Licentiate in Theology

Offered by the Ecclesiastical Faculties — Faculty of Theology

Description

The second cycle is a two-year course of specialized studies in dogmatic theology, moral theology, biblical theology, pastoral theology, church history, and preaching that ends with the conferment of the degree of Licentiate in Theology. It covers special courses and special training in scientific research (see Veritatis Gaudium, Art. 74, b; and its Norms of Application, Art. 55, 2).

The Faculty offers the following six (6) Areas of Specialization in the Licentiate Program: Dogmatic Theology, Biblical Theology, Pastoral Theology, Church History, Moral Theology, and Preaching (dual program with PDCIS-IP). Students with specialization in any of the first five areas may also apply for the dual program done with the UST Graduate School.

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.

Licentiate in Theology Admission Requirements

SECOND CYCLE: LICENTIATE IN THEOLOGY

A. Admission Requirements

To be admitted to the second cycle, a student must:
a. be a graduate of an Ecclesiastical Baccalaureate in Theology degree from any center of Theological Studies approved by ecclesiastical authorities; those who completed a two-year philosophy and at least a three-year theology program from a Seminary College may also be admitted, as long as they have not received failing marks in any major theological course, and are willing to complete the required number of bridging courses;
b. submit a written recommendation from the Major Superior or Local Ordinary. Lay applicants must be able to present a certificate of good moral character and a written recommendation letter from their Local Ordinary;
c. take and pass the entrance examinations, which include the Mental Ability Test, English-based tests, Philosophy, Latin, and Essay. Applicants without a background in Latin will be required to take Latin courses.
International applicants must have all the legal documents required for them to pursue their studies in the University, and they are also required to submit their IELTS/TOEFL or a similar English language proficiency program Certificate.
Applicants who have previously completed a degree from any of the Ecclesiastical Faculties of the University of Santo Tomas (Manila) may 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 six (6) Areas of Specialization in the Licentiate Program:
a. Dogmatic Theology
b. Biblical Theology
c. Pastoral Theology
d. Church History
e. Moral Theology
f. Preaching (dual program with PDCIS-IP)
- Students with specialization in any of the first five areas may also apply for the dual program done with the UST Graduate School
The requirements for the completion of the Licentiate degree are as follows:

A. Main Courses	UNITS	ECTS
a. Obligatory Courses	12	24
b. Specialization Courses	21	42
c. Cognate Courses	12	24
B. Thesis Writing Courses
a. Thesis Writing I	3	9¹
b. Thesis Writing II	3	9
c. Thesis Writing III	3	9
C. Comprehensive Examination	0	3
D. Language Requirement (Modern Language)	0	0
*Total units/ECTS*	54	120

¹For the thesis writing courses, the students are expected to render 3 to 3.5 hours of work for each school day throughout the Academic Term (about 230 – 250 work hours per Term).

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 degree of Licentiate in Theology (Lic.Th.) is conferred only when the following requirements are met:
a. The student has taken and passed, with a general weighted average of 2.00, a total of 45 units of main courses, which include 12 units of obligatory courses, 21 units of specialization courses, and 12 units of cognate courses.
i. Any course with a grade below 2.00 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. A reading knowledge of any foreign language other than English; this means that a student should have at least enrolled in a Foreign Language course for two semesters;
c. Transferees must complete in the Faculty at least 15 units of the Specialization Courses, 9 units of the Obligatory Courses, and 9 units of Thesis Writing (a total of 33 units); transferees must take into consideration the separate set of requirements for the granting of the Academic honors.
d. The student has taken and passed the written comprehensive examination which covers all the main courses which the student has enrolled in his curriculum.
e. The student has successfully defended his thesis and submitted the post-defense requirements.
The final grade for the Licentiate in Theology consists of the general weighted average (40%), written comprehensive examination (20%), evaluation of the manuscript of the Licentiate thesis (20%), and the Thesis Oral Defense (20%).

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 three 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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