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Course and Syllabi

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Master of Arts in Pastoral Studies Syllabi

APO 512 – Catholic Apologetics (Jon Kirwan)
This course introduces the student to the art of fulfilling the biblical mandate to cogently and convincingly explain and defend Christian truth, focusing on the “what” and “how” of apologetics to present a compelling defense of the Faith. Offered online and on campus.

APO 535 – Moral Apologetics (Edward Trendowski)
This course focuses on engaging apologetics from a moral dimension, equipping students with tools to explain and defend the moral teachings of the Church in today’s world. Offered online and on campus.

CHH 631 Mystical Theology (Fr. Patrick Kassab)
This course focuses on selected writings of representative Eastern and Western Church Fathers to gain a better understanding of and appreciation for their teachings on contemplative prayer and the journey of the soul to Divine Union. On campus and Online.

CLA 715 Canon Law of Marriage (Philippe Yates)
This course introduces student(s) to the canon law of marriage through a systematic presentation and study of the 1983 Code of Canon Law, reflecting on the sacred canons themselves (cc. 1055-1165 and 1671-1707), their purpose, nature, context, history, and theological meaning. Online and on campus.

DTH 645 Nature and Grace (William Dunn)
This course examines the natural desire to see God; the controversy over the desire to see God; the state of human nature; the nature of the law; the new law of Christ – sanctifying grace; and the nature, necessity and effects of sanctifying grace. Online and on campus.

DTH 890 Spiritual Theology (Joshua Madden)
This course is designed to give the student a working knowledge of what is traditionally called ascetical and mystical theology but which implements the call of the Second Vatican Council to the various experiences and stages of growth in prayer in the universal call to holiness. Online and on campus.

ENG 891 Academic Research, Design, and Writing (Cynthia Gniadek)
This course walks through the process for producing quality academic research papers, beginning with topic selection, research, and writing. The course culminates in the production of an academic research paper and thesis proposal. Online Only.

MTH 851 Contemporary Moral Issues (Melissa Mitchell)
This course researches and evaluates selected significant moral questions confronting the Church and the world today, including such issues as abortion and euthanasia in their contemporary aspects, pressing issues in social justice, issues in business, environment, and media ethics, and critical issues in sexual ethics. Online and on campus.

PAS 511 – Mission and Evangelization (Instructor TBD)
This course explores biblical-theological foundations of mission, the forms of evangelization, education for evangelization, specific missionary vocation, challenges in evangelization, and an exploration of St. John Paul II’s call for new ardor, expression, and method in evangelization. Offered online and on campus.

PAS 602 – Fundamentals of Practical Theology (Marianne Siegmund)
Practical, or pastoral theology, is the “practical application of scientific theology to the care of souls in the sacred ministry” (John A. Hardon, Modern Catholic Dictionary ). Unfortunately, in today’s world, the “unrestricted application of scientific methods to matters of faith appears to be sheer presumption, whereby man oversteps his limits and undermines his own foundations” (Joseph Ratzinger, The Nature and Mission of Theology , 8). Consequently, practical theology must first be grounded in theology itself. Firmly rooted in “scientific theology,” the course seeks to apply the doctrinal truths of the Faith to various pastoral situations confronting today’s minister. Since Sacred Scripture is to “inspire all pastoral work,” this course copiously invokes it (Benedict XVI, Verbum Domini #73).

PAS 641 – Methods in Counseling (Fr. Gregory Lockwood)
This course equips students with various methodologies in pastoral counseling, specifically tailored to work within the spiritual and psychological healing processes. It covers fundamental techniques necessary for providing effective counsel in pastoral care and ministry contexts. Online only.

PAS 660 – Theology of Suffering (Previously: Thanatology) (Marianne Siegmund)
This course examines the topic of suffering, dying, and death from doctrinal, pastoral, spiritual, and human dimensions. The psychological and social aspects of dying and death will also be considered, along with a brief study on end-of-life issues. This course enables one in any ministry to address concerns and questions that arise in life, especially with a view to family and youth ministry, hospital chaplaincy, grief ministry, the elderly, and care for the physically and mentally challenged. Online Only.

