Flexible Study

Study On and Off Campus

Many of our students pursue degrees on a part-time basis and live several hours away from campus. Realizing that you have other responsibilities - family, full-time work, parish and community involvement, etc. - we provide a variety of course formats that fit your busy life.

We do not offer a complete distance-learning degree; you must earn at least 25 percent of your degree credits through courses that meet on campus.

View upcoming weekend, online, and other alternative-format courses 

Weekday Courses (on-campus)

This traditional course format requires you to live within regular commuting distance from our campus. You study side-by-side with seminarians for the duration of the fall or spring terms. Core classes generally meet on Tuesdays and Fridays or Mondays and Thursdays; electives are generally Monday, Tuesday or Thursday afternoons.

Weekend Courses (on-campus)

This is the primary on-campus course format available if you live some distance from Saint Meinrad. Weekend courses consist of three all-day Saturday-Sunday weekends (with a break on Sunday for Mass), one per month for three months. On-campus weekend housing is available.

This compressed format gives you the same amount of classroom time as a conventional weekly course, but it requires being on campus only one weekend per month. We offer weekend courses year-round, during each of our four terms. In many courses, you will use our online learning platform to post assignments and interact with others in your class between weekends.

Intensive Residency (on-campus and Distance)

We designed Intensive Residency Courses to economize travel and provide opportunities for an extended stay. Intensive courses often are scheduled during January or the summer, and usually meet for a total of 5-6 days of instruction. Some preparation and online work afterward may be accepted.

Online Courses (distance)

These courses, taught entirely online using our online learning platform, are offered in the spring, summer and fall terms. Online courses have weekly scheduled assignments and promote peer interaction. Course designs may vary. Some courses run parallel to on-campus courses and include video lectures. Most courses are asynchronous, meaning you do not need to be online at a certain time each week.

Independent Studies (distance)

If you have academic or pastoral interests not specifically addressed by available courses, or you have extraordinary circumstances that prevent you from enrolling in another course format, you may make arrangements with a professor to set up a directed independent study, either in an area of interest or to complete a regularly offered course. As a rule, only two independent study courses may count towards a degree.

Transfer Credit (distance)

You are welcome to transfer credits you have earned at other accredited schools, assuming the course is applicable to your degree curriculum. We generally accept up to 15 credits toward your Saint Meinrad degree.