Father Dave Pivonka, TOR '89 President | Franciscan University website

Franciscan University of Steubenville has announced plans to launch its first-ever doctoral program in sacred theology in the fall of 2024. The program has received approval from the Higher Learning Commission and the Ohio Department of Higher Education, and it aims to deepen the university's contribution to higher education, theological scholarship, and the Catholic Church.

Dr. Stephen Hildebrand, the vice president for Academic Affairs at Franciscan University, highlighted the university's commitment to providing faithfully Catholic undergraduate and graduate programs in theology and catechetics. He stated, "The PhD in Sacred Theology Program builds upon our strengths and allows us to deepen and broaden our contribution to higher education, theological scholarship, and the Church."

The PhD program has three main objectives. First, it will provide students with a unique opportunity to delve into the mysteries of the Catholic faith at the highest academic level on Franciscan University's faith-filled campus. Second, it will equip students to become the next generation of Catholic leaders, preparing them to serve as faculty at universities and seminaries worldwide, as well as in leadership positions within the Church and Catholic institutions. Third, the program will advance theological research and scholarship, promoting a deeper understanding of the Catholic faith, the authentic development of doctrine, and addressing contemporary questions and controversies from within the Church.

Dr. Jacob Wood, the director of the PhD in Sacred Theology Program, emphasized the importance of evangelization through academia. He stated, "Franciscan University's doctoral program emphasizes the studying of theology by returning to the sources of the theological tradition and encountering them anew for the service of the Church today."

The program will offer students the opportunity to specialize in one of five concentrations: systematic theology, historical theology, moral theology, biblical theology, and catechetics. At the start of the program, two doctoral students will receive complete tuition remission and an annual stipend, with a limited number of additional students also being accepted.

The average course of study is expected to take approximately five years, including two years of coursework in graduate-level classes and doctoral seminars, followed by a comprehensive exam and a doctoral dissertation. Students will benefit from mentorship provided by the theology faculty, which includes renowned theologians and scholars in various theological fields.

Dr. Wood emphasized that the program aims to provide students with a holistic formation that integrates academic rigor with a life of prayer. He explained, "Especially with the writing of doctoral dissertations, there's an opportunity for the student to learn and do research not just from a textbook but from a person who is an expert with experience in that field."

Franciscan University has a rich history in theology education. The theology major was introduced at the institution in 1976 and has since become the largest undergraduate Theology Program at any Catholic university in the United States. In 1989, Franciscan University also became the first Catholic college in the nation whose theology faculty and priests publicly professed the Oath of Fidelity to the Magisterium of the Catholic Church.

In addition to the new doctoral program, Franciscan University's Theology Department offers on-campus and online associate, bachelor's, and master's degree programs. The application process for the PhD in Sacred Theology Program will open on February 1, 2024.

For more information on Franciscan University's PhD in Sacred Theology Program, interested individuals can visit franciscan.edu/phd-theology or contact the Admissions Office at 800-783-6220 or admissions@franciscan.edu.