PAS 671 – Spiritual Direction: Skills and Practice (Fr. Gregory Lockwood)
This course equips participants with the technical skills for spiritual direction, skills which enable the participants to go through personal discernment and help others in both personal and communitarian discernment for the discovery of personal vocation and decision making. Offered online and on campus.

PAS 683 – Pastoral Counseling I: Spiritual Helping and Accompaniment (Fr. Gregory Lockwood)
This course explores the theology of suffering and how to properly frame common spiritual, emotional, and relational problems, helping the faithful discover paths for addressing these problems using solution-focused questioning techniques, spiritual resources, and basic pastoral interventions. Online only.

PAS 805 – Trinity and the Incarnation (Edward Trendowski)
This course provides a pastoral understanding of two central mysteries of the Catholic Faith: the Holy Trinity and the Incarnation of our Lord, Jesus Christ. Since pastoral ministry concerns putting people in “communion with the Person of Christ” and helping others to follow Him, this course focuses on Jesus Christ as the Way to the Father (John Paul II, Catechesis Tradendae #5). A second pastoral focus highlights the practical dimensions by which we can live our communion with the Blessed Trinity in family life, pastoral settings, and in the various ministries in the Church. Online Only.

Master of Arts in Philosophy Syllabi

ENG 891 – Academic Research, Design, and Writing (Cynthia Gniadek)
This course walks through the process for producing quality academic research papers, beginning with topic selection, research, and writing. The course culminates in the production of an academic research paper and thesis proposal. Online Only.

PHE 505 – Narrative and the Moral Life (Melissa Mitchell)
This course examines the ethical influence of stories by focusing on philosophical analyses of narrative and moral life. Topics may include: the sources and limits of narratives’ moral power; their nature and structure; principles for the ethical evaluation of stories and their readers; and stories in Catholic spirituality. Offered online only.

PHE 615 – Nicomachean Ethics (John Stefanczyk)
The course covers large selected portions of The Nicomachean Ethics of Aristotle. The intent is to show the pagan material that aided St. Thomas Aquinas in his formulation of Christian Moral Theology and Moral Philosophy. Offered online only.

PHE 663 – Natural Law (Instructor TBD)
This course includes topics such as enlightenment jurisprudence and the “Culture of Death,” the foundations of the natural law, how the natural law works, natural law as a basis for good laws, and natural law in Catholic moral teaching. Offered online only.

PHE 680 Marriage and Theology of the Body (Lucy Knouse)
This course approaches marriage from an interdisciplinary perspective, covering the biblical foundations for the Theology of the Body as expressed in the works of St. John Paul II. It relates the Theology of the Body to the practical encounters of life, love, and marriage, and introduces Catholic sexual ethics using the work of John Paul II.

PHE 841 Catholic Social Teachings (Kristina Olsen)
This course traces major themes in Catholic social teachings by using Fr. Brian Mullady’s book, Christian Social Teaching, magisterial documents, and other sources.

PHH/SAI 560 – Medieval Christian Wisdom and Sacred Art (Marguerite Mullee)
This course explores the intersection of Christian thought and sacred art during the medieval period. Students will analyze art in light of spiritual wisdom passed down through the Church Fathers and Christian philosophers, focusing on how sacred art functions as a form of evangelization and theological reflection. Offered online only.

PHH 605 – Ancient and Medieval Philosophy (Timothy Smith)
This course covers some of the most important figures and themes of Ancient & Medieval philosophy, including Plato, Aristotle, Aquinas, the nature of man, education, the ultimate end of human activity, the meaning of life, God, Providence, and faith and reason. Offered online only.

PHH 620 – Modern & Contemporary Philosophy (Randall Colton)
This course is a historical introduction to the thought and texts of principal modern philosophers from Descartes to Hegel and of principal contemporary philosophers from Kierkegaard to the present. Offered online only.

