Doctorate in Theology

Offered by the Ecclesiastical Faculties — Faculty of Theology

Description

This program lasts two to five years of study and ends with the conferment of a Doctorate in Theology. It aims to bring the students to scientific maturity principally through a Doctoral Dissertation, which would contribute to the progress of theological science.

The Faculty offers the following five (5) Areas of Specialization in the Doctorate Program: Dogmatic Theology, Biblical Theology, Pastoral Theology, Moral Theology, and Church History.

Identity

Becoming Part of the Program

Identity

Mission

Vision

Goals and Objectives

Program Intended Learning Outcomes

Becoming Part of the Program

General Admission Requirements

GENERAL ADMISSION REQUIREMENTS

The Faculty of Theology is primarily open to future members of the diocesan clergy. However, it is also open to religious men and women and members of the laity, provided that they meet the required qualifications (2024 General Statutes of the Ecclesiastical Faculties, Art. 19.1; Veritatis Gaudium, Art. 31).
To be admitted to the Faculty, clerics and religious must present written permission from their respective Ordinary or Superior (2024 General Statutes of the Ecclesiastical Faculties, Art. 19; Veritatis Gaudium, Art. 31 and its Norms of Application, Art. 26, §1.1). Diocesan seminarians applying for residency in the UST Central Seminary must also go through the screening committee of the UST Central Seminary. Diocesan seminarians who are not residents of the UST Central Seminary may be considered for admission if endorsed by their own bishop.
Applicants must present valid credentials of having satisfactorily completed the civil requirements for admission to the University, aside from possessing a working knowledge of Latin. All new students must submit, upon admission, other than the written recommendation from the Major Superior or Ordinary, the following documents:
a. Certificate of graduation from at least Senior High School (for those enrolling in the ITF program);
b. Certificate of Good Moral Character;
c. Certificate for Valid Transfer from the previous school;
d. Official copy of Academic Records (Form 138 or the Original Transcript of Records);

Applicants to the Faculty of Theology, except those who graduated with any degree from the other two Ecclesiastical Faculties of the University, must take and pass the entrance examination. The entrance examination typically consists of the Mental Ability Test, English Test, Latin Test, and Essay Test. Additional items may be included based on the recommendations of the Faculty Council and/or the Admission Committee.
No student may be admitted to the Faculty of Theology to pursue a degree while simultaneously working toward another academic degree from a different faculty (General Statutes, University of Santo Tomas, 2014, Art. 47, no. 4). However, students in the Licentiate Program are allowed to enroll in a dual program with either the UST Graduate School or the PDCIS-Institute of Preaching. These dual programs enable students to also earn the Master of Arts in Theology degree on the condition that they meet all the requirements for that civil degree (cf. 2024 General Statutes of the Ecclesiastical Faculties, Art. 21).
As a general rule, the Faculty of Theology does not accept transferees. However, in a few exceptional cases, the Faculty may admit transferees under the following conditions:
a. Students must complete at least 60% of the required units in the program they are applying for (for applicants in the 2nd and 3rd cycles).
b. For B.Th. applicants:
- Should be an incoming second-year student or an advanced student willing to be accepted into the second year of theological formation.
- Did not receive a failing mark or a mark of 3.0 or equivalent in two or more subjects in his/her previous school.
The admission of students to the Faculty is processed by the Admission Committee, whose functions are as follows (see 2024 General Statutes of the Ecclesiastical Faculties, Art. 19, no. 3):
a. To evaluate the academic records and other pertinent credentials of applicants;
b. To recommend the administration of the entrance examination;
c. To propose to the Dean who, among the applicants, may be admitted after due verification of their qualifications.
The Admission Committee is composed of the Dean of the Faculty as Chair, the Secretary of the Ecclesiastical Faculties, and (if needed) another professor as members. The Rector of the Central Seminary may be consulted regarding the admission of diocesan resident seminarians and student-priests of the UST Central Seminary.

Doctorate in Theology Admission Requirements

THIRD CYCLE: DOCTORATE IN THEOLOGY

A. Admission Requirements

Students applying for the program should:
a. have a Licentiate degree in Theology (the completion of an MA degree in Theology cannot be taken as a substitute for the Licentiate in Theology degree) with a minimum average grade of 1.75, and/or have not received any failing mark in any of the courses in the Licentiate program;
b. submit written permission from their Ordinary or Major Superior (for clerics and religious), or a certificate of good moral character and a recommendation letter issued by their Ordinary (for the lay people);
c. take and pass the entrance examination, which includes the Mental Ability Test, English-based tests, Essay, and Latin. Applicants without knowledge of Latin are required to take Latin courses for their language requirements;
International applicants must have all the legal documents required for them to pursue their studies at the University. They are also required to submit a certificate for their having completed the English proficiency examination from either TOEFL or IELTS, or a similar English language proficiency program.
Applicants who have previously completed a degree from any of the Ecclesiastical Faculties of the University of Santo Tomas (Manila) may already be dispensed from the entrance examination.

