (STL) or Licentiate in Sacred Scripture (SSL) with a minimum grade point average of 3.7.
  2. Proficiency in one modern language suitable for theological research other than the applicant's native tongue. In addition, candidates who intend to specialize in Biblical Studies must show proficiency in one Biblical language.
  3. A major research paper from the STL or SSL program, which demonstrates your research and writing abilities.

See the Full Application Checklist for more details.