Licentiate of Sacred Theology
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Licentiate of Sacred Theology (S.T.L.) is the title of an intermediate graduate degree with canonical effects in the Roman Catholic Church offered by pontifical universities and ecclesiastical faculties of sacred theology.
The licentiate in sacred theology is in some ways comparable to the two-year master of arts degree in Catholic theology (M.A.) or master in Catholic theology (Th.M.) in terms of academic level of study. In several European countries, the master level degree is referred to as a licentiate - from its original meaning as a "license to incept", i.e., that is, permission from the local bishop to actually take the degree of master or doctor, an event which took place through the ceremony of inception.
The usual prerequisites for a licentiate in sacred theology are that a candidate must have the Bachelor of Sacred Theology degree (S.T.B.) or equivalent: often a master of divinity degree (M.Div.) in Catholic theology will qualify. In addition, it is understood that a candidate has completed at least the rough equivalent of bachelor in primarily scholastic philosophy (B.A.). In order for a candidate to receive a licentiate in sacred theology, he or she must engage in a two-year program of theological studies and propose an original thesis which contributes to the understanding of sacred theology.
The licentiate in sacred theology is required for a person to teach sacred theology in a pontifical university. The licentiate is also the prerequisite to the doctorate (S.T.D.) in the same field.
Notable faculties which offer the licentiate in sacred theology include: The Catholic University of Leuven; the Catholic University of America; the University of Fribourg, Switzerland; the Pontifical University of Saint Thomas (Angelicum); the Pontifical Gregorian University (Gregorianum); the Pontifical University of the Holy Cross (Santa Croce); the Pontifical Urban University (Urbanianum); Regis College, University of Toronto; Weston Jesuit School of Theology; and, the Pontifical Lateran University (Lateranum).
Licentiate of Sacred Scripture is the title of a similar degree in the field of biblical studies.