Application Procedure

APPLICATION PROCEDURE

All applicants to the Faculty of Theology must submit the necessary documents for application.
a. He must accomplish the application form and submit a letter of application addressed to the Dean of the Faculty.
b. He must also submit a written recommendation from the Major Superior or Ordinary.
c. He must furnish the office with a photocopy of his complete academic records. All these documents should be submitted to the office of the Ecclesiastical Faculties before the applicant is scheduled to take the entrance examination.
Once the above-mentioned documents are cleared by the Admission Committee, the applicant is scheduled for an entrance examination. Only applicants who have successfully passed the entrance examination may be admitted to the Faculty.
The entrance examination is scheduled by the UST Office for Admission through the coordinator of the Ecclesiastical Faculties. Qualified applicants are notified by the Office of the Ecclesiastical Faculties about the venue, date, and time of the examination. The office of the Ecclesiastical Faculties informs the applicants of the things that would be needed for the examination. No applicant is allowed to take the entrance examination unless he is properly endorsed by the office of the Ecclesiastical Faculties.
All international applicants are expected to have accomplished all the legal requirements needed to pursue their studies at the University of Santo Tomas. They are also required to submit a certificate of having accomplished an English proficiency examination from either TOEFL or IELTS, or a similar English language proficiency certification.
Applicants who passed the entrance examination must submit the original documents of their academic records (and other legal documents when specifically required) before the date of enrollment. No applicant is allowed to enroll unless these documents are submitted. These include:
a. Form 138 (Report card) for those who have just completed their Senior High School studies (only for those who are enrolling in the ITF program);
b. Official Transcript of Records (for those who have finished their previous degree abroad);
c. Certificate for Valid Transfer or similar document
Applicants seeking admission to the Central Seminary must also attend and pass the Orientation Seminar conducted by the Seminary administrators.

Fees and Discounts

Students are given appropriate scholarships for their studies. All are, however, required to pay full miscellaneous and other fees. Moreover, additional courses no longer required for their respective degree shall be charged with fees similar to those in the Civil Faculties.
For students in the Bachelor in Theology program, the following discounts are applicable:
a. For students residing in the Central Seminary, 100% discount on tuition fees,
b. For students residing outside the Central Seminary, 20% discount on tuition fees.
For students in the Licentiate in Sacred Theology (S.Th.L.) and Master of Arts in Theology programs, the following discounts are applicable:
a. For students residing in the Central Seminary, a 50% discount on tuition fees;
b. For students residing outside the Central Seminary, a 20% discount on tuition fees.
Students will also be required to pay other fees, which include examination fees, thesis defense fees, adviser’s fee, and others. Tuition, miscellaneous, examination and other fees vary from year to year and are based on the University’s computation of the charges.

Program Curriculum

Courses Required

The Faculty offers the following five (5) Areas of Specialization in the Doctorate Program:
a. Dogmatic Theology
b. Biblical Theology
c. Pastoral Theology
d. Church History
e. Moral Theology
The requirements for the completion of the Licentiate degree are as follows:

	UST	ECTS
1. Main Courses
a. On Method	3	6
b. Specialization courses	6	12
c. Seminar or Cognate Course	3	6
d. Reading Course	3	10
2. Dissertation Writing Courses
a. Dissertation Writing I	3	20¹
b. Dissertation Writing II	3	40
c. Dissertation Writing III	3	20
3. Modern Language	0	6
*Total Units/ECTS*	24	120

Notes:

The reading course runs for about one academic term. The student is required to submit at least two book reviews and one final report that ends with the formulation of a status quaestionis of his/her proposed dissertation topic. The student is expected to render work for about three to four hours per school day during that Term.
Dissertation writing courses require a workload of about 4-5 hours per school day. DW1 is for one Academic Term, DW2 for two to three Academic Terms, and DW3 for one Academic Term.
Candidates for the D.Th. are required to present a certificate of having completed a language course with at least an intermediate skill, different from the language course submitted for the requirement in the Licentiate program.
Candidates for the D.Th. are required to present a certificate of having completed a language course with at least an intermediate skill, different from the language course submitted for the requirement in the Licentiate program.

¹For the Dissertation writing courses, the students are expected to render at least 5 hours of work for each school day throughout the Academic Term, that is, at least 375 work hours per Term. At least 6 Terms are dedicated for the completion of the Dissertation (DW1 to DW3).

Unit of Credits and ECTS Conversion

WORKLOAD FOR EACH UNIT OF CREDITS AND ECTS CONVERSION

Each unit of academic credit in UST Ecclesiastical Faculties, the Faculty of Theology included, requires a workload both inside and outside the classroom.
In the basic cycles, including the preparatory program, each UST unit of credit requires 18 hours of lecture and at least 20 hours of workload outside the classroom. The off-classroom workload includes personal study, research, preparations for performance tasks and examinations, and writing academic papers. This implies that for every (1) credit of UST units in the basic cycle, a corresponding total workload of 38 hours (or 1.5 ECTS) is required. It is based on the calculation that 1 ECTS unit requires a total of 25 hours of workload.

