Aquinas Ministry Formation Program:
Master of Arts in Pastoral Ministry (MAPM)
The Master of Arts in Pastoral Ministry degree provides formation for pastoral ministers to serve in a variety of parish, hospital, education and diocesan ministries. The program is designed to engage and complement the unique gifts of experienced pastoral ministers through graduate level theological and ministerial formation in the Catholic tradition. The degree offers a strong foundation in theological, ministerial, and spiritual formation that is sensitive to the unique needs of the local Church. Instituted in 1995, the program is offered in collaboration with the Archdiocese of Oklahoma City.
Many potential ecclesial ministers, either by reason of distance from theological schools or of full-time employment, cannot participate in standard resident degree programs. In response to this challenge, the MAPM degree program is conducted on-site in each location by Aquinas faculty members who conduct both weekend intensive sessions and weekly learning exercises on the Internet. The diocese selects qualified candidates for the program and, together, Aquinas and the diocese cooperate to form and evaluate candidates for ministry.
In the spirit of Dominican itinerancy, Aquinas Institute in collaboration with the Archdiocese of Oklahoma City meets the needs of the diocese for well-trained ministers and the needs of individuals for excellent theological education and formation through the on-site MAPM degree program.
How do I apply?
Admission to the MAPM requires a bachelor's degree, three letters of recommendation, the Miller Analogies Test, and an autobiographical essay. The essay should include a history of your religious development and a resume of previous experience in ministry or other professional work, as well as a personal assessment of strengths and weaknesses for ministry. Candidates for the Master of Arts in Pastoral Ministry must participate in entrance interviews with the local Program Director and Formation Coordinator and any other admissions requirements set by the diocese.
Contact the local Program Director for more information or download the Application for Admission (137k PDF) and follow the instructions. If you have any questions about downloading the application form, read About PDF.
Program Contents
The MAPM degree is a 44 semester-hour program consisting of 18 courses in academic theology and ministry, a four-month, two-semester intensive in the supervised practice of ministry (field education), and a six-hour seminar in spiritual and personal formation that runs concurrent with the academic portion of the degree program. The MAPM degree is designed to offer the student an integrated experience of academic theology, field education, and spiritual formation for ministry. In the spirit of the Dominican tradition, moreover, the individual components of the program come together in the context of community-and, specifically, that of the student cohort of learners who matriculate together, and remain together through the entire program. The cohort experience serves as an integrating feature of the various components of the MAPM degree.
The 44 hours required for the MAPM degree are divided into 20 courses as follows:
MAPM Course Requirements
| Course Title | Credit Hours |
|---|
| Proseminar | 1 |
| Bible Interpretation | 2 |
| Introduction to Theology | 2 |
| Hebrew Scriptures | 2 |
| Christian Scriptures | 2 |
| Critical Moments in Church History | 2 |
| Christology | 2 |
| Ecclesiology | 2 |
| Supervised Practice of Ministry I | 2 |
| Supervised Practice of Ministry II | 2 |
| Theology of Worship | 2 |
| Foundations of Catholic Morality | 2 |
| Proclamation and Evangelization | 2 |
| Pastoral Counseling | 2 |
| Contemporary Moral Issues | 2 |
| Sacraments in the Contemporary Church | 2 |
| Canon Law: Parish Administration | 2 |
| Theology of God | 2 |
| Contextual Issues in American Christianity | 2 |
| Integrative Seminar | 1 |
| Running Concurrently |
| Formative Spirituality for Pastoral Ministry I | 2 |
| Formative Spirituality for Pastoral Ministry II | 2 |
| Formative Spirituality for Pastoral Ministry III | 2 |
