The Master of Arts, major in Pastoral Ministry (Pastoral Management) of the School of Humanities of Ateneo de Manila University was approved by the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) of the Republic of the Philippines on July 18, 1996. This civil degree program aims to equip the Church leaders such as parish priests, formators, religious and lay leaders with the requisite knowledge, skills and practical know-how in Church leadership and management − animated by a profound apostolic spirituality − in the parish and other ecclesial settings. The courses delve into pastoral concerns, such as ecclesial leadership spirituality, group leadership skills, developmental planning, financial management and fund raising, handling conflicts in relationships and other topics.
This MA program is a joint endeavor of Loyola School of Theology (LST), the Theology and Ministry Program of the School of Humanities (TMP) and East Asian Pastoral Institute (EAPI). Students admitted to this program also participate in EAPI’s Pastoral Leadership and Management for Mission Program (PLMM) as residential (live-in) students. Board and lodging at EAPI can also be arranged for the duration of the MA program. They may apply for scholarships for tuition and other fees and board and lodging through Fr. Arthur Leger, S.J., Director of EAPI, at the following contact information: artleger@gmail.com; tel. no. (+ 632) 426-5901 to 03.
Yearly, the EAPI houses around seventy men and women from different parts of the world – laity, religious and clergy – who live together as an international community, and take time to be in the programs that suit their specific needs for personal renewal, a “spiritual pause and review of life”, growth and greater effectiveness in their ministries as pastoral ministers and leaders of communities.
Academic Prerequisite
To get accepted to the program, applicants must have a government-recognized bachelor’s degree with at least 12 units of undergraduate (college) theology courses. Moreover, they must have attained at least a general undergraduate average of B (2.5 or 85).
Course Work
The program requires at least four semesters of course work in which the student must complete successfully fifteen (15) three-unit master’s level courses or 45 units. The fifteen courses must belong to the following categories:
a) 5 Foundation Courses: Revelation-Faith, Christology, Ecclesiology, Fundamental Moral Theology, and Christian Worship.
b) 5 Professional Courses are modules offered by EAPI in its Pastoral Leadership and Management for Mission Program (PLMM): Church and Mission, Introduction to Pastoral Methods, Essentials of Parish Leadership, Conflict and Parish Management Consulting, and Responsible Financial Management and Fund Raising.
c) 5 Elective Courses are likewise modules offered by EAPI in its PLMM Program: Christian Morality and Moral Education; The Spirituality of Consecrated Life; Basic Themes in the Social Teaching of the Church; Parish Leadership Spirituality; and Designing Parish Leadership Programs. Other courses from outside the student’s area of concentration may be taken at LST. Courses in excess of the minimum requirements under Professional Courses may count as electives.
Capstone Project and Comprehensive Examination
After completing his/her course work, the student prepares and submits a Capstone Project or Integrating Paper. The student then takes a two-part comprehensive examination: Part I covers the foundation courses and Part II covers the student’s professional courses.
Application to the Program
Application Period & Deadlines: Students may apply for admission to the MA program in either semester. Procedures, required documents and deadlines for application are published on the website of Loyola School of Theology.
Entrance Tests: All applicants are required to take the Ateneo de Manila University Graduate School Entrance Examination and the LST English Proficiency Test. Fees are charged for these exams.
TOEFL: The Test of English as a Foreign Language is required by the Ateneo de Manila Graduate School for international students who come from countries where English is not the medium of instruction. It is best that they take the TOEFL in their home countries before coming to the Philippines. The test result should form part of their application documents to the Ateneo de Manila Office of the Associate Dean for Graduate Programs.
Acceptance: Applicants are accepted to the program by the Director of the Theology and Ministry Program (LST) of the School of Humanities upon the recommendation of the Admissions Committee which evaluates the applicants on the basis of their academic records, entrance test results, essays, bio-data, etc. On the recommendation of the Committee, some students may be required to take propaedeutic courses in English and Theology as a condition for their acceptance.
For complete information regarding admission procedures, deadlines and required application documents, click here:
Contact us at tel. (632) 426-6430 to 35, fax. (632) 426-5967, email: vpacademic@lst.edu
For information about the East Asian Pastoral Institute, click here.
