The faculty has challenged, stretched, nourished, informed and developed my faith in a very personal way. They have been very interested in assisting my individual faith and ministerial journey.
-Anna Marie Synder, '14
The master's degree and graduate certificate in pastoral ministry are designed to equip those who wish to serve in parishes, dioceses or other ministerial settings with in-depth theological knowledge and effective pastoral skills. This graduate program offers several concentrations, each with a unique curriculum. Select a concentration of interest to you for practice in a defined field of ministry.
The Campus Ministry concentration prepares those interested in working with young adults faced with the challenges of high school and college life, as well as the often accompanying questions about faith, values and vocation. Pastoral skills are developed through course work, field education and a capstone project.
The Church Management concentration is especially helpful for present or future parish business administrators and diocesan business managers who desire a greater foundation in theology and ministerial practice, as well as for priests, deacons and pastoral associates who wish to strengthen their administrative and leadership skills.
Through field education and electives, this concentration provides ministers with theological, pastoral, financial, and managerial skills crucial for the efficient operation of churches and schools.
Prepare for ministry in health care facilities through a combination of theology and pastoral ministry courses with on site Clinical Pastoral Education (CPE) at accredited CPE programs in regional hospitals like Harris Medical Center in Fort Worth or Children's Medical Center of Dallas. This program contributes to the student's ability to meet the certification standards of the National Association of Catholic Chaplains.
The youth ministry concentration provides the preparation needed to address the spiritual growth of youth in a parish or school setting. Pastoral skills are developed through course work, field education and a capstone project.
Join an exclusive, online cohort of leaders in youth ministry from across the nation.
Become powerfully equipped to stand with, by and for young people in today's rapidly evolving culture as you plumb the depths of the Catholic faith and strengthen your experience in pastoral ministry for the young church.
Additional MPM concentrations may be designed with the consultation and express prior written approval of the student's advisor and the dean.
The Master of Pastoral Ministry program consists of 37 credit hours. Students combine the ministry core curriculum (22 credit hours) with degree-specific courses (9 credit hours) and elective courses (6 credit hours). The core curriculum includes a capstone project in which students have the opportunity to integrate their knowledge with pastoral practice within a dynamic ministerial context, accompanied by a seasoned practitioner. Additionally, students complete an annotated bibliography.
The following courses are required for all of the MPM degrees:
The core classes are supplemented with electives & degree- specific courses, depending on the concentration selected. For more details on the courses required for each concentration, we invite you to learn more about our pastoral ministry concentrations:
An annotated bibliography of texts related to the core curriculum of the Neuhoff School of Ministry is a degree requirement (required for graduation) for the Master of Theological Studies program. The goal of the annotated bibliography is to help students solidify and demonstrate their understanding of the basic theological knowledge appropriate to professional competency for pastoral leadership. The annotated bibliography consists of a formal bibliographic entry for 25 approved texts that are followed by a description of the thesis, argumentation, and significance of each text.
Students should begin working with their faculty advisor on the annotated bibliography and obtain approval of the required works list early in their program. The final annotated bibliography is due by the 4th week of the semester a student intends to graduate.
For details, contact your faculty advisor and view the Annotated Bibliography section
of the Graduate Student Resources webpage.
Fully Accredited. Ready to Serve.
University of Dallas Neuhoff School of Ministry undergraduate and graduate programs are fully accredited by the Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools and in accordance with the USCCB's standards for certification and accreditation.
The University of Dallas is accredited by the Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS) to award Bachelors, Masters and Ph.D. degrees.
The graduate programs and undergraduate degree, in content and form, are designed to ensure that successful students will be prepared to enter the ministerial workforce having met the standards set by the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops Commission on Certification and Accreditation, and the National Certification Standards for Lay Ecclesial Ministers.
The master's in pastoral ministry - youth ministry program is specifically designed to educate leaders based on the U.S. Catholic Bishops' pastoral plan, "Renewing the Vision - A Framework for Catholic Youth Ministry." It also correlates with the national competency-based standards for certification as developed by the National Federation for Catholic Youth Ministry in conjunction with the USCCB.
The School of Ministry is a member of the Association of Graduate Programs in Ministry and the Association for Clinical Pastoral Education.
Dallas-area native and Door Number 9 designer Elisa Choffel Low, BA '03, will have her latest dress design showcased on the red carpet at the Emmy Awards in Los Angeles on Sunday, Sept. 22. The silver open-back vintage-style gown includes a striking chainmail jewelry inset created in collaboration with Toronto jewelry designer Kyra Matsui.
+ Read MoreOn Friday, Sept. 13, the university community welcomed George Weigel, distinguished senior fellow of the Ethics and Public Policy Center and the father of two UD alumnae. Celebrated for his two-volume biography of St. John Paul II and many other intellectual contributions, Weigel presented an exploration of the current Catholic situation in light of a new interpretation of the past 250 years of the church's interaction with social, cultural, economic and political modernity.
+ Read MoreGabe Dickey, DBA '19, recently successfully defended his dissertation, titled "Exploring the Human Side of Audit Quality: Team Engagement and Partner Leadership Behaviors," for UD's Doctor of Business Administration. Dickey has spent his career in the accounting profession, the vast majority as a certified public accountant working in auditing. He began UD's DBA program three years ago, drawn in by his interest in broader business issues and the program's practitioner-oriented focus.
+ Read More
