Jesuit School of Theology GUIDELINES. for the. Master of Theological Studies (M.T.S.) Degree Program

Transcription

1 Jesuit School of Theology GUIDELINES for the Master of Theological Studies (M.T.S.) Degree Program Jesuit School of Theology of Santa Clara University 1735 Le Roy Avenue, Berkeley, CA Phone: (510) Fax: (510)

2 GUIDELINES FOR THE MASTER OF THEOLOGICAL STUDIES (MTS) DEGREE T A B L E O F C O N T E N T S Introduction 3 Goals and Objectives 3 Advanced Standing 4 Degree Requirements 4 Synthesis Paper & MTS Proseminar 6 Guidelines for an MTS Synthesis Project 7 Physical Format of Theses, ThM Projects and MTS Synthesis Papers/Projects 9 MTS Synthesis Paper and Project Submission Guidelines 12 Sample title Page for the M.T.S. Synthesis Paper/Project 13 APPENDICES: Worksheet 15 M.T.S. Synthesis Paper/Project Proposal Form 16 M.T.S. Synthesis Paper/Project Grade Report Form 17 2

3 Jesuit School of Theology Master of Theological Studies (M.T.S.) Description The Master of Theological Studies program provides students with a broad theological foundation that will undergird inquiry in a select area of concentration. In keeping with the intellectual tradition and apostolic priority of the Society of Jesus, the program cultivates a critical fidelity to the Roman Catholic tradition, in service of the faith that does justice. It also enables students to understand the interplay between faith and culture, preparing them to address theological and pastoral issues that emerge in diverse cultural contexts. Goals / Objectives Goal I: Students will gain a broad theological foundation that will undergird inquiry into a select area of concentration. Objectives: A. Students will demonstrate an understanding of Biblical Studies, Historical- Systematic Theology, and Pastoral-Moral Theology, according to the competencies articulated by each of these areas. B. Students will integrate their understanding of the above areas in exploring a chosen area of concentration. C. Students will demonstrate a depth of knowledge in their area of concentration. Goal II: Students will develop a critical fidelity to the Roman Catholic tradition, in service of the faith that does justice. Objectives: A. Students will employ historically and philosophically informed knowledge of the tradition in assessing theological positions. B. Students will integrate the perspective of the poor and the marginalized in their reflection on theological and pastoral issues. Goal III: Students will recognize the interplay between faith and culture in addressing theological and / or pastoral issues that emerge in diverse cultural contexts. Objectives: A. Students will incorporate skillful socio-cultural analysis into their reflection on theological and pastoral issues. B. Students will locate theological and pastoral issues in the cultural contexts in which they emerge. 3

4 Advanced Standing A student who has taken graduate courses in theology not longer than six years prior to registration may petition for advanced placement in the Master of Theological Studies program. This petition may be included with the Application for Admission or it may be submitted during the first semester of study at JST. No more than 12 semester units of advanced standing can be applied to the JST Master of Theological Studies program. Petition forms are available from the Registrar, the Office of Admissions or online on the Registrar s page: No units will be transferred which have already been counted toward another degree. No units will be considered for transfer which are not from accredited institutions of higher learning or were not attained at a graduate level. Degree Requirements The Master of Theological Studies degree requires the completion of 48 semester hours (16 three-unit courses). A full-time student may expect to complete the Master of Theological Studies degree in two academic years, but must complete the program within four calendar years from the date of first registration in the program. Twelve semester units is the normal full-time course load. The degree program also requires students to submit a paper (roughly 40 pages) or equivalent project synthesizing the theological concentration and the general theological components of the program. Students in all degree programs must maintain a 3.0 Cumulative Grade Point Average (CGPA) to graduate. A grade of B- or better is necessary in all courses used to satisfy a requirement for all Jesuit School of Theology degree programs. Credit Distribution for Course Work Forty-eight semester hours of credit must be completed according to the course distribution outlined below. Students are strongly urged to do 12 units of their degree program in courses at other Graduate Theological Union schools. I. General Theology (27 credits) a. 24 of these units should be taken in basic theology: Biblical Studies (6 units) Historical and Systematic Theology (6 units) Ethics, Religion and Society (6 units) Spirituality and Pastoral Theology (6 units) b. 3 units for the MTS Proseminar. The Proseminar includes a synthesis paper or project in the area of the student s specialization. This is further explained below. II. Theological Concentration (9-15 credits)* a. General Theology Concentration: Students concentrating in one of the areas of study listed under general theology must take 9 additional units in their area of concentration in 4