Preparatory/Baccalaureate Program

UST Credit	In-classroom workload	Off-classroom workload	Total Workload	ECTS Credit
1	18	20	38	1.5 ECTS
2	36	40	76	3.0 ECTS
3	54	60	114	4.5 ECTS

In the second and third cycles, each UST unit of credit requires 18 hours of lectures and at least 32 hours of workload outside the classroom. The off-classroom workload includes personal study, research, preparations for examinations, and the writing of academic papers. This implies that for every (1) credit of UST units in the second and third cycles, a corresponding total workload of 50 hours (or 2 ECTS) is required.

Licentiate / Doctorate Program

UST Credit	In-classroom workload	Off-classroom workload	Total Workload	ECTS Credit
1	18	32	50	2 ECTS
2	36	64	100	4 ECTS
3	54	96	150	6 ECTS

Program Policies

Courses of Study

The courses of study are covered in three cycles:
a. The FIRST CYCLE covers all the institutional subjects and a general initiation to scientific research and method, after which a Baccalaureate degree may be acquired (see Veritatis
Gaudium, Art. 74, a).
b. The SECOND CYCLE covers special courses and special training in scientific investigation corresponding to the diverse specializations being undertaken, after which the student may acquire a Licentiate degree (see Veritatis Gaudium, Art. 74, b).
c. The THIRD CYCLE aims to lead the students toward academic maturity and greater proficiency in scientific, theological investigations, as may be proven through the completion and publication of a scholarly dissertation that is truly relevant to the progress of theology as a science. After completing all the requirements for this cycle, the student may acquire the Doctorate degree (see Veritatis Gaudium, Art. 74, c).
Noting the particular instructions of Veritatis Gaudium, Art. 42, the second and third cycle courses should allot more time for practical exercises and seminars conducted personally by the teachers of the disciplines concerned, enabling the students to devote more time to research.
The courses offered in the above-mentioned 2nd and 3rd cycles are divided into:
a. Obligatory courses are mandatory for both ordinary and extraordinary students to take; They consist of 3 courses on Methods and a course on the thought and writing of Thomas Aquinas for the 2nd cycle. And an additional course on Method for the 3rd cycle.
b. All ordinary students must take specialization courses according to their chosen majors. They consist of 7 major courses specifically assigned under a major for the second cycle and 2 additional major courses for the third cycle. Doctoral students who have received a Licentiate degree in another theological institute may be assigned additional courses, especially when the program that they applied for is different from their Licentiate specialization.
c. Cognate courses must be taken by all ordinary students as complements to the Specialization courses; For the 2nd cycle, they consist of 4 courses, which ideally should be taken each from the list of courses in the other four majors, and 1 course for the 3rd cycle.
d. Elective courses, such as seminars or other arrangements, may be offered for the third cycle. These are credited under the cognate courses.

Requirements for the Degree

The Candidate for the degree must have completed the following:
a. A one-year residence to study two specialization-designated theological subjects, a seminar or cognate course, a course on method, and a reading course;
i. Any course with a grade of 2.00 and below is not credited to the program and must be replaced by another course from the same area of the curriculum.
ii. The grades of these courses are, however, included in the computation of the general weighted average, and are grounds for the student’s automatic disqualification from an academic honor;
b. Defense and publication of a doctoral dissertation that contributes to the progress and development of Theology;
c. A reading knowledge of any foreign language other than English and other than the language taken for the Licentiate requirement; this means that a student should have at least enrolled in a Foreign Language course for two semesters.
d. Successful Lectio Coram (a teaching demonstration before the panel of five examiners) done twenty-four [24] hours after the defense of the dissertation;
e. Publication of the dissertation either in part or whole;
Applicants for the D.Th. program with a different specialization in the Licentiate cycle must complete 5 bridging courses (15 units) aligned with the applied specialization, in addition to the above requirements.
The student must complete the program within five academic years, after which the student must take refresher/reactivation courses to continue the enrollment. The student is also automatically disqualified from earning Latin honors if s/he goes beyond the five-year residency of the Third Cycle.
The student is only given a maximum of ten years to complete the program, beyond which the student may no longer be allowed to continue enrollment or may be required to repeat the program.
The final grade for the Doctorate in Theology is composed of:
a. General weighted average (20%)
b. Evaluation of the dissertation manuscript (30%)
c. Oral defense of the dissertation (40%)
d. Lectio Coram (10%).

Debarment from the Program

A student with a failing mark or 5.00 in any course is debarred from the program.
Similarly, a student who receives a grade below 2.00 in two courses is debarred from the program.

Some of the Notable Alumni of the Program

Dr. Antonio S. Say (2011)

Chief Medical Officer, Cardinal Santos Medical Center

2014 The Outstanding Thomasian Alumni Awardee for Humanitarian Service

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