Licentiate in Sacred Theology ( la, Sacrae Theologiae Licentiatus; abbreviated STL) is the second of three ecclesiastical degrees in theology (the first being the Baccalaureate in Sacred Theology and the third being the Doctorate in Sacred Theology) which are conferred by a number of pontifical faculties around the world. The licentiate comes with attendant

canonical The adjective canonical is applied in many contexts to mean "according to the canon" the standard, rule or primary source that is accepted as authoritative for the body of knowledge or literature in that context. In mathematics, "canonical examp ...

effects in the Catholic Church, specifically granting the holder the right to teach in Catholic seminaries and schools of theology.

Description

The program for a licentiate's degree is equivalent to a total of two years or four semesters of full-time study after receiving a university degree and the Bachelor of Sacred Theology degree TB(SapC 72b). The STB, or first cycle, requires five years or ten semesters (SapC 72a). "In this cycle the special disciplines are taught corresponding to the nature of the diverse specializations being undertaken. Also seminars and practical exercises are conducted for the acquisition of the ability to do scientific research." (SapC 72b) The licentiate program develops research skills and treats theological questions in greater depth. Students may pursue the license as either a transitional or a terminal degree. As a transitional degree, the STL program introduces students to a more scientific study of theology in pursuing Doctoral studies. "Nobody can be admitted to the doctorate unless first having obtained the licentiate" (SapC 49.2). As a terminal degree, the license prepares students to be teachers and resource persons. A graduate of the STL program is prepared to teach theology in a college, seminary, or university, to function as a chaplain to various professional groups, and to act as a theological resource for a diocese and diocesan agencies. "The doctorate is the academic degree which enables one to teach in a Faculty and which is therefore required for this purpose, the licentiate is the academic degree which enables one to teach in a major seminary or equivalent school and which is therefore required for this purpose" (SapC 50.1). In several European countries, the master level degree is referred to as a license – 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 entering the Licentiate program of Sacred Theology are that a candidate must have the Baccalaureate in Sacred Theology (STB) or equivalent, typically the Master of Divinity (M.Div.). In order for a candidate to receive a license in sacred theology, he or she must engage in a two-year program of theological studies and propose an original

thesis A thesis ( : theses), or dissertation (abbreviated diss.), is a document submitted in support of candidature for an academic degree or professional qualification presenting the author's research and findings.International Standard ISO 7144: ...

which contributes to the understanding of sacred theology. The license in sacred theology is required for a person to teach sacred theology in a pontifical university (SapC 17) or major seminary (SapC 50.1). The license is also the prerequisite for the

doctorate A doctorate (from Latin ''docere'', "to teach"), doctor's degree (from Latin ''doctor'', "teacher"), or doctoral degree is an academic degree awarded by universities and some other educational institutions, derived from the ancient formalism ''l ...

(STD) (SapC 49.2). The Licentiate of Sacred Scripture is a similar degree in the field of

biblical studies Biblical studies is the academic application of a set of diverse disciplines to the study of the Bible (the Old Testament and New Testament).''Introduction to Biblical Studies, Second Edition'' by Steve Moyise (Oct 27, 2004) pages 11–12 Fo ...

References

* {{CathEncy, wstitle=Ecclesiastical Abbreviations
Sapientia Christiana
(April 29, 1979). Vatican.va. Catholic education

Sacred Theology Theology is the systematic study of the nature of the divine and, more broadly, of religious belief. It is taught as an academic discipline, typically in universities and seminaries. It occupies itself with the unique content of analyzing the s ...

Religious degrees it:Licentiate of Theology#Licentiate of Sacred Theology