PHH 681 – St. Thomas and Arabic Philosophy (Eric Manchester)
This course examines the historical and systematic development of philosophy produced in the Arabic-speaking world during the classical period of Arabic scholasticism, from al-Kindi (early 9th century) to Ibn Rushd (late 12th century). Emphasis is placed on the interactions between Arabic philosophy and Christian scholasticism, particularly in the works of St. Thomas Aquinas. Offered online only.

PHH 781 – Philosophy of St. Thomas Aquinas (Francisco Plaza)
This course covers Aquinas on medieval education, the rise of universities, faith and reason, Aristotelian thought, Aquinas on the world and man, man as a moral agent, the meaning of life, and the ultimate end of human action. Offered online only.

PHH 792 – Philosophy of Edith Stein (John Finley)
This course examines the intellectual life and writings of Edith Stein (Sister Teresa Benedicta of the Cross), including her attempts to relate phenomenological and Thomistic traditions of philosophy, her analysis of human personhood, and her insights into the nature of God and human relationships. Offered online only.

PHH 793 – Plato’s Republic (Derya Rix)
This course provides a Catholic investigation of The Republic, one of the seminal works of philosophy. The course explores Plato’s views on justice, the ideal state, and the nature of human beings, examining them within the context of the Catholic intellectual tradition. Offered online only.

PHS 583 – Dante’s Divine Comedy: Thomistic Philosophy in Narrative (Timothy Smith)
This course offers an in-depth study of Dante Alighieri’s Divine Comedy, focusing particularly on its engagement with Thomistic philosophy. Students will explore themes such as virtue, justice, sin, and redemption through Dante’s poetic narrative, alongside a Thomistic philosophical analysis. Offered online only.

PHS 610 – Philosophical Anthropology (John Finley)
This course introduces students to the philosophical study of the human person. Topics include the soul-body unity, human consciousness, free will, and philosophical perspectives on human nature developed through various traditions, including Thomistic thought. Offered online only.

PHS 611 – Logic & Epistemology (Philippe Yates)
This course surveys the twin foundations upon which all philosophy depends, focusing on Aristotelian insights as developed by the great Christian philosophers of the Middle Ages. It also explores logic as the art of correct thinking and epistemology as the study of human knowledge, addressing both classical and contemporary issues. Offered online only.

PHS 621 – Philosophy of Nature and Metaphysics (Timothy Smith)
This course explores the fundamental aspects of the natural world knowable to philosophy and science, alongside the metaphysics of Aristotle. Topics include the presuppositions of metaphysics, the nature of existence, substance and essence, multiplicity, and the names of God. Offered online only.

PHS 721 – Philosophy of Science (Peter Mango)
This course studies the philosophical foundations of modern science, including the nature of scientific knowledge, the structure of scientific theories, and the interplay between natural philosophy and scientific discipline. Students will explore how the Catholic tradition interacts with contemporary discussions on philosophical aspects of science. Offered online only.

PHS 731 – The One & the Many (Eduardo Bernot)
This course is a study of St. Thomas Aquinas’ teachings on the metaphysical principles of unity and multiplicity, and the essential role these principles play in the existence of things and metaphysical inquiry. These concepts are applied to understanding being, becoming, and knowledge. Offered online only.

PHS 751 – The True, the False, the Lie, and the Fake (Eduardo Bernot)
This course examines concepts of truth and falsehood, including a philosophical exploration into the nature of deception and the distinction between reality and appearances. It seeks to ground these reflections within a Thomistic framework. Offered online only.

Master of Arts in Theology Syllabi

BIE 625: Catholic Bioethics (Instructor TBD)
This interdisciplinary course prepares students for pastoral service through an intensive review of the teachings of the Catholic Church regarding the sanctity and dignity of human life from conception until natural death. Topics include contemporary moral and medical bioethics issues.

BIE 796: Bioethics in the Post-Christian Culture (Hermann Frieboes)
This course examines the relationship between Catholic bioethics and secular culture – a culture which, especially in the West, is increasingly post-Christian. Through assessment and case studies, the course discusses how to uphold human dignity in a society that no longer grounds human rights or ethics in the Christian faith.