5 addition to the general theology requirement. The number of credits that constitute a concentration is 15. Areas of Concentration Biblical Studies Christian Spirituality Cultural and Historical Studies of Catholicism Ethics and Social Theory/Religion and Society Church History History of Art and Religion Liturgical Studies Systematic and Philosophical Theology b. Catholic Studies Concentration: The only currently recognized area of concentration that is not a general theology requirement is Catholic Studies. Students concentrating in Catholic Studies must take 15 units of Catholic Studies in order to fulfill their concentration. Any two courses in the general theology requirement that have a distinctly Catholic focus may be counted toward the total of 15. NOTE: The units required for the two components (general theology and theological concentration) may be altered, with the permission of the Associate Dean, if the student has already done extensive work in general theology or the area of concentration. III. Electives (6-12 credits)* All other courses taken in the MTS program are electives. Students concentrating in general theology fields have 12 units of elective coursework. Students concentrating in Catholic Studies have at least 6, and up to 12, units of electives, depending on whether their general theology courses reflect distinctively Catholic themes. *The total number of Concentration and Elective units for all MTS students is 21. IV. Synthesis Paper or Project M.T.S. students are to write a paper (roughly 40 pages) or an equivalent project synthesizing the theological concentration and the general theological components of the program. This paper or project is to be done under the direction of a full-time JST faculty member and with a second reader, both approved by the Associate Dean. The student must submit a proposal for the paper or project, including the names of the director and reader, to the Associate Dean for approval. Due to the academic nature of the Master of Theological Studies program, courses in functional theology (FT), field education (FE), or practical courses in ministry cannot count toward this degree. Any exception to the above needs the written approval of the Associate Dean. No professor or academic advisor can make exceptions in degree requirements. 5

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7 M.T.S. SYNTHESIS PAPER & PROSEMINAR Synthesis Paper: M.T.S. students are to write a paper (roughly 40 pages) or present an equivalent project synthesizing the theological concentration and the general theological components of the program. This paper is to be done under the direction of a full-time JST faculty member and with a second reader, both approved by the Associate Dean. Proposal: A proposal for the project or paper is subject to the approval of the Associate Dean, who will also approve the principal advisor and a second reader. A form for this proposal is included in this handbook. Title Page: A sample of the title page is also included here. Grade for Synthesis Paper: A sample grade report form is included in this handbook. A copy of the grade sheet should be given to each reader along with the final version of the synthesis paper or project. You can make copies from the enclosed sample, or pick up copies from the JST Registrar. Preparing and Filing of Synthesis Paper: The M.T.S. synthesis paper should be done in accordance with Library specifications, using the Manual for Writers of Term Papers, Theses and Dissertations, 7 th edition, by Kate Turabian (see the guidelines on Physical Format, following). One bound copy of the final, corrected and signed version of the synthesis paper or project should be filed with the JST Associate Dean's Office. Either velo or comb binding, with a clear plastic cover, is recommended. The M.T.S. synthesis paper will be kept on file at JST. Synthesis Paper Deadline: The MTS synthesis paper must be graded, corrected, signed and submitted to the JSTB Registrar by the first Monday in May for May graduation. 7

