Frequently Asked Questions
I haven't been in a classroom for years. Can I handle the coursework?
I'd like to teach. Can a Saint Meinrad degree help me?
I'm interested in studying theology, but I'm not sure if I'm called to work for the Church.
I live several hours from Saint Meinrad. How can I study there?
I can only study part time. How long will it take me to complete a degree at Saint Meinrad?
Does Saint Meinrad offer a total distance-learning degree?
I'm not Catholic. Can I take classes at Saint Meinrad?
I'd like to study full time. Does Saint Meinrad have on-campus housing?
I
haven't been in a classroom for years. Can I handle the
coursework?
The vast majority of our students are non-traditional students,
coming back to school after several years spent in another career,
raising a family and so forth. Our coursework is rigorous and
challenging, but our professors also understand that many students
might need some extra assistance, especially in the beginning of
their study. Our Mader Learning Center also provides learning
resources, tutorials and writing/research assistance for those who
need it.
I'd like to teach. Can a
Saint Meinrad degree help me?
Our Master of Arts (Theology) degree is an academic theology
degree geared toward those who would like to teach theology on the
elementary, middle school, high school or college level. The MA(T)
also serves as good preparation for doctoral studies, if you wish
to pursue a terminal degree.
I'm interested in
studying theology, but I'm not sure if I'm called to work for the
Church.
Many students at Saint Meinrad do not intend to seek professional
lay ministry positions. Some are retired; some are already firmly
committed to a non-Church-related career and vocation; some are
still discerning how God is calling them to grow and serve. By its
very nature, theological study includes a process of vocational
discernment, and we offer several opportunities to help you do
specific discernment of where theological study is leading you.
Can I get
financial aid?
The bequests of generous donors and the institution's own
commitment to lay ministry allows Saint Meinrad to offer generous
financial aid to lay students based on financial need (as
determined by the FAFSA form), lay ministry involvement and
academic record. Students receiving financial aid must fill out a
new FAFSA form each year. Saint Meinrad also offers grants that
match the contributions of a parish or diocese toward a student's
coursework, up to $150 per term. See Financial Aid section for more
information.
Do I need to take the
GRE?
Saint Meinrad does not require scores from the Graduate Record
Exam for admittance to a degree program. However, the school does
accept the scores, which can be helpful if, for some reason, a
student's academic record does not provide an accurate picture of a
student's academic ability.
I live several
hours from Saint Meinrad. How can I study there?
A large percentage of Saint Meinrad lay degree students live at
least three hours away from campus. The main course format for
part-time students living some distance from Saint Meinrad is the
weekend course. These courses consist of three all-day Saturday -
Sunday weekends (with breaks for Mass and the Divine Office, of
course), roughly one per month for three months. This compressed
format gives students the same amount of classroom time as a
conventional weekly course, but requires being on campus only one
weekend per month. Weekend courses are offered year-round; most
students take four per year, thus making a dozen trips to Saint
Meinrad per year. Alternatively, you have the option of taking up
to 15 credit hours in the online and/or independent-study
format.
I can only study part
time. How long will it take me to complete a degree at Saint
Meinrad?
Most lay students at Saint Meinrad are part-time—with families,
full-time jobs in ministry or other fields, and other
responsibilities and commitments. We have planned weekend and
online course offerings carefully, such that if you take four
weekend classes per year (fall, spring, early summer and late
summer), you can graduate in four years. Students coming in with an
undergraduate major or minor in theology or philosophy can complete
the degree in fewer than 48 credit hours and usually in fewer than
four years.
Does Saint Meinrad
offer a total distance-learning degree?
Although we offer a number of online courses and the possibility
of independent studies, we do not offer a complete
distance-learning degree. Our academic accrediting agencies require
that at least half the required credits for a degree be taken at
the Saint Meinrad campus (which has the requisite access to
library, staff and faculty), through weekly or weekend courses.
Therefore, you can complete up to half of your degree through other
formats: a combination of online courses, independent studies, and
transfer credit from other institutions.
I'm not
Catholic. Can I take classes at Saint Meinrad?
Although Saint Meinrad Seminary and School of Theology is firmly
rooted in the Roman Catholic tradition and most classes are taught
from a Catholic perspective, the school has a commitment to
ecumenism and has both students and faculty from other Christian
denominations. Saint Meinrad also has tuition-exchange
relationships with four Protestant seminaries in the region,
encouraging an exchange of learning between the schools. I'd like
to study full time.
Does Saint Meinrad
have on-campus housing?
Although Saint Meinrad has temporary accommodations for weekend
and intensive-format students, the school does not offer a
long-term residency option for full-time lay students. The school
can provide resources and referrals to assist full-time students in
finding housing nearby.