Graduates of the College of Mount St. Joseph's Religious Studies master’s degree program take their training into traditional congregational and chaplaincy positions, as well as into education, health ministries, youth ministry, social services, and allied fields.

You must have an undergraduate degree to enter the program. The Master’s degree is a unique interdisciplinary blend of theology, ministry, spirituality and the social sciences. Our students come from a rich diversity of educational, professional and spiritual backgrounds. The ecumenical composition of our program appeals to a variety of students who seek to integrate their spirituality into their professional vocations, while fostering wellbeing in their context in a more intentional way. The program is Catholic in tradition, charity in heritage, Christian in environment and ecumenical in composition.

Entrance examinations, including the GRE, are not required for the Master of Arts in Religious Studies.

36 credit hours are required to complete the program. You can finish it in about two years, depending on when you enroll. However, others choose a slower pace. You have up to five years to complete the Religious and Pastoral Studies graduate program.

Core courses are offered in intensive weekend, evening and online formats.

Refer to the current tuition rates.

Financial aid is available to all Mount graduate students. The Mount Ministry Tuition Grant is available to any student enrolled in the Religious Studies Graduate Program, who is a paid or volunteer minister serving in a congregation, hospital, health care facility, social service agency, diocese, or educational institution. This grant reduces tuition during the summer semester to $275 per credit hour, and tuition in all other semesters to $325 per credit hour. These rates are subject to change.

Our average faculty-to-student ratio is 12 to 1. Smaller classes mean greater personalized attention from faculty, and greater collegiality with other students. Both are hallmarks of a Mount education.

As an interdisciplinary program, students benefit from greater exposure to other academic courses/programs and to faculty outside the department. Also, the graduate program in Religious Studies is designed for the adult learner and working professional.

We offer two graduate certificates:

• Spirituality and Wellness (18 hours)
• Pastoral Administration (18 hours)

Email John Trokan, D. Min., Chair, Religious and Pastoral Studies Department, or call (513) 244-4272. For more information, email Marilyn Hoskins, M.S., in the Graduate Admission Office, or call (513) 244-4723.

Application documents can be mailed in at different times. It is important to allow enough time for us to process and review them before the start of your designated entry term. The RPS department has open enrollment throughout the year. Students may enroll in classes in the fall, spring or summer terms. Priority registration deadline for registration for the Annual Summer Spirituality Institute and Fall Semester enrollment is April 15.