8 Guidelines for an M.T.S. Synthesis Project An M.T.S. project differs from an M.T.S. synthesis paper in that it is immediately ready for pastoral, educational, counseling, or other practical situations. It is an application of theological expertise to a particular need or for a particular group. Examples of M.T.S. projects include syllabi for courses, materials for retreats, educational films, blogs, etc. Criteria for grading M.T.S. projects include: 1. Does the project seem to be informed by good theological understanding in the student s area of concentration, including appropriate bibliographical material? 2. Does the project reflect good general theological knowledge, including relevant bibliographical material? 3. Is the material presented appropriate in topics, language and level of difficulty for its intended audience? 4. Does the Analytical Introduction (see below) clearly state the purpose, methodology and goals of the project? 5. Does the project seem likely to achieve the goals stated, assuming appropriate audience and presentation? M.T.S. projects should be prefaced by an Analytical Introduction of about 5-8 typed, doublespaced pages explaining the project. Material to be covered in the Analytical Introduction includes: 1. Title 2. Rationale and purpose Briefly state why you are doing this project. (E.g., While teaching 10 th grade, I came to realize that my students had little or no knowledge of the gospel of John. At the same time, our school has a strong institutional commitment to social justice. In this project, I seek to bring those two dynamics into dialogue. ) Next, describe the purpose of the project and its intended audience (e.g., This class is intended to provide High School students with a solid introduction to the gospel of John, especially as that text speaks to questions of social justice. ) 3. Goals (e.g. Retreatants will be introduced to Lectio divina as a prayer practice. ) What, specifically, will the recipients of your work gain from it? Most projects will have 3-4 distinct goals. 4. Structure and Methodology: How is the project organized, and why in this way? How will your project meet its goals? What scholarly resources and concepts are you drawing on, and why? Make sure to connect the aspects of your project clearly to your bibliography. (E.g., NOT: I am using historical-critical methodology to read the text. RATHER: The historical-critical scholarship of shapes this project. As states, Scripture without a sense of historical context is deracinated. 1 Therefore, I will... ) This should be the main part of your paper. 5. Materials A schedule, budget, advertising flier, or other appropriate materials may be included here. 8

9 6. Conclusion In general, remember that the M.T.S. project is to be equivalent to a 40 page paper. Therefore, if your project includes a structural task (like designing a parish education program or a semester-long course), while you need not provide all the specific texts you will need to create, you should include enough specific materials for your graders to have a sense that you are integrating your theological knowledge well in the project. For a project that is a school class, this would mean including some lectures in full text (i.e., if speaking from an outline, include the outline), while the syllabus will also be significant in evaluating the project overall. For a guidebook for hospital chaplains, this would mean including all or most of the final text, but some chapters may be left in outline form. For a blog, submit the website address, but in your introduction highlight several entries, perhaps with feedback from or interaction with readers. If the project involves research with people, GTU protocols on human subjects must be observed. Forms and policies can be found at the GTU website: 9

10 MASTER'S THESIS AND DOCTORAL DISSERTATION PHYSICAL FORMAT GUIDELINES Candidates will prepare theses and dissertations according to the standards described in this document. MTS* Synthesis Paper/Project Format Guidelines [*These guidelines are specific to the MTS program, and should not be used for other thesis programs.] STYLE Turabian is the writing style for Graduate Theological Union theses and dissertations (i.e., Manual for Writers of Term Papers, Theses and Dissertations, 7 th edition, by Kate Turabian). Bibliographical references may be in a format appropriate for the field of study and approved by the Area. For Ph.D. dissertations, the Core Doctoral Faculty approved the placement of footnotes at the end of the manuscript or at the end of each chapter, provided that the form is consistent. In other instances where this document differs from Turabian the student should follow this document. Approval of style is the responsibility of the candidate's committee. PAPER AND PRINT Paper that is acid-free and buffered will prevent the thesis from becoming yellow and brittle over time. Consequently, the quality of the paper is very important and will be checked closely when you come to have your thesis/dissertation approved. The required original of the paper must be on a 20 lb. archival bond paper or a 100% cotton rag paper (any acid-free paper that states 100% cotton in the watermark will qualify).* You can purchase Permalife paper, a buffered, archival bond paper, at The Campus Store, 1805 Euclid Avenue, Berkeley, CA. You can also order paper online; click on the links below to access websites with ordering information. Please be careful to obtain the correct paper (Please contact the GTU Library Reference Desk if you have any questions). Gaylord, (catalog number: MA-PB811); Hollinger Metal Edge, or (catalog number: PB811); University Products, (catalog number: ). * NOTE: The paper must be a 20-lb. acid-free archival bond paper. While 100% cotton acid-free paper will qualify, archival paper can contain a smaller percentage of cotton fiber (even as little as 25%) as long as it is acid-free archival bond (20-lb. weight). If you have any questions about the paper you are about to use, you should contact the GTU Library Reference Desk (phone: ) well in advance. The print must be letter quality with dark black characters that are consistently clear. Do not print on both sides of a page, every page of the thesis/dissertation must be printed single-sided. 10