BIE/MTH 750: Magisterial Teaching Related to Major Catholic Bioethics Issues (Lucy Knouse)
This course is a study of Magisterial and Church documents that provide the basis of many Catholic Church bioethics teachings. By taking this course, students will understand the continuity of Church teaching over time on matters of chastity, marriage, and respect for life as well as have an opportunity to synthesize their understanding for their own appreciation, for future study, and for their work in evangelizing the culture.

CHH 613: The Church in America (Lucy Underwood)
This course surveys the Church’s growth in America, especially in the United States, from 1492 to the present. Topics such as patronage, missionary activities, religious orders, persecution, the immigrant Church, the maturing of the Church, and contemporary tensions are studied.

CHH 620: Reformation and Counter-Reformation (Matthew Vander Vennet)
This course explores the period of Church history known as the Catholic Reformation. Topics include the proactive reform movement within the Church, the challenge posed by Protestantism, the Council of Trent, and the religious orders that emerged during the period and their various apostolates.

CHH 631: Mystical Theology (Fr. Patrick Kassab)
This course focuses on selected writings of representative Eastern and Western Church Fathers to gain a better understanding of and appreciation for their teachings on contemplative prayer and the journey of the soul to Divine Union.

CHH 712: Medieval Church History (Lucy Underwood)
In this course, students will explore the history of the Church from the end of the Roman Empire to the eve of the Reformation. Key topics include the conversion of Europe, the Crusades, the development of the Papacy, and the culture of Medieval Christendom.

CHH 881: Patristics (John Joy)
This course studies the writings and significance of the early Church Fathers, who shaped the development of Christian doctrine and practice. It covers apostolic fathers, ante-Nicene Fathers, Nicene, and post-Nicene theological reflections, with a focus on understanding their impact on contemporary theology.

CHH/DTH 671: Documents of Vatican II (Fr. Patrick Kassab)
This course introduces the history of Vatican II and the content of the documents. Topics include the background of the Council, the nature of the Church, inner spiritual renewal, the Church and the world, and the effects of the Council.

CLA 715: Canon Law of Marriage (Philippe Yates)
This course introduces students to the canon law of marriage through a systematic presentation and study of the 1983 Code of Canon Law, reflecting on the sacred canons, their purpose, theological context, and principles, along with the issues of nullity and dissolution of marriage.

DTH 600: Faith and Revelation (Marianne Siegmund)
This course will provide an exploration of the teachings of the Church on the mysteries of faith and revelation, through the study of related Magisterial documents and the writings of St. Thomas Aquinas. Topics include divine revelation, the relationship between Sacred Scripture, Tradition, and the Magisterium, and the nature of faith and reason.

DTH 645: Nature and Grace (William Dunn)
This course examines the natural desire to see God; the controversy over the desire to see God; the state of human nature; the nature of the law; the new law of Christ – sanctifying grace; and the nature, necessity and effects of sanctifying grace.

DTH 731: One and Triune God (Fr. Thomas Crean)
This course introduces the mystery of the Trinity through the analysis of Sacred Scripture, Tradition, and the Magisterium, with special emphasis on the theology of St. Augustine and St. Thomas Aquinas. It examines the procession of the Divine Persons, the relation of the Persons to each other, and their external missions.

DTH 751: Christology (Fr. Yosyp Veresh)
This course examines the theology of Christ’s nature and personhood, focusing on the mystery of the incarnation, the hypostatic union, and the redemptive action achieved through Christ’s life, death, and resurrection.

DTH 760: Theology of the Church (Matthew Vander Vennet)
This course covers topics such as the Church’s structure, her mission to bring salvation to humanity in history, the role of Christ as the head of the Church and the Church as the Mystical Body of Christ, and the Church’s sacramental and ecclesial foundation.

DTH 890: Spiritual Theology (Joshua Madden)
This course engages with the foundations of spiritual theology and ascetical-mystical theology, discerning their relevance to contemporary spirituality. Students will gain insights into the development of the spiritual life and the union of the soul with God through prayer and virtue.

ENG 890: Summative Evaluation: Comprehensive Exam & Professional Paper (Theology) (James Gentile)
This course involves a comprehensive final exam and the submission of a professional and academic paper in the field of theology. It focuses on integrating learned concepts into a culminating demonstration of subject mastery.

