Academic Program for Priesthood Candidates

The 126-credit Academic Program for Priesthood Candidates is the prescribed curriculum at ICSST for all seminarians seeking ordination to the Roman Catholic priesthood. The program fulfills all the requirements of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops’ Program of Priestly Formation (Fifth Edition, 2005). Students meeting the requirements of this program automatically fulfill the requirements of the M.Div. program.

The curriculum is as follows: 

Plan of Study Grid

First Year
First Semester		Hours
BIBL 6501	Synoptic Gospels	3
CETH 6105	Fundamental Moral Theology	3
HSTD 6340	From Church Fathers to 1500	3
PTHO 6518	Integr - Lit Celeb and Music	2
STHO 6022	Graduate Research Seminar	2
STHO 6202	Revelation and Faith	3
	Hours	16
Second Semester
BIBL 6201	Pentateuch	3
CETH 6201	Fundamental Moral Theology II	3
HSTD 6341	Church of Reformations-Mission	3
PTHO 6601	Pastoral Ministry - Intro	3
STHO 6205	Christian Anthropology	3
STHO 6503	Sacraments of Initiation	3
	Hours	18
Second Year
First Semester
BIBL 6203	Prophetic Literature	3
CETH 6205	Health Care Ethics	3
HSTD 6807	American Christianity	3
PTHO 6203	Pastoral Psych. and Counseling	3
STHO 6203	Christology	3
STHO 6501	Worship of the Church	3
	Hours	18
Second Semester
BIBL 6503	Johannine Literature	3
CETH 6306	Catholic Sexual Teaching	3
Required Moral Theology Elective		3
PTHO 6109	Intro to Preaching	2
PTHO 6500	Evangelization-Sanctification	3
STHO 6207	Ecclesiology	3
	Hours	17
Third Year
First Semester
BIBL 6505	Pauline Literature	3
CETH 6407	Catholic Social Teaching	3
Required Church History Elective		3
PTHO 6112	Preaching Pract I	2
PTHO 6501	Teaching, Catechist-Apologetic	3
STHO 6204	The Trinity	3
	Hours	17
Second Semester
BIBL 6205	Wisdom Literature-Psalms	3
PTHO 6401	General Canon Law	3
PTHO 6503	Liturgical Practicum	2
Required Pastoral Theology Elective		3
STHO 6509	Christian Marriage	3
	Hours	14
Fourth Year
First Semester
PTHO 6113	Preaching Pract II	2
PTHO 6405	Canon Law Marriage	3
PTHO 6939	Parish Administration	3
STHO 6505	Eucharist	3
Required Systematic Theology Elective		3
	Hours	14
Second Semester
PTHO 6726	History of Spirituality	3
STHO 6507	Reconciliation-Anointing	3
STHO 6740	Priesthood and Ministry	3
Required Elective		3
	Hours	12
	Total Hours	126

Additional Requirements

For all students in the Academic Program for Priestly Formation.

Electives: The four required electives shown above must consist of one course each in: moral theology (CETH); Church history (HSTD); spirituality (PTHO); and systematics (STHO).  

Spanish Language: Seminarians for whom English is their primary language and who are studying for dioceses that require Spanish language proficiency also take PTHO 6017 / PTHO 6018 in their third and/or fourth year of theological studies. (Students should complete Elementary Spanish prior to beginning Pastoral Spanish). 

Joint M.Div./M.A. Option

In the course of complying with the Academic Program for  Priesthood Candidates, a student meets all requirements for the M.Div. degree. Because there are “surplus” credits in the  Academic Program for Priesthood Candidates beyond what is applied toward the M.Div., a student may apply these additional credits toward the M.A. in Theology, either in the  research or general format. Credits cannot serve “double-duty.” That is, once credits have been applied toward one degree, they cannot be used toward the other. Assuming that a student has met all the requirements of the Academic Program for Priesthood Candidates, including successful completion of the four required electives, he needs the following additional credits in his concentration area to meet credit requirements of the M.A.:

• Systematic Theology – 6;
• Moral Theology – 6;
• Church History – 15;
• Biblical Studies – 15 (plus the Greek and Hebrew requirements).  

Remaining Requirements

For students who are pursuing the M.Div and M.A. simultaneously.

1. For students choosing the research format: language reading requirements, comprehensive examinations and thesis;
2. For students choosing the general format: the M.A. Seminar also must be completed successfully. In the four  years of preparation for the priesthood, it is possible to complete all coursework requirements (in either degree format) and, where applicable, language requirements. Students choosing the research option often complete comprehensives and thesis after ordination. The M.A. is conferred one semester after the M.Div. For more information on the joint degree option, contact the Office of the Associate Dean at (973) 761-9633.