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Master of Sacred Arts

Master of Sacred Arts: Theology of the Body and the New Evangelization

Pope Saint John Paul II was the first to call for a “New Evangelization, new in its ardor, methods and expression.” He also emphasized that in order to communicate appropriately the message entrusted to her, “the Church needs art” and “the theology of the body … is quite indispensable.” Inspired by these truths, The Theology of the Body Institute and Pontifex University have formally partnered to offer a unique Master of Sacred Arts that guides students along the via pulchritudinis (“the way of beauty”) and equips them with the necessary catechetical tools and theological and cultural understanding to engage a world desperately in need of revitalization. The program includes the study of theology and philosophy and the history of Catholic culture, with a focus on the sacred arts, and the writings of Pope St. John Paul II with a particular emphasis on the Theology of the Body.

The Master of Sacred Arts is granted by Pontifex University and is awarded after the successful completion of 36 credit hours, an exam and essay for each course, and a final oral comprehensive exam. Twenty-two (22) of these credits will be acquired by completing eleven (11) courses offered by Theology of the Body Institute as five-day on-site intensive courses and/or as online courses via the TOB Institute’s online platform.”The remaining fourteen (14) credits will be acquired via Pontifex University’s online platform.

All courses offered by the Theology of the Body Institute are 2 credits and are divided into the following categories:

Core Courses - Master’s students complete all of these courses:

  • Theology of the Body I: Head & Heart Immersion Course
  • Theology of the Body II: Into the Deep
  • Theology of the Body III: The New Evangelization
  • Catholic Sexual Ethics
  • Love & Responsibility
  • The Writings of Pope Saint John Paul II on Gender, Marriage, and Family
  • The Philosophy of Pope Saint John Paul II
  • Theology of the Body & Art: A Way of Beauty

Elective Courses - Master’s students complete 3 of these courses:

  • Theology of the Body & the Interior Life
  • Theology of the Body & Spiritual Direction: The Art of Accompaniment
  • Theology of the Body & Vatican II
  • Theology of the Body & the Marian Mystery
  • Poets for the Kingdom: The Sacramental Stories of Lewis & Tolkien

Please note that the elective course list may increase or change, according to availability.

The remaining fourteen (14) credits are offered by Pontifex University via the online platform:

Old Testament in Words and Images

3 credits

New Testament in Words and Images

3 credits

A History and Practical Theology of Images

3 credits

The Bible and the Liturgy

3 credits

Two (2) more credits from the following choices:

The Mathematics of Beauty

2 credits

Christian Humanism in Modern Cinema

1 credits

The Fundamentals of Beauty in Architecture

1 credits

Introduction to Sacred Music

1 credits

Enrollment Process

For the program as a whole:

Enroll online at Pontifex University indicating that you wish to follow this program and submit the $150 registration fee.

Enroll To Pontifex

For Theology of the Body Institute classes:

Please contact Vanessa Carrillo, Director of Programs at vanessa@tobinstitute.org. You will pay the Theology of the Body Institute directly for these classes while indicating that you wish to receive academic credit through Pontifex University. When you complete the course and its requirements, the Theology of the Body Institute will notify you of your grade and submit it to Pontifex. A $150 per credit fee is due to Pontifex from you at that time.

For Pontifex University classes:

Register online. Classes are taught exclusively online and cost $300 per credit.

Register

For the final Oral Comprehensive Exam:

This exam will explore the student’s ability to respond analytically and critically to three (3) examination questions based on the coursework. Success in this exam demonstrates a student’s mastery of core concepts from the coursework. This exam will be conducted by a panel of two Theology of the Body Institute faculty members. Once it has been completed, the student will register online and pay a fee of $400. Transcripts will be available through Pontifex University.

Master's Program FAQs

Ask us anything

Need something cleared up? Here are our most frequently asked questions about the Master's program.

I am new to taking courses with TOBI. Can you explain the process for registering for courses with TOBI?

Begin by looking at our course schedule to see if any of the courses fit into your schedule. We suggest beginning with a Theology of the Body I: Head & Heart Immersion Course. You can find descriptions of all TOBI courses. If the course you wish to take is open for registration, you can register online through the course schedule page. We typically open registration for courses about three months prior to the course date.

Course Schedule
Theology of the Body 1

Currently, the TOBI courses are available in a combination of online and on-site. A student is able to take them all in-person if desired, and a number of them are available to be taken online. Please check the calendar to see which courses will be offered online this year. Courses with Pontifex University are online.

Course Schedule

Here is our Course Schedule

Course Schedule

The Master of Arts degree can be completed at your pace. Pontifex University requirements require that the degree must be completed in 5.5 years or less.

If you would like to enroll in the Master of Arts Program with Pontifex University, you should contact them directly by filling out the online enrollment application and paying the application fee of $150 to Pontifex University. If you are accepted into the Master of Arts Program by Pontifex University, you need to complete all exams for the eight courses you have already taken with TOBI. You will also need to complete a 3,000 word essay for each course you have completed. Contact TOBI to begin or finish this exam and essay process. TOBI will communicate directly with Pontifex University to share your exam and essay grades. There is a $150 per credit fee for each TOBI course you have completed (each TOBI course is two credits). That fee is due to Pontifex University and you can use the payment portal to complete those transactions. There are 3 additional courses you need to complete with TOBI. You can find those course requirements on the TOBI page listed at the top of this page. You may also begin to complete the required online courses through Pontifex University. You can find those listed on their website at the top of the FAQ.

Enroll To Pontifex

This would be up to your discernment. You are welcome to complete the Certification Program (which you can do before completing the Master of Arts degree, which has additional requirements) and then complete the Master of Arts Program, since both require the same exam for courses. You would need to weigh the benefit to you of having the TOB Certification through TOBI before the Master of Arts degree through Pontifex. If you decide to switch to the Master of Arts Program with Pontifex, the fee you paid for the TOBI Certification program is non-transferable and non-refundable.

This would be up to your discernment. You are welcome to complete the Certification Program (which you can do before completing the Master of Arts degree, which has additional requirements) and then complete the Master of Arts Program, since both require the same exam for courses. You would need to weigh the benefit to you of having the TOB Certification through TOBI before the Master of Arts degree through Pontifex. If you decide to switch to the Master of Arts Program with Pontifex, the fee you paid for the TOBI Certification program is non-transferable and non-refundable.

No. All courses you have completed with TOBI count toward the Master of Arts degree. If you have not completed the exam for each course you have completed, you will need to do that and submit the required essay after you have been accepted into the Master of Arts program.

Contact their Provost, David Clayton at dclayton@pontifex.university

Course Schedule

Please contact Vanessa Carrillo, Director of Programs, for your exam and essay requirements at vanessa@tobinstitute.org.

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