MTH 611: Fundamental Moral Theology I (John O’Neill)
This course introduces the principles of moral theology, including the human person’s vocation to beatitude, the role of freedom, conscience, law, and sin, along with the development of moral virtue in the life of grace.

MTH 841: Catholic Social Teachings (Kristina Olsen)
This course traces major themes in Catholic social teaching, focusing on key documents from the Magisterium such as Rerum Novarum, and the U.S. Bishop’s document Sharing Catholic Social Teaching: Challenges and Directions, in addressing issues of justice, human dignity, and the common good.

MTH 851: Contemporary Moral Issues (Melissa Mitchell)
This course researches and evaluates selected significant moral questions confronting the Church and the world today, including such issues as abortion and euthanasia, social justice, ethics in business, environment, media, and pressing sexual ethics concerns.

MTH/PAS/PHE 680: Marriage and Theology of the Body (Lucy Knouse)
This course approaches marriage from an interdisciplinary perspective, covering the biblical foundations for the Theology of the Body as expressed in the works of St. John Paul II. It relates the Theology of the Body to the practical encounters of life, love, and marriage, and introduces Catholic sexual ethics using the work of John Paul II.

PHH 781 – Philosophy of St. Thomas Aquinas (Francisco Plaza)
This course covers Aquinas on medieval education, the rise of universities, faith and reason, Aristotelian thought, Aquinas on the world and man, man as a moral agent, the meaning of life, the ultimate end of human action, difference between knowledge and faith; God. Online only.

PHS 607: The Perennial Philosophy (Matthew Minerd)
This is a foundational philosophy course for the graduate student of theology. The course material focuses on the application of philosophy to the theology of the Catholic Church, covering topics such as ethics, metaphysics, logic, and the study of key philosophical concepts necessary for theological discourse.

PHS 751 – The True, the False, the Lie, and the Fake (Eduardo Bernot)
This course is a s study the teaching of St. Thomas Aquinas about truth and its opposites, the false, the lie, and the fake in relationship to unity and multiplicity, being and non-being, and good and evil; and different kinds of falsehood, considered in themselves and in relation to their existence within human knowing faculties, appetites, and in relationship to God. Online only.

SAS 561: Gospel of John (Fr. William Mills)
This course studies the Gospel of John considering the historical, religious, and cultural background of this gospel and major themes such as covenant, Kingdom of God, grace, redemption, wisdom, prophecy, creation, Trinity, faith, angels, resurrection, and priesthood.

SAS 571: Letters of St. Paul (Fr. William Mills)
This course offers a detailed study of the Pauline letters, considering their religious, historical, and cultural context. It explores theological themes such as law and grace, justification, redemption, and the role of Christ, with attention to their significance for early Christian communities and for the Church today.

SAS 602: The Soul of Theology (John Joy)
Sacred Scripture is the soul of theology. This course lays the foundation for the study of the Sacred Page by examining the most important concepts for a theological understanding of Scripture, by establishing firm principles for its interpretation, and by considering its use in the science of Theology.

SAS 651: Synoptic Gospels (Matthew Ramage)
This course explores the stylistic and literary characteristics of Matthew, Mark, and Luke. Students study the Synoptic Gospels’ theological, spiritual, and historical background, with emphasis on similarities and differences in their accounts of Jesus’s life and ministry.

SAS 716 Gospels (Dr. Andrew Blaski)
This course is a study of the content, background, purpose, composition, and structure of the Four Gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John). Students will be introduced to a variety of patristic, medieval, and contemporary interpretive approaches to the gospels as found in the rich Catholic spiritual and intellectual tradition. The course will examine the Gospels as individual works while simultaneously highlighting their historical and theological unity, centered in their common proclamation of the life, death, and bodily resurrection of Jesus Christ.

SAS 717 Luke and the Acts of the Apostles (Fr. Thomas Crean)
This course focuses on the Gospel of Luke and the Acts of the Apostles, with emphasis on the birth and growth of the early Church. The course highlights the narrative, literary, and theological unity between Luke and Acts, with special attention to Church history and early Christian evangelization. Prerequisite: SAS 716 Gospels. Offered online and on campus.

