M.A. in Religious Education

This program is offered online.

Designed for religious educators and teachers in a variety of settings, the M.A. in religious education program provides you with a strong foundation in both pedagogy and core theological disciplines. You’ll develop the knowledge and skills to guide others at every stage of life and to fulfill your role at parishes, dioceses, schools, nonprofit organizations, and more. This program is also ideal for those seeking personal enrichment through the study of religious education.

Program Highlights

• Offered with either a youth and young adult ministry concentration, or generalist concentration.
• Teach and learn with our renowned faculty and international students from more than twenty countries.
• Take courses at the member schools of the New York Theological Consortium.

Program Basics

• The curriculum requires satisfactory completion of 12 courses (36 semester credits).
• Both degree concentrations conclude with an integration seminar in the final spring semester.
• You may pursue the program either as a full-time or part-time student.

Careers

• Director or coordinator of religious education, faith formation, RCIA, or youth and young adult ministry
• Parish volunteer coordinator
• Ministry outreach coordinator
• Pastoral associate
• Teacher at a Catholic or Christian elementary or secondary school
• Administrator at a faith-based organization or religious congregation
• Campus minister at a religious or secular university
• Writer, editor, or publisher

Learning Outcomes

1. Students will demonstrate a knowledge of core theories, approaches, and other domain knowledge within the academic field of religious education.
2. Students will demonstrate an ability to relate effectively the core theories, approaches, and other domain knowledge within the academic field of religious education to their own ministerial and life contexts.
3. Students will demonstrate facilities with methods of research in specific theological disciplines for post-graduate and doctoral studies.
4. Students will communicate the Christian story competently to make it accessible through a variety of means (e.g. teaching, writing, dialogue, personal consultation).
5. Students will articulate the relationship between the Christian tradition and their professional practice and spiritual development.
6. Students will articulate a well rounded knowledge and critical appropriation of Jesuit Spirituality and the Catholic intellectual tradition.
7. Students will use tools of literary, cultural, historical, and social analysis in the interpretation of various cultures and their relationship to the Christian tradition.