From Inquiry to Enrollment

Step 1:   Review our program information

Investigate our web-site to find out as much as possible about us and our program. It is important to us that you consider us a good fit for your academic journey. Of course, we heartily invite you to contact us, in particular our program director, for more information, or visit us in person if you live nearby or plan on stopping by in Philadelphia.

Note: If you are also applying for admission to the Campus Ministry Graduate Internship Program, please exit this page and follow these instructions.

Step 2:   Review your academic qualification

All applicants must hold a bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution. In addition, we ordinarily require

1. eighteen undergraduate or graduate credits in Theology, Religion, or the equivalent, OR evidence of 5 years working experience in the fields of Theology or Religion (e.g., ministry, teaching, administration, education);
2. a 3.0 (or higher) undergraduate grade point average (GPA);
3. the results of the Graduate Record Examination (GRE); and
4. a personal interview with the Coordinator of the Campus Ministry Graduate Internship Program (CMI) who supervises the field practicum.

We will also consider your application if you do not meet specific requirements (in particular, course work in Theology or Religion). If you are in your last year of undergraduate studies and have not completed your bachelor’s degree at the time of application, please provide a transcript of all courses completed with the understanding that the remaining courses and grades will also be submitted as soon as the degree is completed. A final transcript must be submitted to the Graduate Dean's Office listing the degree received and the date the degree was conferred.

International Applicants: International applicants must provide additional information. Please read the instructions provided by the Office of Graduate Studies.

Step 3:   Contact us

In our department, the Graduate Program Director guides all applicants through the program admission process. We recommend that you contact the Director with any questions about our program.

Because the Certificate program is jointly administered by our department and Villanova's Campus Ministry Graduate Internship Program, we encourage you to also contact the CMI Coordinator to inquire about the Certificate and discuss your situation, qualifications, and goals.

Step 4:   Request an application form

The Combined MA in Theology and Certificate in Pastoral Ministry Program is a new program at Villanova; we are currently in the process of updating our online application form. Until that process is completed, please send a brief email to the Graduate Program Director requesting an electronic copy of a paper application.

Alternatively, you may initially enroll in either the Certificate Program or the MA in Theology Program.

Step 5:   Fill out the application form

Please fill out the application form and return it to the Graduate Studies Office. On the form, at the top of the first page, please write clearly that you are applying to the Combined MA in Theology and Certificate in Pastoral Ministry Program.

Note: At the time of program application you may request the transfer of graduate credits from another institution.

Step 6:   Mail your application material

To the Graduate Program Director, please submit (for the address, click here)

1. a 500-700 word statement of your objectives in seeking the degree (please mail separately or complete on the online application form);
2. an academic writing sample (if available); and
3. three letters of recommendation forwarded directly to the Program Director from persons able to judge your academic potential.

To the Office of Graduate Studies, please mail (you will find the address here)

1. official copies of the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) scores;
2. completed paper application;
3. non-refundable application fee of $50 payable to Villanova University (fee is waived for students with a Villanova degree); and
4. official transcripts of all previous college work (undergraduate and, if applicable, graduate) sent directly to the Graduate Studies Office, by the Registrar of the Colleges or Universities involved.

Step 7:   What happens next?

Upon receiving all your application material, our Graduate Program Committee submits a recommendation concerning acceptance to the CMI Coordinator.

The Coordinator will review your material and, if qualified, schedule an interview with you. After consultation with our Program Committee, the Program Director submits a recommendation concerning acceptance to the Office of Graduate Studies. The office will inform you in writing about the outcome of the application.

We anticipate having many interested and qualified applicants for our Combined Program and the Graduate Internship Program. To ensure the high quality of each program, we admit a limited number of applicants (three or four) for the fall semester only. In the case that we are unable to accommodate all applicants, we will create a waitlist. We will notify you of our acceptance decision by the end of the fourth week following the posted application deadline. Note: Even if we are not able to admit you to the Combined Program you are still eligible for admission to our MA in Theology Program if you fulfill all admission requirements.

A note about matriculation status: If you fulfill all admission requirements, the Graduate Program Committee will recommend that you be admitted to our program as a matriculated student. However, we also consider your application if, for example, you majored in fields not related to theology or religion or if your GPA is lower. In this case, the committee may recommend that you be admitted to the program as a non-matriculated student and retain non-matriculated status until you complete several graduate courses (usually four) with a "B" grade average. At that time, the committee will re-evaluate your matriculation status. The most noticeable difference between matriculated and non-matriculated status is that only matriculated students are eligible for a VU assistantship or scholarship.

Step 8:   Enroll in your classes

As soon as the Office of Graduate Studies admits you to our program you are free to enroll in our courses.