11 SPACING Double spacing is required for the main body of the work except in those places where conventional usage calls for single spacing, e.g., footnotes, indented quotations, tables, etc. FONT The type size should be 12 point. Type used for charts, drawings, graphs, tables, footnotes, etc., may differ according to format and space requirements, but should be at least 10 point. Keep in mind whether or not the text will be legible in this smaller version of the document when choosing the font size. MARGINS Once it is bound, the left-hand margin will fall into a gutter; for this reason the left margin is larger than the others and is the most critical margin to pay attention to. Margin requirements apply to all pages, whether text, illustration, charts, graphs, or other content. Be sure to check the margins not only on pages with text, but also pages with charts, graphs, or images. Left: 1 1/2 inches Top, right, and bottom: 1 inch Page numbers may be 1/2 inch from edge, but no closer. Check the printer s paper feed to see that the paper is feeding evenly. Margin errors can result from careless paper feeding. CORRECTIONS Corrections of typographical errors and other mistakes should be made by re-printing the page(s) or by photocoping corrected pages on thesis paper. PAGINATION AND ORDER OF MATERIALS TITLE PAGE not numbered ABSTRACT, PREFACE, DEDICATION, CONTENTS, ETC. MAIN BODY OF THE TEXT numbered separately in Roman (i, ii, iii) at the bottom middle of the page numbered with Arabic numerals at the bottom middle of the page at least 1/2 inch from the edge Pagination of the main body of the text should include illustrations. If it becomes necessary to insert materials after typing, the new page should be noted as follows: page 21, then 21a, 21b, 21c, etc. If a page is removed, another numbered page, blank except for the notation "lacking in numbering only" should be inserted in the proper place. 11

12 ILLUSTRATIVE MATERIAL Illustrative materials (e.g. photographs, graphs, charts) should be printed or photocopied on thesis paper since any pages on which illustrations appear must also be on acid-free paper. Black and white as well as color photocopying/printing is acceptable. FINAL PRINTING All pages of the thesis/dissertation should be printed on one side of the paper; pages printed on both sides will not be accepted. OTHER MEDIA The school will retain copies of supplemental works in electronic media such as CDs or videotapes which accompany the thesis/dissertation as a courtesy to candidates who wish to include them. However, because such media are unstable and relatively short-lived, such works shall not be considered a part of the archival record of the candidate's fulfillment of the requirements for the degree. 12

13 Jesuit School of Theology M.T.S. Synthesis Paper, M.T.S. and Th.M. Project, and STB Extended Research Paper Submission Guidelines These Guidelines are for use by JST MTS, STB and ThM project students. Please also see additional program information in the degree Guidelines for each academic program. Students doing an MTS synthesis paper/project, a ThM Project, or an STB extended research paper, need not have them approved by the GTU Library. These will be kept on file at JST, not at the GTU or SCU Libraries. JST needs only one copy of the final paper or project, and that copy must be bound according to the following guidelines. However, the students must follow the same physical format guidelines used by all thesis and dissertation degree students. MTS and STB Paper, and MTS and ThM Project Submission: Submit one copy of the final, corrected, approved and signed synthesis paper or project to the JST Registrar in the Associate Dean's Office. That copy should be bound. Velo or comb binding with a clear plastic cover is recommended. Filing deadlines, registration and graduation: Graduations: JST has two graduation dates each academic year: May (for students who finish during the fall semester or by the spring May deadline) September/October (for students who finish in late May through the summer) Filing Deadlines: Spring graduates: The filing deadline is the first Monday in May. September/October graduates: The filing deadline is the date of the late registration deadline for Fall Semester registration. Fall registrants completing before the spring semester: The filing deadline is the date of the late registration deadline for Spring Semester registration. These students will graduate in May. Registration Requirements: Students must file their synthesis papers by the late registration deadline for the upcoming semester in order to avoid having to pay tuition for an additional semester. 03/27/

