Faculty

Rev. Kurt J. Pritzl, O.P., Ph.D.	Dean and Associate Professor
Jean De Groot, Ph.D.	Associate Professor
Gregory T. Doolan, Ph.D.	Assistant Professor
Jude P. Dougherty, Ph.D.	Professor Emeritus and Dean Emeritus
Thérèse-Anne Druart, Ph.D.	Professor
Michael Gorman, Ph.D.	Associate Professor
Richard Hassing, Ph.D.	Associate Professor
Tobias Hoffmann, Ph.D.	Associate Professor
V. Bradley Lewis, Ph.D.	Associate Professor
John C. McCarthy, Ph.D.	Associate Dean and Associate Professor
Angela McKay, Ph.D.	Assistant Professor
Rev. George McLean, O.M.I., Ph.D.	Professor Emeritus
Virgil P. Nemoianu, Ph.D.	Professor
Timothy B. Noone, Ph.D.	Professor
Michael Rohlf, Ph.D.	Assistant Professor
Monsignor Robert Sokolowski, Ph.D.	Elizabeth Breckenridge Caldwell Professor of Philosophy
Matthias Vorwerk, Ph.D.	Assistant Professor
Rev. William A. Wallace, O.P., Ph.D.	Professor Emeritus
Kevin White, Ph.D.	Associate Professor
Monsignor John F. Wippel, Ph.D.	Theodore Basselin Professor of Philosophy
Holger Zaborowski, D.Phil.	Assistant Professor

Associates of the Faculty

Patrick Boner, D.Phil.	Lecturer
Sister Marian Brady, S.P., Ph.D.	Adjunct Assistant Professor
Mary Cashman-McGuire, Ed.D.	Lecturer
Elisabeth Herschbach, Ph.D.	Lecturer
Alfred Miller, M.D., Ph.D.	Lecturer
Maria Miller, Ph.D.	Lecturer
Gregory Reichberg, Ph.D.	Research Associate
Biagio Tassone, Ph.D.	Lecturer
Rev. David Thayer, S.S., Ph.D.	Lecturer
Rev. James Watkins, Ph.D.	Lecturer

Formally inaugurated in 1895, the School of Philosophy has accepted 406 doctoral dissertations on issues confronting every major philosophical discipline and every figure in the history of philosophy. The school continues this endeavor against the background of a broad consensus on the definitive importance of two perennial questions: What is the human good? What are the ultimate principles of being and knowledge? The awareness of these questions and the study of their possible answers constitute an end and an ethos in light of which the school chooses to concentrate on the careful reading of primary sources in the history of philosophy. The school is established as an ecclesiastical faculty and offers undergraduate and graduate programs leading to the ecclesiastical degrees bachelor of philosophy, licentiate in philosophy, and doctor of philosophy as well as the civil degrees bachelor of arts, master of arts, and doctor of philosophy.

Specific to the Catholic intellectual tradition is an abiding concern for the relation between faith and reason, the intelligibility of nature, the reality of organic form or soul, the inquiry into causal hierarchies, and the possibility of an ethics and political philosophy based on rational insight into human nature. Accordingly, Plato, Aristotle, Augustine and Aquinas form a basic framework in relation to which Neoplatonism, the Islamic contribution, the ferment of late Scholasticism, the emergence of early modern philosophy and natural science, the attempts at synthesis of the natural and the human within German idealism, the impact of Nietzsche, and the analytical and phenomenological movements are studied.

Despite its richness and diversity, modern philosophy is paradoxically marked by an anti-philosophical tendency. With notable exceptions, modern thought is characterized by skepticism concerning the very possibility of philosophy as the search for truth about ultimate principles and human good, and by inattention to the meaning of practical wisdom in non-philosophical life. Cultivation of an intellectual awareness adequate to this situation is a principal goal of the School of Philosophy.

Applicants for admission to the School of Philosophy should obtain a form of application from the Office of Graduate Admissions of the university or from the dean of the school. This must be properly completed and returned to the Office of Graduate Admissions at least one month in advance of registration day as indicated in the University Calendar. A completed application for admission must be on file by February 1 to be given priority for merit-based scholarships.

