Program Overview
Interested in the 7 themes of Catholic Social Teaching or always wondered how to integrate social justice with your love for the Catholic Church? Get your master’s degree in Theology with a concentration in Catholic Social Teaching. CDU’s graduate programs are ranked best by Forbes magazine, so you know you’re getting a rigorous academic experience taught by top-tier faculty. You’ll get a full online CDU master’s in Theology degree while focusing intently on the seven themes of Catholic Social Teaching:
- Life and dignity of the human person
- Call to family, community, and participation
- Rights and responsibilities
- Option for the poor and vulnerable
- The dignity of work and the rights of workers
- Solidarity
- Care for God’s creation
The master’s in theology with a concentration in Catholic Social Teaching is a great option if you’d like to teach, serve in parish or diocesan leadership, work in the non-profit sector, grow personally and professionally, or just expand your heart for creating a more just society.
Program Goals
Articulate and apply principles of Catholic theology and God’s relationship to the created order to the problem of authentic happiness and the edification of the human community.
Demonstrate how the New Testament fulfills the Old Testament with regard to Jesus Christ, the Church as the People of God, and its sacramental life.
Explain the role of philosophy in theological controversies in Church history and in the development of Church doctrine.
Synthesize the development of the Catholic Church’s understanding of the relationship between Sacred Scripture, Sacred Tradition, and the Magisterium, and their significance with respect to historical and contemporary challenges.
Demonstrate an understanding of the sources of CST
Identify and explain the principles of CST as developed in key magisterial documents
Integrate the principles of CST in discussion and analysis of contemporary social issues
Apply knowledge of CST to identify and respond to the ministerial needs of specific constituencies
Program Requirements
- 36 Credits (24 Core Credits, 9 required CST courses — CST 500, 510, and 520 — plus 3 Elective Credits, which may include an optional 3-credit thesis).
- One comprehensive exam (COMP 699) to be taken when all coursework is complete.
Program Time Limit: 3 years
Application Process
- Complete the free online application for admission.
- Have an official transcript from the accredited institution where you completed your undergraduate degree sent to registrar@cdu.edu.
- Have someone who is familiar with your academic or professional work submit a letter of recommendation to registrar@cdu.edu.
- Submit a brief statement of purpose (250 words or less) to registrar@cdu.edu on why you are pursuing online graduate study in theology.
Credits earned are transferable to the MA degree programs as students may decide later to pursue a full degree.
Program Costs
- Tuition: $1,485 x 3 courses = $4,455
- Technology fee: $165/course x 3 courses = $495
- Books: $100/course (estimate) x 3 courses = $300
- Total: $5,250
- Detailed cost of attendance budgets can be found here.
Course Preview
Graduate Application
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Course Lists
| Course Number | Course Title | Credits |
| THEO 503 | The Catholic Theological Tradition | 3 |
| THEO 510 | Revelation and Faith: Fundamental Theology | 3 |
| THEO 541 | Theology of Church | 3 |
| THEO 552 | Sacraments and Liturgy | 3 |
| THEO 560 | Fundamental Moral Theology | 3 |
| THEO 632 | Christology | 3 |
| PHIL 508 | Philosophy for Theology | 3 |
| SCRPT 530 | Introduction to Scripture and Salvation History | 3 |
Courses are 8 weeks long unless otherwise noted.
Students will earn a total of nine credits from the following selection of courses:
| Course Number | Course Title | Credits |
| CST 500 | Foundations of Catholic Social Thought | 3 |
| CST 510 | Social Doctrine of the Church, 1891-1965 | 3 |
| CST 520 | Catholic Social Teaching: John Paul II, Benedict XVI, and Francis | 3 |
Courses are 8 weeks long unless otherwise noted.
| Course Number | Course Title | Credits |
| CST 550 | Rome Summer Institute | 3 |
| CST 560 | Practicum | 3 |
A series of 1-credit, 4-week “pop-up” courses will offer an integrated approach to timely social and political issues such as the death penalty, immigration, human trafficking, gender identity, incarceration, the death penalty, the environment, marriage and family, business, and the common good. Credits from these courses can be applied toward the certificate.
THE CDU ADVANTAGE
In a 2022 survey of CDU graduate students, 100% reported that they had achieved their learning goals.
CDU Offers:
- Authentic Catholic teaching
- Flexibility to study where and when you choose
- The lowest undergraduate tuition of any U.S.-based online university offering Catholic theology
- A global Catholic community
- Knowledgeable and accessible faculty
- Engaging online courses with discussion forums
- Mobile app for study on the go
- Online library staffed by a theological librarian
- 24/7 technical support
The certificate program is offered through the Graduate School of Theology, which is accredited by the Commission on Accrediting of the Association of Theological Schools. The CDU Graduate School of Theology aims to provide a transformative learning experience in the digital space and to develop leaders for the new evangelization in the 21st century.