14 FORM FOR TITLE PAGE OF THESIS, DISSERTATION, PROJECT, SYNTHESIS PAPER, or EXTENDED RESEARCH PAPER (Title in CAPS) A (dissertation, thesis, project, synthesis paper, or extended research paper) by (Your Name) presented to The Faculty of the Jesuit School of Theology of Santa Clara University in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of (Degree) Berkeley, California ---(month & year of filing)--- Committee Signatures (Type first and last name below line), Director Date (Type first and last name below line), Reader Date IF THERE IS A THIRD READER (Type first and last name below line), Reader Date 14

15 APPENDICES Worksheet 15 M.T.S. Synthesis Paper/Project Proposal Form 16 M.T.S. Synthesis Paper/Project Grade Report Form 17 15

16 Jesuit School of Theology Program Worksheet: M.T.S. Student s Name: General Theology (27 units) Biblical Studies (6 units) (BS, OT, NT) Course # Units Historical and Systematic Theology (6 units) (HS, ST, PT) Course # Units Ethics, Religion and Society (6 units) (CE, RS, PS) Course # Units Spirituality and Pastoral Theology (6 units) (SP, HR, HM, LS, ED, RA) Course # Units Date: Concentration (15 units) General Theology Concentration Area: Courses with any of the prefixes in the same general theology area may count toward the concentration. For example, any combination of courses with the prefixes BS, OT and NT are acceptable in the Biblical Studies concentration. Course # Units Additional Electives Catholic Studies Concentration Students concentrating in Catholic Studies must take 15 units of Catholic Studies in addition to the general theology requirement in order to fulfill their concentration. General Theology courses with a distinctly Catholic focus, chosen in conversation with one s academic advisor, may be counted toward this concentration. M.T.S. Proseminar (3 Units) _ Electives (6 units) Course # Units Revised 08/05/2011 Clarifying note: The total number of Concentration and Elective units for all MTS students is

17 Jesuit School of Theology M.T.S. SYNTHESIS PAPER/PROJECT PROPOSAL Name of Student Area of Concentration Title of Paper/Project READERS' SIGNATURES: Director/Academic Advisor Reader DESCRIPTION (This description should include a brief statement of the questions you are attempting to answer, how you intend to go about it, the methodology, and an indication of the availability of sources. Use the reverse side if necessary.): APPROVAL of the JST Associate Academic Dean (Signature) DATE SUBMIT THIS COMPLETED FORM TO THE JST Registrar. A copy will be returned to you. 17

18 Jesuit School of Theology of Santa Clara University 1735 Le Roy Avenue, Berkeley, CA Telephone: (510) Fax: (510) M.T.S. SYNTHESIS PAPER/PROJECT GRADE REPORT FORM Instructions to the Student: 1. Fill in your name and thesis title. 2. Give one to each thesis reader or project committee member including the director. Student's Name: Title of Thesis/Extended Research Paper/Project: Instructions to Director and Readers: 1. Please check one of the following grade options. 2. Return the signed form to the JST Registrar, 1735 Le Roy, Berkeley, Pass with No Revisions Pass with Minor Revisions Returned for Major Revisions* Does Not Pass Date: Signature: *If the reader feels major revisions are necessary, s/he should contact the student and thesis director, and retain this grade sheet until satisfied that the thesis requires only minor revisions. Comments (if any): PLEASE INDICATE IF THESE ARE CONFIDENTIAL TO THE DEAN. [Use the reverse side of this page or separate sheet if necessary.] Effective Fall Semester /09/2014 [jstb nas\everyone\handbook\mts grade sheet.doc] 18