Each student entering the university for the first time must be enrolled and registered on or before the first day of class.

Applicants to all graduate programs in the School of Philosophy are required to submit the following credentials:

A Completed and Signed Application Form

A Statement of Purpose

In an essay of 500 to 700 words, state your purpose in undertaking graduate study in philosophy. Include your academic objective, research interests and career plans. Also discuss your related qualifications, including collegiate, professional and community activities, and any other substantial accomplishments not already mentioned on the application form.

Official Transcripts

Applicants should contact the registrar of every school previously attended and request an official transcript be sent directly to the Office of Graduate Admissions.

Transcripts marked "Student Copy" or "Issued to the Student" will not be accepted. Official transcripts must be sent in sealed envelopes with an official university stamp or signature across the seal to ensure confidentiality.

Transcripts should show receipt of a bachelor's degree from an accredited institution, the courses completed toward the degree, the grade in each course and the basis for grading in effect at the institution. If applicants are applying to the Ph.D. program, they must submit transcripts that show receipt of a master's degree from an accredited institution, the courses completed toward the degree, the grade in each course and the basis for grading in effect at the institution.

Students who have not received the bachelor's degree but submit evidence of satisfactory training equivalent to that required for the bachelor's degree may be admitted, as in the case of foreign training, as shown by official documents, in schools where no degrees are regularly granted. Each case must be presented to and passed upon by the Committee on Admissions.

Applicants will not be considered for admission unless they have received a cumulative average that can be evaluated as a "B."

Enrollment in university graduate courses for students completing their final year of undergraduate or graduate degree study is contingent upon the receipt of the final transcript showing the conferral of the degree.

Three Letters of Recommendation

Submit the three confidential recommendation forms that are included in the application packet. If your recommenders wish to provide additional information about your qualifications for graduate study, they may also submit letters of recommendation.

(Recommenders who submit letters should use their own letterhead, include their printed name and signature and your full name.) Recommendation forms and letters should be returned in a sealed envelope with the recommender's signature across the seal.

Recommendations should give evidence of personal aptitude and academic preparation for advanced study in philosophy. Former or present college or university instructors are usually best able to provide the type of recommendation most useful to the admissions committee.

Standardized Test Scores

Applicants must submit official GRE scores dated within the last five years. All applicants from countries and areas where English is not the common spoken language must submit an official Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) score report. CUA's TOEFL code is 5104.

$55 Nonrefundable Application Fee

An interview with the prospective student will be held in cases where the Committee on Admissions deems it necessary, and the right is reserved to require entrance examinations in any individual case.

Nondegree Applicants

Nondegree students, both undergraduate and graduate, are admitted to such courses as they may select without the intention of going on for academic degrees. Before admission they must furnish satisfactory evidence of their fitness to follow these courses profitably.

Applicants to the nondegree program in the School of Philosophy are required to submit a completed and signed application form, official transcripts and an application fee (except for those applying to the pre-theology program who are also required to submit a statement of purpose and three recommendations).

Applicants should also refer to the General Information section of the university Announcements for more information on admission requirements.

Transfer of Credits

Graduate work done in other institutions will not be accepted towards fulfilling the requirements for the master's degree or the licentiate in philosophy. Graduate work done in other institutions of approved standing, and not used to fulfill the requirements for the doctoral degree elsewhere, may be offered in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the doctoral degree in the School of Philosophy provided this work is approved by the dean. A maximum of two semesters of graduate work in philosophy may be transferred from another institution.

At least four semesters of full-time graduate work toward the doctoral degree must be done in residence at The Catholic University of America. One of these years must be the last year.

A candidate for the doctoral degree who applies for credit for graduate work done at other institutions may be granted such credit as, in the judgment of the dean, is deemed suitable. Judgment will be passed only after the student has studied at The Catholic University of America for a time sufficient to give adequate opportunity to evaluate the student's grasp of the subject taken elsewhere.

