School of Theology and Ministry

Mark S. Markuly, PhD, Dean
Sharon Callahan, EdD, Associate Dean for Academic Programs and Student Life
Michael Trice, PhD, Assistant Dean for Ecumenical and Interreligious Dialogue

Seattle University’s School of Theology and Ministry is a creative and unique graduate-level learning community in North America. Although students in the school come from many denominations or none at all, the School is defined by formal partnership agreements with fourteen Christian denominations and associations, including the Unitarian Universalists. In the past five years, the school has also developed a robust interreligious dialogue tradition through collaborations with Jewish and Muslim communities, regional Native American communities, and other religious traditions. Students and faculty come from varied ethnic and cultural backgrounds, providing a rich context of diversity in the classroom, and a growing number of international students from many parts of the world and many denominations are also pursuing degrees. In recent accreditation reports from the Association of Theological Schools (ATS) and the Northwest Association of Schools and Colleges, Seattle University’s School of Theology and Ministry was identified as a model for the rest of the country, building on the overall mission of Seattle University to prepare students for leadership and service and promote social justice. 

The School is grounded in one of the University’s foundational Jesuit values: “faith that does justice.” Each of the five graduate degrees and five professional certificates offered at the School are rooted in the conviction that leaders, educators, and ministers serve more effectively when they combine solid academic programming and personal and professional growth with their vision of service to the community. Students are provided with the support they need to engage in disciplined, developmental, and holistic education and formation in their particular program of study. Because faculty themselves are scholar-practitioners, engaged actively in their particular fields of study and its practice in the community, they are able to create learning opportunities that draw students into the academic subject matter as a tool for later application to the complex world of serving as a change agent in church or society. 

The School of Theology and Ministry at Seattle University takes very seriously the growing forces of globalization that are bringing the world closer together, and has programs operating in other countries in the world, including many regions of Vietnam and China. Faculty also travel and lecture in many parts of the nation and world.  As the U.S. becomes more religiously diverse, the School’s interreligious programming gives students a truly unique opportunity to prepare for some of the most profound social and cultural changes happening in a rapidly shrinking world. 

Admission Requirements

Applicants are considered for either summer or fall quarter entry. Admission is selective, and candidates are evaluated on their individual merits, rather than on a comparative basis. Application deadlines are as follows:

Christifideles applications due: Feb. 15.
MARPT applications due: March 1st. Program starts in Summer quarter.
All other STM degree and certificate applications:
     - April 1 for Summer admission
     - June 1 for Fall admission
International students:
     - Jan. 1 for Summer admission
     - April 1 for Fall admission

All applicants (Pastoral Leadership Certificate applicants—see program information) must provide the following for consideration:

• Completed Application for Graduate Admission and non-refundable $55 application fee (waived for Seattle University alumni)
• Official transcripts reflecting a four-year equivalent bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited institution and any post-baccalaureate coursework reflecting: 
  1. Two undergraduate courses in theology or equivalent
  2. Minimum grade point average of 2.75 calculated from official transcripts of all post-secondary education institutions attended in the last 90 quarter/60 semester credits of the bachelor’s degree and any post-baccalaureate courses. Relationship and Pastoral Therapy and international applicants must have a 3.00 GPA. If GPA falls below the required minimum, then the Miller Analogy Test (MAT) is required.
• Résumé reflecting two years of experience in some form of education, ministry, or service as a professional or volunteer (including experience in social service for admission to the Relationship and Pastoral Therapy program)
• STM recommendation forms completed by two ministry-related professional individuals who can attest to readiness for ministry (specifically counseling ministry for admission to the Relationship and Pastoral Therapy program) and people who can attest to leadership capacity for the Master of Arts in Transformational Leadership degree
• An autobiographical statement (5-8 pages) that includes:
  1. An account of important events and relationships in your life, highlighting the impact of these on your development (3-5 pages)
  2. Several paragraphs (2-5 each) that address the following:
     1. Impression of this program and your expectations of it,
     2. Discussion of the professional skills and understandings you seek through participation in STM and the areas of personal growth most important to you,
     3. Listing of formal and informal education you have engaged in over the last three years, e.g., workshops, institutes, reading, etc,
     4. Major ministry, leadership, or church-related experiences, noting whether they are part-time or full-time and the years you were engaged in them.
• Interview with an STM admissions committee faculty
• If English is not the applicant’s native language, official English proficiency scores meeting the university’s entrance requirements are necessary. See policy 2008-01 in Admissions Policies for exceptions.

Transfer Credit

Students may petition to transfer graduate credits earned from another regionally accredited institution or a program accredited by the Association of Theological Schools (ATS) into the School of Theology and Ministry (STM).

Graduate course credits earned with a letter grade of B or above in academic work comparable to core course requirements at the STM may be transferred upon evaluation and approval of the associate dean for academic programs, the dean and the registrar. Courses that do not meet core requirement standards may be accepted as electives.

Up to 10 credits may be transferred toward the Master of Arts in Pastoral Studies (MAPS) degree, up to 24 for advanced standing in the Master of Arts in Transforming Spirituality (MATS) degree, and up to 57 credits may be transferred toward the Master of Divinity (MDiv) degree. All non-credit formation requirements and related formation courses must normally be taken at Seattle University for work toward any degree.

Students who have completed the MAPS degree from Seattle University may petition the STM admissions committee to accept the earned degree in total or in part toward the MATS or MDiv degrees.

Time Limit

All work toward a degree from the School of Theology and Ministry must be completed within six years. This limit includes transfer credit.

Flexible Scheduling

Summer: The summer schedule offers one-week, two-week, and weekend intensives. Courses meet on campus daily and are scheduled all day long or mornings, afternoons, and evenings. Students who wish to live on campus during summer sessions must apply for housing via online registration through Conference and Event Services: seattleu.edu/ces/.

Weekday: Courses are offered on campus in weekly three hour sessions during fall, winter and spring quarters. Courses are scheduled during mornings, afternoons, and evenings.

Weekends: At least two courses per quarter are scheduled in the weekend program. Each course consists of a total of two weekends per quarter. Students can access only one course per quarter in this format.

Combinations of these scheduling options determine the rate of completion of the degrees. Internships, practica, spiritual direction, retreats, and independent studies allow commuting students to complete some of their educational experiences in their own geographic areas.

Degree Components

Each degree is rooted in the conviction that ministers and educators serve more effectively when they combine personal and professional growth with a Gospel vision of service to the community. Each degree integrates three major components:

• Academic foundation in scripture and theology
• Development of pastoral skills
• Personal and pastoral spiritual formation

Formation Components

Students are expected to participate in spiritual formation, which includes building community with their peers. Students are assigned according to degree program or evening/weekend status to one of four reflection groups which celebrate prayer, enter a commitment of faith sharing, and develop ways of caring for student needs. Orientation, days or evenings of reflection, spiritual direction, leadership experiences, and requirements for liturgy and hospitality help students practice ministerial competencies with each other while contributing to the deepening of adult learning communities. Upon admission, students are advised to join the reflection group appropriate to their course of study.