Catechesis encompasses both evangelization and ongoing faith formation, both of which are integral to the Christian life and pertinent to any element of ministry. The master’s degree and graduate certificate in catechetical ministry are specifically designed for those who would like to serve as directors of adult formation, parish catechetical leaders or directors of children’s formation, directors of RCIA, Catholic school teachers or administrators.
The program combines theological and pastoral knowledge with practical application of catechetical principles and methods. Every student of catechetical ministry takes a set of core courses and courses focused specifically on the principles of religious education.
Master of Catechetical Ministry Degree Requirements
Master of Catechetical Ministry students combine the ministry core curriculum (21 credit hours) with degree-specific course requirements (15 credit hours) to complete 36 total credit hours of coursework.
- TMIN 5311 Graduate Proseminar. Required of all first-year students, the course is designed to introduce new students to the world of graduate studies in theology and pastoral ministry, and to assist them in undertaking graduate level work successfully. Students will be led through the whole process of writing for theological studies, from reading comprehension to theological analysis, from first draft to final paper.
- TMIN 5310 Foundations of Catholic Biblical Interpretation. This course’s content and structure are suggested by a description of the Bible by the Second Vatican Council: the words of God expressed in human language (DV 13). Therefore, it will deal first with the concepts of Revelation, Transmission-Tradition, Inspiration, Biblical Truth and the Canon, which traditionally express the Church’s belief in the divine origin of the Bible; and second with the nature of the Bible as a human document, linked to a culture rooted in specific coordinates of space and time. Finally, it will review the development and nature of modern scientific methods and approaches of biblical interpretation, together with the Church’s reactions to and positions on these methods and approaches in the last 100 years.
- TMIN 5330 Systematic Theology. This course engages students in structured reflection on the Christian communal experience of faith and how that faith is understood, expressed and lived out in the Catholic tradition. It invites students to consider theological methods (i.e., How do we do this work properly?), doctrinal clarity (i.e., What does our formative tradition teach?) and pastoral practice (i.e., How do theology and pastoral realities influence one another?). Topics of special focus include revelation and faith, God, the Trinity, Christology, Christian anthropology, and the theology of the church, including Mary and the saints.
- TMIN 5350 Moral Theology. A critical survey of fundamental moral theology, this course includes the distinctiveness of Christian morality, conscience formation, natural law, moral norms and decision-making. It provides an entry into special moral theology, which includes bioethics, environmental ethics, health care ethics, sexual ethics, and social ethics.
- TMIN 5360 Liturgy and Sacraments. This course offers a critical survey of the history, theology, and liturgical celebration of the sacraments according to the Roman Rite of the Catholic Church, with special attention given to the role of the Rite of Christian Initiation for Adults (RCIA).
- TMIN 7396 Catechetical Ministry Capstone. Students take this course in their final semester. It provides an opportunity for them to integrate previous coursework and reading with the knowledge and skills required to address particular pastoral tasks effectively. The capstone usually is taken for three credit hours, often with seasoned ministerial practitioners providing onsite supervision. Capstone projects require detailed applications and written approval by ministry faculty supervisors several months prior to registration.
- Scripture Elective. Students are required to complete one elective course of the Old or New Testament as offered by the Braniff Graduate School of Liberal Arts.
- TMIN 6370 Ministry in the Church. This course explores the contemporary phenomenon of ministry in the Catholic Church from the angles of theology and pastoral practice. Theological exploration focuses on biblical visions of ministry, the history of ministry in the church, and its doctrinal underpinnings and implications, especially in ecclesiology.
- TMIN 6371 Pastoral Administration and Management. This course explores the purpose and function of a parish in the life of the church and the role of pastoral administration within it. Students consider the theology and experience of parish life and reflect on many of the key ministries necessary for its success, including ministries of Word, worship, service and community building.
- TMIN 6375 Catechetics and the Development of Faith. This course introduces the history, theology and practice of catechesis. This includes the methods, content and curriculum of contemporary catechesis, with particular focus on age-appropriateness and faith and its maturation in people.
- TMIN 7375 Models of Catechesis. This survey of emerging models and approaches to catechesis includes conversation and mutual learning about approaches across the lifespan to assist those preparing for or already bearing this responsibility. Particular attention will be given to the Rite of Christian Initiation for Adults (RCIA) as a model for the catechetical journey, adult catechesis, Catechesis of the Good Shepherd, family catechesis, intercultural catechesis, small Christian communities, and youth and young adult catechesis.
- Elective (3 credit hours)