Master of Arts or Licentiate in Philosophy

1. Candidates must have received a bachelor's degree from a recognized institution. A minimum of eight undergraduate courses in select philosophical disciplines, including one course in symbolic logic, is required before regular standing as an M.A. candidate is achieved. Where a deficiency exists, certain graduate courses may be taken as the candidate completes the undergraduate requirement. 

2. Candidates must complete in residence two semesters of full-time study (or the equivalent). A minimum of eight three-credit courses is required. All course selection requires approval of the dean and aims to achieve, in the totality of required courses, both breadth and depth in the history and problems of philosophy. Students may not repeat a graduate philosophy course in order to raise their grade.

3. Candidates must present a thesis to be approved by the faculty. This thesis must be presented not later than the deadline for the deposit of the thesis that is printed in the University Calendar. Detailed instructions about the preparation of the final copy and other procedures may be obtained from the dean's office. Six credits are awarded for the thesis upon the completion of all other requirements for the degree.

4. Candidates must pass the following examinations:

a. All regular examinations in each course.
b. In addition to fulfilling the university's language requirement, a written examination administered by the School of Philosophy in which the candidate demonstrates an ability to read either French, German, Greek or Latin.
c. An oral examination, of one hour, before four members of the faculty. Candidates for the master of arts or licentiate degree must take their oral examination before the end of the second semester after the semester in which they complete their required coursework.
d. Degree candidates for the master of arts or licentiate in philosophy must complete all degree requirements within three years after admission to the program. Students are permitted to do doctoral coursework before completing the requirements for the master of arts or licentiate in philosophy, but this does not imply that the school will admit the student to the doctoral program.

Students admitted to the doctoral program must first secure the master of arts or licentiate in philosophy in accordance with this school's requirements for these degrees. Master of arts degrees conferred by other institutions, which meet these requirements, are recognized.

Students must spend at least two additional years (four semesters) for the doctorate following special courses approved by the dean and the faculty. A minimum of 20 courses or 60 semester hours of coursework is required for the doctorate. This includes work completed for the master of arts degree (but not credits awarded for the completion of an master of arts thesis). All course selection requires approval of the dean and aims to achieve, in the totality of required courses, both breadth and depth in the history and problems of philosophy. Students may not repeat a graduate philosophy course in order to raise their grade.

Ph.D. candidacy follows upon:

1. Completion of all coursework for the doctorate.

2. Passing one part of the three-part Graduate Reading Program Examination.

3. Doctoral Dissertation:

Within two years of attaining Ph.D. candidacy, the student must have the doctoral dissertation proposal approved by the student's faculty board and submitted to the dean for approval by the faculty of the School of Philosophy and the university.

The candidate must present a dissertation that gives evidence of power of research, of ability to do independent scientific work, of mastery of the candidate's part of the chosen field and is of sufficient merit to warrant publication.

When the dissertation is completed and tentatively approved by the director and readers, a public oral examination will be conducted by an oral examination board. The board will consist of a chair and a secretary, who will be appointed from university faculty outside the School of Philosophy, plus the director and the two readers of the dissertation.

The completed doctoral dissertation must be defended no later than five years after admission to Ph.D. candidacy.

The defense of the doctoral dissertation cannot take place until all other requirements for the doctorate have been fulfilled.

Final approval of the dissertation is realized after the defense, when all conditions on the part of the board have been met and any objections satisfied.

Candidates must pass the following examinations:

1. Regular examinations in all courses.

2. Written examinations on two of the three parts of the Graduate Reading Program.

3. In addition to the university's language requirement, written examinations administered by the School of Philosophy in which they demonstrate their ability to read both French and German. Both languages are prerequisite for the doctorate. These examinations must be passed one year before the degree is granted.

4. A public oral examination on the doctoral dissertation.

The Ph.D. degree is granted when all the above requirements have been fulfilled by the candidate and approved by the faculty of the School of Philosophy and the Academic Senate of the university.

In conjunction with the Columbus School of Law at The Catholic University of America, the School of Philosophy offers a dual-degree program for students who qualify for admission to both institutions. The program makes it possible to earn an M.A. degree in philosophy and a J.D. degree in law.

