Baccalaureate in Sacred Theology (S.T.B.)

Purpose

The Baccalaureate in Sacred Theology (S.T.B.) degree offered by Sacred Heart Major Seminary is an ecclesiastical degree conferred by the Pontifical University of St. Thomas Aquinas in Rome (Angelicum) through the faculty of SHMS.

Goals
The goals for the S.T.B. are reflected in the M.Div. degree program. In addition, "the theological disciplines must be taught in such a way that what is presented is an organic exposition of the whole of Catholic doctrine, together with an introduction to theological scientific methodology" (Sapientia Christiana, 72a). The students will demonstrate a thorough knowledge of fundamentals of Catholic doctrine.

At the end of the course of study, a student must successfully pass written and oral examinations.

The program requirements for the STB can be completed in one of two ways:

1. A biennium in Philosophy required for admission
2. A minimum of 79 credit hours must be earned through completion of the course of study.
3. A minimum grade point average (GPA) of 2.5 is required.
4. A maximum of 40 hours may be applied to the program from other institutions or from other credit earning options.
5. The program must be completed in six years from time of matriculation.
6. Reading ability in Latin must be shown during the first year of the program, and reading ability in a modern language pertinent to the student's course of studies must be done before completion of half of the degree program. Language competency can be demonstrated by the following:
   1. SHMS provides a course called Latin for Graduate Students that satisfies the Latin language requirement.
   2. Students can demonstrate competency in either Latin or a modern language through successful completion of a three credit hour undergraduate course with a pass grade of 'C' or better, or a two credit hour graduate course with a 'pass' or grade of 'C' or better. Courses must be taken for credit from an accredited institution of higher learning.
   3. Students could also study a language on their own. The student should contact the dean of studies when ready to be tested. The dean of studies will arrange with an instructor to conduct the examination.
      The Modern Language examination will consist of a written translation of a text of about two pages from the beginning of an article in the student's field from a theological journal. The student will have one and one-half hours and may use a dictionary to translate the pages. The student will also compose a paragraph summary of the two pages to demonstrate comprehension. Judgment of pass/fail will be based primarily on comprehension.
7. Comprehensive Examination: At the end of the course of study, the student must successfully complete a written and oral comprehensive examination spanning two days.  The examination is normally held in April, and students are required to register for the exam with the Dean of Studies office at least a semester in advance.  A study guide will be given to all students who register for the exam. Students should enroll in IS 898, the STB Integrating Seminar, during the semester in which they plan to take the STB exam.
8. Students must complete a one credit course in graduate theological research, IS 505: Theological Research and Writing. This course must be done in conjunction with ST 500: Theological Methodology, and should be done within the student's first year of study. The course is graded pass/fail; credits earned do not count toward the 48 credits required in total for the degree.
9. Students must participate in program assessment, including completion of a Graduating Student Questionnaire during the final year of study.