Licentiate in Theology and Patristic Studies (S.T.L.)

ancient mosaics
“The fathers of the Church teach us how to do theology, on one’s knees and amidst the people.”
— His Eminence Thomas Cardinal Collins, Archbishop of Toronto

St. Augustine’s Seminary is a founding and charter member of the Toronto School of Theology (at the University of Toronto). In 2022, the Dicastery for Culture and Education of the Roman Curia granted St. Augustine’s Seminary Pontifical Status.

The two-year (four semester) advanced Licentiate degree program is structured around fourteen mandatory courses in Patrology, Biblical Exegesis, the development of the Doctrine of God, Christology, Ecclesiology, and the relationship between the Church and society. In addition, students will be required to complete a thesis. The program also introduces students to early Christian writers’ intellectual and cultural milieu, such as Rhetoric and Philosophy.

Graduates of the program are equipped to teach in colleges, seminaries, and schools of Theology, and can also serve as catechetical resources for dioceses and various chaplaincies.

Two-Year Cycle Curriculum

Year A – Fall Semester
• Research Methodology (offered every year)
• Patrology I: 1st-3rd Century (offered every year)
• Hellenistic Philosophy and the Fathers of the Church (offered every year)
• Augustine I
• Origen

Year A – Winter Semester
• Patristic Themes: Trinity and Christology (Early Councils)
• The Cappadocian Fathers
• Patrology II: 4th-5th Century
• Liturgy in the Early Church

Year B – Fall Semester
• Research Methodology (offered every year)
• Patrology I: 1st-3rd Century (offered every year)
• Hellenistic Philosophy and the Fathers of the Church (offered every year)
• Augustine II
• Leo the Great

Year B – Winter Semester
• Classical Rhetoric and Early Christian Apologetics
• Patristic Exegesis
• Patrology III: 6th-8th Century
• Patristic Latin Reading Course (optional)

 

Thesis Requirement

Program Requirements

Students must complete four semesters beyond the six semesters required for the Bachelor in Sacred Theology (S.T.B.) or its equivalent. These semesters will include advanced level courses (fourteen mandatory courses, of which one can be replaced with an elective upon approval by the President) and the preparation of a 60-page thesis, which the student will begin in the second semester of the first year. Students have the option to attend courses online (synchronous delivery). With the approval of the President and the Admission Committee, the Licentiate can also be taken part-time (maximum of 5 years). 

It is highly recommended that students acquire linguistic skills in Latin or Greek. St. Augustine’s Seminary collaborates with the Veterum Sapientia Institute. This Institute offers Vatican accredited courses and diplomas in ecclesiastical Latin and Greek online. For more information and to determine which language courses to take, please contact the Registrar or the Academic Dean of St. Augustine’s.

Program Admission Requirements

  • S.T.B. with a B+ standing/or an equivalent program in Theology, such as the Master of Divinity (M.Div.) or, upon the President’s approval, the Master of Theological Studies (M.T.S.)

  • Complete Application for Admission, provide two letters of reference, a Statement of Intent (not exceeding 750 words) outlining academic interests and academic purposes, and submit with the application fee

  • Admission Interview

  • Fluency in English

  • Proficiency in One Modern Research Language (French, German or Italian)

  • Application Deadline for the September start date is July 30. (January matriculation is not available.)

Fees and Financial Aid

All Tuition and Fees, Refund Schedule, and financial aid information are available on the website. Please contact the Registrar at registrar@staugustines.on.ca for estimated costs.

Student Bursaries and Scholarships may be available upon consideration by the President and the Academic Dean. Board and lodging for Priests or Religious Brothers can be requested from St. Augustine’s Seminary.

Faculty

Rev. John Elmer Abad, S.T.L., Ph.D. (Augustinianum; Toronto)

Dr. Brian Butcher, Ph.D. (St. Paul University-Ottawa)

Rev. Hubertus Drobner, S.T.D., Ph.D. (Paderborn; Augustinianum, et alii) 

Msgr. Hans Feichtinger, S.T.D., Ph.D. (Augustinianum; Munich) 

The Rev. Walter Hannam, Ph.D. (Boston College)

Dr. Ky Heinze, Ph.D. (Catholic University of America)

Dr. Francesco Pica, S.T.D., Ph.D. (Antonianum-Rome; Toronto)

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Msgr. A. Robert Nusca, S.S.L. (Pontifical Biblical Institute), S.T.D. (Gregorianum)
President of St. Augustine’s Seminary and the Pontifical Faculty of Theology

For more information on admission, program requirements, and financial aid, please contact the Registrar at registrar@staugustines.on.ca. Applications must be submitted prior to July 30 for the September start date.