The School of Philosophy also offers a dual-degree program with the Georgetown University Medical Center for those students who qualify for admission to both institutions. This program offers an M.D. degree and an M.A. degree in philosophy.

For more information on these programs, please contact the Office of the Dean.

Graduate Reading Program Examinations

The Graduate Reading Program of primary sources is required of all Ph.D. degree candidates. The program is divided into three parts with reading lists corresponding approximately to a threefold chronological division of the history of philosophy. To be admitted as a candidate for the doctorate, a student must pass an examination on one of the parts. To qualify for the doctorate, a student must pass an examination on a second part, thus passing examinations on two of the three parts. Both examinations must be passed before students are entitled to defend their doctoral dissertation. Students may take the two examinations in any order. Copies of the current reading lists are available in the Office of the Dean.

Examinations on each part of the Graduate Reading Program are written examinations given on two consecutive days, each day's session consisting of a continuous four-hour period.

At each session the student will write essays on four questions chosen from the six presented by the examiner. Each of the eight essays will be corrected by two faculty members. A grade of B- is necessary to pass. The final mark for each essay will be the average of the marks of the two correctors. If, however, one corrector passes the essay while the other fails it, a third faculty member will grade the essay, and the final grade will be the average of all three marks. The average of the final eight marks constitutes the grade for that part of the Graduate Reading Program Examination. Essay topics will be contributed, and the examination graded by the reading program committee, which consists of six members appointed by the dean.

Graduate Reading Program Examinations will be offered twice a year, in October and March, and only at The Catholic University of America, Washington, D.C. All three parts of the reading program will be available in each of these two examination periods, although no student may attempt more than one part in a given two-day examination period. No student may attempt any part of the three-part examination more than three times.

Copies of past Graduate Reading Program Examinations or sample sets of questions are available in advance of the examination dates in the Office of the Dean.

Approval of Doctoral Dissertation Topic

The following procedure will be adhered to in securing the approval of a doctoral dissertation topic:

1. Upon fulfilling the conditions for the Ph.D. candidacy and after consultation with the dean, the student will ask a faculty member to assume the direction of the dissertation. After securing a director and after consultation with the dean and the director the student will ask two faculty members to serve on the dissertation board. In special cases and with the consent of the dean a fourth member may be invited to serve on the board.

2. After securing the agreement of a director and two faculty members to serve on the dissertation board, the student will inform the dean. The dean will appoint the faculty members to serve on the dissertation board.

3. The student will prepare a written two-page draft proposal with two-page select bibliography for the approval of the director. The other board members may be consulted in the preparation of the draft proposal.

4. Upon approval of the draft proposal by the director a meeting of the dissertation board will be called to discuss and revise the proposal. If revision is required the board will meet again within a period of four weeks to accept or reject the revised proposal.

5. If the proposal is accepted, the candidate then prepares, with the guidance of the dissertation board, the formal two-page proposal with two-page select bibliography according to directives given on the Request for Approval Form to submit to the dean for approval by the faculty and university.

Language Requirements

Language examinations for all candidates for advanced degrees in the School of Philosophy are given according to policies and procedures determined by the Academic Senate of the university and the school.

For the master's degree or the licentiate, a reading knowledge of French, German, Latin or Greek is required. For French or German both the university and the school examination must be satisfied. The university requirement is satisfied either by passing the respective graduate reading comprehension course offered by the Department of Modern Languages and Literatures or the respective Graduate Foreign Language Test administered by the university Counseling Center. The school requirement is satisfied by passing the respective language examination administered by the school. There is no university examination program for Latin or Greek, and passing the school examination is sufficient to satisfy the foreign language requirement for the master's degree or licentiate. 

For the doctor of philosophy a reading knowledge of French and German is required. Both the university and the school examination must be satisfied. No language will be recognized as a substitute for French and German. All language requirements must be fulfilled one year prior to the time of the presentation of the candidate's degree.

