Non-Degree and Certificates

This MTS Certificate offers a blend of academic engagement and spiritual reflection, designed so you can complete coursework around your schedule while still being a part of an online community in a respectful and down-to-earth environment.  The program is grounded in the Catholic Franciscan tradition and provides a space where deep Catholic theology study meets compassionate action.

Designed for working professionals, this graduate certificate offers a unique online option for those considering careers in religious education, parish support, ministry, or preparation for further academic work. This certificate is also suitable for anyone interested in furthering their knowledge of Franciscan Theology.

Living into the Franciscan spirit of generosity, community, and joy, the FST faculty have collaborated to create a comprehensive, enriching, and thought-provoking course for this certificate program. With a small student-teacher ratio, every student gets access to a wealth of knowledge and lived experience from their professor and classmates.

Program Curriculum

This certificate is delivered online through the University of San Diego in an asynchronous format, allowing students around the world to contribute and collaborate.  This certificate consists of nine units of study (equivalent to three courses) beginning with the following two courses:

1. Following Francis: An Introduction to the Franciscan Tradition (3 units)
2. Introduction to Franciscan Theology (3 units)

After the first two initial courses, students can choose one elective course to complete the three-course (9 graduate course units) certificate.  Potential elective courses can include:

1. Old Testament: Our Jewish Roots: An Introduction to the Old Testament
2. History: Unity, Diversity, Change Over Time
3. New Testament: The Cradle, The Cross, and The Community: An Introduction to the New Testament
4. Ecclesiology: Being the 21^st– Century Church
5. Moral Theology: Conscience and the Common Good
6. Christology: Who Do You Say That I Am?
7. Intercultural Theology: Theology in an Intercultural Context
8. Spirituality: Spirituality for the Digital Age

Each course costs $800 per unit or $2400 per class.

Class descriptions

Course descriptions for the first two classes are:

Following Francis: An Introduction to the Franciscan Tradition (3 units)

What does the tradition of Francis of Assisi, Clare of Assisi, and those who continue to follow in their footsteps offer our world today?  The Franciscan way cultivates peace-making, cares for creation, and forges solidarity with the poor and marginalized in a Christ-centered way of life that responds to the challenges of our world.  This interdisciplinary course introduces major Franciscan figures, sources of the Franciscan tradition, and significant interpreters of this tradition.

Introduction to Franciscan Theology (3 units)

What is the “new paradigm” that Franciscan Theology contributes to the Catholic tradition?  The significant authors of the Franciscan tradition shaped this new approach in the Middle Ages.  This course will guide students through an introductory-level study of the themes of the Trinity, Creation, Incarnation, and the human person in major works of these writers.  Their relevance today, as expressed in documents of the Papal Magisterium, will be highlighted.

Contact our admissions team to learn more about the Online Certificate in Franciscan Theology here.

The objective of this program is to provide a culturally focused formation of pastoral leaders, both professional staff and volunteer lay, who serve the growing number of Asian Pacific Islander Catholic communities around the United States.

We will look at immigration histories, cultural and religious practices, and Catholic teachings and traditions, from the API perspective. We will also unpack the US Bishops’ document, Encountering Christ in Harmony: A Pastoral Response to Our Asian and Pacific Island Brothers and Sisters, to see what practical guidance it offers for those working on the ground with API communities.

Upon successful completion of the certificate, students will:

1. Know the immigration history, religious practices, and sociological challenges of API Catholics in the US;
2. Have a broad overview of Catholic teachings and theology as well as church history and  structure, scripture, liturgy, catechesis, and API immigration history in the US;
3. Be able to more effectively understand the needs of API Catholic communities;
4. Be better equipped to implement culturally effective ministerial strategies for various API communities.

Click this link to register.

Program Dates: January 2025-November 2025

Course Modality: Online meetings twice per month +­­ one in-person closing session in Oceanside, California in November 2025.

Certificate Completion Requirement: 

• • Attend the in-person gathering

• • Attend all on-line meetings

• • Complete all course assignments. Assignments will include short reflection papers and a final pastoral project proposal, addressing a topic of API ministry, to be chosen by the student and approved by the program directors.

­­Tuition:

$1,200 (includes accommodations for the in-person gathering in November)

Scholarships are available thanks to the generosity of our supporters.

Schedule:

Thursdays @ 5-6:30pm (PT)/8-9:30pm (ET)

• • Topic 1: Thursday January 9 & 16

• • Topic 2: Thursday February 6 & 20

• • Topic 3: Thursday March 6 & 20

• • Topic 4: Thursday April 3 & 10

• • Topic 5: Thursday May 1 & 15

• • Topic 6: Thursday June 5 & 19 (no July meetings)

• • Topic 7: Thursday August 7 & 21

• • Topic 8: Thursday September 4 & 18

• • Topic 9: Thursday October 2 & 16

• • Topic 10 will be during our mandatory IN-PERSON gathering on November 2-5, 2025 at Mission San Luis Rey Retreat Center in Oceanside, California.

Click here to view last year’s topics and course schedule (2023-2024)

Program Directors:

• Fr. Linh Hoang, OFM, PhD
• Ms. Eunice Park, MTS, MAMC

Are You Longing to Grow in Your Catholic Faith?

This program is designed to provide a culturally focused formation of Latino/a Catholics as pastoral leaders, who serve the growing number of Hispanic communities in Southern California. Emerging from the directives of the V Encuentro and the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops’ National Pastoral Plan for Hispanic/Latino Ministry, it will provide a foundation in Catholic teachings and traditions, cultural and religious practices, and the Church’s role in our present times. Students will be given opportunities to grow in their faith through reflection on their experiences in light of the teachings of the church, in a supportive and welcoming community of faith.

WHO SHOULD COME?

• Latino/a adults of all ages over 18 in the San Diego area
• No previous experience necessary
• Sessions will be in English; conversations can be in English or Spanish

COURSE OBJECTIVES

1. Articulate an understanding of the fundamental principles of the Catholic faith.
2. Reflect on life experiences through the teachings of the Church and Scripture.
3. Engage in dialogue on the role of the laity in Church ministry today.
4. Build community with others on a similar path.

WHEN AND WHERE

Tuesdays twice a month starting September 2024

Click here to view the course curriculum and meeting dates

6:30-8 pm at the Diocese of San Diego Pastoral Center: 3888 Paducah Drive, San Diego, CA 92117

MODALITY

• Presentation combined with small group conversations
• Participants will be provided with all needed materials plus references for further exploration

COST

• $100, payable $50 at registration and $50 due January 31, 2025
  • Participants under 40 years of age pay only $75 ($50 at registration and $25 by January 31, 2025)

PROGRAM DIRECTORS

Juliet Mousseau, RSCJ, PhD.

Clelia Sallaberry, M.A.

For more info email: hispanicministry@fst.edu