/Institutions/Catholic-University-of-America/json/2023-2024/Graduate-Announcements-local.json

/Institutions/Catholic-University-of-America/json/2023-2024/Graduate-Announcements.json

Graduate Announcements > School of Arts and Sciences > Departments and Programs in the School of Arts and Sciences > Program in Early Christian Studies

Program in Early Christian Studies

Program Director:	William Klingshirn, Margaret H. Gardiner Professor of Greek and Latin
Andrew W. Mellon Chair:	Aaron M. Butts, Associate Professor of Semitic and Egyptian Languages and Literatures

The Catholic University of America has a unique heritage in the study of the early Christian era. Founded as a graduate institution in 1887, the University has from its earliest years fostered research and teaching in the formative period of Christian history, which is now studied in the School of Theology and Religious Studies, the School of Philosophy, and the School of Arts and Sciences (in the Departments of Greek and Latin, History, and Semitic Languages and Literatures). The University's John K. Mullen of Denver Memorial Library has concentrated library development in the Christian period before A.D. 800, especially in history, philosophy, theology, and canon and civil law. Its special collections in Greek and Latin patristics were developed under the direction of the distinguished patrologist Johannes Quasten and members of the Department of Greek and Latin. The Institute of Christian Oriental Research, founded by the late Monsignor Henri Hyvernat, is a world-renowned depository for rare books and manuscripts pertaining to the study of Coptic, Syriac, Ethiopic, Arabic, Hebrew, Armenian, and Georgian, and to their Near East literary traditions and historical contexts.

General

The program provides a carefully integrated course of studies in the early Christian period, drawing upon graduate courses available in the various departments and schools of the University. There is a strong emphasis on equipping students with the languages and technical skills necessary for their programs of study. Before being accepted into the program, students are expected to have completed graded college courses in ancient languages - in Greek through intermediate level. Progress in languages both ancient and modern is regularly tested. Successful applicants are admitted into one of two programs. Those who already hold an M.A. in Early Christian Studies or in a closely related field are admitted into the Ph.D. program. Those without an M.A. in Early Christian Studies or in a closely related field are admitted into the combined M.A./Ph.D. program. Students who complete only the M.A. portion of the combined program receive the degree of M.A. Otherwise, a terminal M.A. degree is not offered. Advancement from the M.A. to Ph.D. level requires program and school approval of the Application for a Higher Degree. Approval is based on assessment of language ability, performance in the core M.A. courses and comprehensive exams, review of research papers submitted in lieu of a thesis, and time to degree.

M.A. Degree in Early Christian Studies

To gain the M.A. degree, students must complete 30 semester hours of study. These include four required courses--"Introduction to Early Christian Studies" (ECST 600), “The Mediterranean World of Late Antiquity” (CLAS 572), “History of the Christian Near East” (SEM 703), and “History of Early Christian Thought” (ECST 650)--and six other graduate courses. The latter must be drawn from at least two schools or departments, involve the use of at least two relevant ancient languages, and represent at least two academic disciplines. Students must prove their competence in one modern foreign language relevant to current scholarship in the field. Finally, students must complete two substantial research papers and take a comprehensive written examination based on an official reading list.

Ph.D. Degree in Early Christian Studies

To gain the Ph.D. degree, students must have completed the M.A. in Early Christian Studies, or have an equivalent master's degree approved by the director. They then complete a further 24 semester hours of study, pass a doctoral comprehensive exam, and write a dissertation. The courses to be taken for these 24 semester hours of study must be approved by the Director and be drawn from at least two schools or departments, involve the use of at least two relevant ancient languages, and represent at least two academic disciplines. Students must prove their competence in two modern foreign languages relevant to current scholarship in the field. Before embarking on their dissertations, students must take a comprehensive written examination based on a substantial reading list approved by the director - an examination that will include sight translations from Greek and one other approved ancient language.

A fuller description of requirements is posted on the program website.