Language Examinations Administered by the School

The language examinations administered by the school, one in French, one in German, one in Latin and one in Greek, are given in October, March and July. They are administered in two parts: normally one part is based on a passage from a primary source and one part on a passage from a secondary source like a current philosophical journal. The examination is administered in two three-hour sessions in which the student is required to translate the passages presented. The student may use one dictionary throughout the examination.

Candidates for the master of arts or the licenciate in philosophy degree must pass one such examination either in French, German, Latin or Greek. Candidates for the doctorate must pass examinations in both French and German.

A foreign language examination committee, appointed by the dean, will be responsible for the preparation and the grading of the examination.

More detailed information about the language exam is available in the Office of the Dean.

Every graduate student is required to maintain continuous enrollment from the date of first registration until a degree program is completed, unless granted a leave of absence. The following is a summary of the enrollment regulations that apply to graduate students.

Enrollment Options

1. Course requirements not completed. Student must register for at least three credits of graduate coursework (or approved undergraduate remedial work), unless granted a leave of absence.

2. Course requirements completed but two parts of the Graduate Reading Program Examination not passed. Student must register for additional coursework, comprehensive examination or in absentia status, unless granted a leave of absence.

3. Two parts of the Graduate Reading Program Examination passed but the Ph.D. dissertation not completed. Student must register for Dissertation Guidance (three semester hours) each semester until the Ph.D. dissertation defense has taken place, unless a leave of absence or in absentia status has been granted.

Eligibility Criteria for Leave of Absence or in Absentia

Approval for leave of absence requires documentation of sustained ill health, required military service or other circumstances resulting in involuntary interruption of graduate studies. An approved leave of absence period is not counted in determining deadlines. The cumulative total period may not normally exceed one year.

In petitioning for in absentia status, the student documents that he or she is required to be away from campus while preparing the Ph.D. dissertation. One semester hour of tuition is charged. In absentia status is available only to students who have completed all course requirements. In absentia status is available for M.A. candidates except for the semester in which the thesis is approved and in which the M.A. oral examination is taken. This option is not available for the semester in which the Ph.D. dissertation topic is submitted and approved, nor for the semester in which the oral defense is scheduled. Eligibility is usually limited to a total of two semesters. A student who fails to maintain continuous enrollment under one of the options available is presumed to have withdrawn from the university and must therefore petition for readmission.

Financial support for graduate study is listed elsewhere, including specific funding for students in the School of Philosophy. The following special endowments and funds also exist to assist doctoral students in the school.

The Aristotle Fund

This fund makes awards to students in the School of Philosophy with approved doctoral dissertation proposals on the philosophy of Aristotle and on Aristotelian philosophy more generally.

The Dr. Robert R. Banville Doctoral Fellowship Fund

This fund offers substantial stipends for graduate students with approved dissertation topics whose studies would lead to a philosophical understanding of the conditions for world peace and international cooperation in economic, social and cultural affairs. Dr. Robert R. Banville Scholars must also show leadership potential in advancing the cause of peace, understanding and cooperation between nations and peoples.

The Johnston Doctoral Fellowship Fund

This fund provides scholarships for graduate students in the School of Philosophy for their fourth and fifth years of full-time study.

The Monsignor Joseph B. McAllister Fund

This fund provides scholarships for lay students in the School of Philosophy in the field of scholastic Thomistic philosophy.

The Tom and Judy Moore Foundation Doctoral Fellowship Fund

This fund offers scholarships and stipends to outstanding graduate students in full-time studies for the doctorate through the generosity of the Tom and Judy Moore Foundation.

The Michael Novak and Karen Laub-Novak Fellowship Fund

This fund provides fellowships to full-time graduate students in the School of Philosophy who show interest and aptitude for philosophy and public policy and have interests in philosophy and economics; philosophy of social justice; philosophy of sports; the relation of faith and reason in American and international societies; religion and art; philosophy of democracy and human rights; philosophy of capitalism; and principles of public policy regarding family, welfare, and liberation from poverty.

The Ryan Doctoral Fellowship Fund

This fund provides scholarships and stipends for graduate students in the School of Philosophy for their fourth and fifth years of full-time study.