Master of Sacred Scripture Syllabi

GRK 502 Greek II (Hannah Murphy)
This course is designed to develop the student’s knowledge of the basics of koine Greek (the Greek of the New Testament). It is the second of three courses designed to give the student the skills necessary to read the New Testament and other ancient Greek texts with pleasure and understanding. It will also provide the linguistic basis to pursue more advanced scholarly work in New Testament studies. Prerequisite: Greek I Online and on campus.

HEB 502 Hebrew II (Geoffrey Ludvick)
This course is designed to develop the student’s knowledge of the basics of biblical Hebrew. It is the second of three courses designed to give the student the skills necessary to read the Old Testament with pleasure and understanding. It will also provide the linguistic basis to pursue advanced scholarly work in Old Testament studies. Prerequisite: Hebrew I

PHS 607 Perennial Philosophy (Matthew Minerd)
This is a foundational philosophy course for the graduate student of theology. While various philosophical concepts will be presented, the majority of the course material will point toward the application of philosophy to the theology of the Catholic Church. For the student who has some philosophical background, this course remains essential for understanding the terminology used in Catholic theology (e.g., cause, effect, form, matter, substance, accident, nature, essence, existence, relation, science, wisdom). Topics include why philosophy is necessary for theology, the history of philosophy, anthropology, ethics, logic, metaphysics and social philosophy.
Online and on campus.

SAS 602 The Soul of Theology (John Joy)
Sacred Scripture is the soul of theology. This course lays the foundation for the study of the Sacred Page by examining the most important concepts for a theological understanding of Scripture, by establishing firm principles for its interpretation, and by considering its use in the science of Theology. Central topics include divine revelation, tradition, magisterium, inspiration, inerrancy, literal and spiritual senses, development of the canon, texts and editions, and the use of Scripture in theology and in prayer (lectio divina). Online only.

SAS 712 Pentateuch (Nathan Schmiedicke)
This course is a study of the content, background, purpose, composition, and structure of the books of the Pentateuch. Students will be introduced to a variety of patristic, medieval, and contemporary interpretive approaches to the Pentateuch as found in the rich Catholic spiritual and intellectual tradition. Emphasis will be placed upon the historical, theological, legal, and ceremonial aspects of the Pentateuch, as well as upon themes of creation, sin, and the redemption of Jesus Christ both promised and foreshadowed in the lives of the Patriarchs and in the precepts of the Law.

SAS 713 Historical Books (Michael Morris)
This course is a study of the content, background, purpose, composition, and structure of the Old Testament historical books. Students will be introduced to a variety of patristic, medieval, and contemporary interpretive approaches to the historical books as found in the rich Catholic spiritual and intellectual tradition. Emphasis will be placed upon the outworking of God’s divine covenants despite, and through, human fallibility, as well as upon Jesus Christ as the ultimate interpretive “key” and culmination of ancient Israelite history and monarchy. Prerequisite: SAS 712 Pentateuch

SAS 715 Prophets (Joshua Madden)
This course is a study of the content, background, purpose, composition, and structure of the Old Testament prophetic books. Students will be introduced to a variety of patristic, medieval, and contemporary interpretive approaches to prophetic literature as found in the rich Catholic spiritual and intellectual tradition. Emphasis will be placed upon the nature of prophecy, the dramatic actions of the prophets, prophetic commentary on the meaning and fulfillment of the Law, and the eschatological dimension of prophecy which finds its fulfillment in the person and work of Jesus Christ. Prerequisite: SAS 712 Pentateuch

SAS 716 Gospels (Dr. Andrew Blaski)
This course is a study of the content, background, purpose, composition, and structure of the Four Gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John). Students will be introduced to a variety of patristic, medieval, and contemporary interpretive approaches to the gospels as found in the rich Catholic spiritual and intellectual tradition. The course will examine the Gospels as individual works while simultaneously highlighting their historical and theological unity, centered in their common proclamation of the life, death, and bodily resurrection of Jesus Christ.