The John A. Weisz Scholar Fund

This fund provides stipends to graduate students in the School of Philosophy who exemplify in their philosophical studies the commitment to excellence and to the service of others that marked the life of the late John Weisz, in whose memory the fund was established.

Advisory Committee	President of the University; Provost of the University; Provincial, Society of St. Sulpice
Administrative Officer	Rev. Melvin C. Blanchette, S.S., Rector, Theological College

In fulfillment of the will of Theodore Basselin, The Catholic University of America established a foundation in his name to provide fellowships in a special course of studies for diocesan seminarians preparing for the Catholic priesthood. Candidates for the fellowships must have completed two years of the liberal arts curriculum in a college/university or a college/university program under diocesan sponsorship; they must also have given evidence of superior performance in their studies. The Basselin Foundation fellowships carry such students through three years of intensive work in philosophy: two years on the undergraduate level and one year of postgraduate work.

The undergraduate course of studies is the concentration program of the School of Philosophy. Students admitted under the Basselin fellowships must qualify for this program and maintain an acceptable average to retain their fellowships.

In the curriculum, first importance is given to those branches of philosophy most necessary as a preparation for the study of theology; stress is laid upon the courses in scholastic philosophy. The Basselin fellowship, as is stipulated in its charter, also requires its recipient to give special attention to public speaking in view of later pastoral responsibilities.

During the three-year fellowship full tuition, room and board are provided to students accepted into the program.

In addition to these academic and financial benefits, the students continue their preparation for the priesthood through participation in the life and programs of Theological College of The Catholic University of America. Although the Basselin students are part of the larger community, they receive attention in areas specific to their stage in priestly preparation.

In addition to the regular requirements for degrees cited above, Basselin students are required to take three courses in the area of public speaking. Two of these, taken usually in the junior year, are available in the School of Philosophy: 

PHIL 374	Ritual, Language, and Action
PHIL 375	Liturgical Readings

The third course is available in the offerings of the Department of Drama, if the student has not previously taken a speech or drama class.

In accord with the vision and norms of the Program of Priestly Formation, Fifth Edition, for pre-theology studies, the School of Philosophy in association with the School of Theology and Religious Studies offers a comprehensive and flexible pre-theology program for candidates for priestly ministry.  The School of Philosophy offers a coordinated series of philosophy courses for the intellectual formation of pre-theology students in all the areas of philosophy specificed by the Program of Priestly Formation. The School of Theology and Religious Studies offers the full range of theology courses specified for this program, and the university has rich offerings in ancient and modern languages, Catholic art and culture, literature, public speaking, and other fields.

Certificate Program in Pre-Theology Studies

The School of Philosophy offers a two-year program in pre-theology studies leading to the Certificate in Pre-Theology Studies. Candidates for the certificate are matriculated in the School of Philosophy and follow a course of studies determined by the vision and norms of the Program of Priestly Formation, Fifth Edition, for pre-theology studies as specified below. For qualified candidates the certificate program may be combined with studies for the degree of master of arts or licentiate in philosophy.

Certificate Program Requirements

The Certificate in Pre-Theology Studies is awarded upon the completion of 16 to 20 courses for a total of 48 to 60 credits over the two-year period of the program. Candidates take a minimum of 4 courses each semester but the program allows and encourages students to take full advantage of the richness of the offerings of the university for pre-theology studies by taking a full complement of courses. 

The certificate program requires the following distribution of courses in order to reach 16 courses for 48 credits: 

I. 10 philosophy courses (30 credits) distributed as follows: 

HISTORY OF PHILOSOPHY

 1. PHIL 353  History of Ancient Philosophy

 2. PHIL 354  History of Medieval Philosophy

 3. PHIL 453  History of Modern Philosophy

 4. PHIL 454  Contemporary Philosophy 

 

ETHICS 

 5. PHIL 309  Theories of Ethics or PHIL 311 Contemporary Moral Issues 

 

METAPHYSICS¹ 

 6. PHIL 355  Metaphysics I

 7. PHIL 356  Metaphysics II            

    ¹ In special cases PHIL 305 Metaphysics, and PHIL 308 Philosophy of God, may be substituted for PHIL 355 and PHIL 356.  

     

PHILOSOPHICAL ANTHROPOLOGY AND OTHER COURSES

  8. PHIL 313  Philosophy of Human Nature

  9. One of the following:

      PHIL 331  Philosophy of Knowledge 

      PHIL 317  Philosophy of Religion

      PHIL 311  Contemporary Moral Issues

      PHIL 303  Bioethics    

      PHIL 315  Philosophy of Language

      PHIL 332  Political Philosophy

      PHIL 328  Philosophy of Social Science

      PHIL 329  Philosophy of Science 

 

LOGIC 

 10. PHIL 301  Reasoning and Argumentation or PHIL 351  Introduction to Symbolic Logic 

II. 4 theology courses (12 credits), normally distributed as follows: 

 1. TRS 562A    Foundations of Catholicism I

 2. TRS 562B    Foundations of Catholicism II

 3. TRS 504A    Introduction to the Old Testament

 4. TRS 504B    Introduction to the New Testament 

III. 2 courses in Latin or other appropriate course work as specified in the Program of Priestly Formation, Fifth Edition (6 credits) 

For candidates satisfying more than the minimum requirements for the certificate, further appropriate course work in theology, languages, the liberal arts, and speech would be added, in accord with the norms of the Program of Priestly Formation. 

To earn the certificate all courses must be passed with a grade of C or better.

Candidates for the certificate program earn the certificate through course work at Catholic University according to the following policies:

1. Students will always take at least 4 theology courses and the 2 additional courses at the university to earn the certificate.

2. If students have taken theology courses elsewhere that are fully equivalent to theology courses required for the certificate program, other appropriate theology courses would be substituted from the offerings of the School of Theology and Religious Studies. The Associate Dean of the School of Theology and Religious Studies for Seminary and Ministerial Studies would determine issues of equivalency for theology courses and indicate the appropriate substitute theology courses to the Associate Dean of the School of Philosophy.

3. With respect to philosophy courses, up to 2 three-credit undergraduate courses in philosophy taken elsewhere that are fully equivalent to courses required in the certificate program here may be recognized and other appropriate courses substituted for them. In every case at least half of the credits earned toward the certificate will be in philosophy courses taken at Catholic University. Thus, if the certificate is earned by completing 16 courses at Catholic University, at least 8 philosophy courses have to be included among those courses. If the certificate is earned with 20 courses at Catholic University, at least 10 philosophy courses have to be included among those courses. The Associate Dean of the School of Philosophy would determine issues of equivalency for philosophy courses. 

Certificate Program with the Licentiate or Master of Arts in Philosophy 

For qualified candidates the certificate program offers the option of earning the licentiate or master of arts degree in the School of Philosophy in the course of earning the certificate itself. The licentiate or master's degree requires 8 graduate courses in philosophy and a thesis, which carries 6 credits, as well as an oral comprehensive examination and a foreign language requirement. The licentiate or master's course and thesis work would stand in the place of the 10 philosophy courses in the certificate program. Admission to the licentiate or master's program requires a minimum of 8 undergraduate philosophy courses. The normal application requirements for admission to the master's or licentiate degree program in the School of Philosophy obtain. Selection of course work of seminarians in the certificate program studying for the licentiate or master's in philosophy would be guided by the vision and norms of the Program of Priestly Formation, taking into account previous undergraduate work in philosophy.

To earn the certificate with the licentiate or master's degree all philosophy courses must be passed according to the normal standards for the graduate degree program. All other courses must be passed with a grade of C or better.

The School of Philosophy operates in the Summer Sessions for undergraduates. Many candidates and prospective candidates for graduate degrees find the Summer Sessions advantageous for making up deficiencies in undergraduate training in principal and auxiliary subjects, such as foreign languages. Students in the Summer Sessions are subject to the same scholastic requirements as those of the academic year.