Program Overview

  • Offers Sacred Scripture study at the graduate level without the requirements of a full Master’s program.

Program Goals

  • Demonstrate acquaintance with the full range of Scriptural texts and the relationships among them
  • Exhibit familiarity with ancient and modern interpretive tools and hermeneutical methods
  • Illustrate how scholarship is related to Catholic theological and doctrinal concepts
  • Read and interpret Scriptural texts on their own in light of the best scholarship and Church tradition

Program Requirements

  • 18 Credits

Program Time Limit: 3 years

Application Process

  • Complete the free online application for admission.
  • Have an official transcript from the accredited institution where you completed your undergraduate degree sent to registrar@cdu.edu.
  • Have someone who is familiar with your academic or professional work submit a letter of recommendation to registrar@cdu.edu.
  • Submit a brief statement of purpose (250 words or less) to registrar@cdu.edu on why you are pursuing online graduate study in theology.

Students will be notified of acceptance via email shortly after all materials have been submitted and reviewed.

Accepted students may begin by taking one of three courses: THEO 503 The Catholic Theological Tradition, THEO 510 Revelation and Faith, or SCRPT 530 Introduction to Scripture and Salvation History.

Credits earned are transferable to the MA degree programs as students may decide later to pursue a full degree.

Program Costs

  • Tuition: $1,425 x 6 courses = $8,550
  • Technology fee: $150/course x 6 courses = $900
  • Books: $100/course (estimate) x 6 courses = $600
  • Total: $10,050
  • Detailed cost of attendance budgets can be found here.

Course Preview

Course Lists

Students will earn a total of nine credits from the following selection of courses:

Course Number Course Title Credits
THEO 503 The Catholic Theological Tradition 3
SCRPT 530 Introduction to Scripture and Salvation History 3
SCRPT 615 History of Biblical Interpretation 12 weeks 3

CDU reserves the right to substitute suitable comparable courses different from the ones listed for the student to complete the certificate.

9 credits required. Courses are 8 weeks long unless otherwise noted.

Course Number Course Title Credits
SCRPT 520 Pentateuch 3
SCRPT 570 The Letter to the Romans 3
SCRPT 581 The Gospel of St. John 3
SCRPT 640 Isaiah and the Prophets 12 weeks 3
SCRPT 662 The Synoptic Gospels 3

THE CDU ADVANTAGE

In a 2022 survey of CDU graduate students, 100% reported that they had achieved their learning goals.

CDU Offers:

  • Authentic Catholic teaching
  • Flexibility to study where and when you choose
  • The lowest undergraduate tuition of any U.S.-based online university offering Catholic theology
  • A global Catholic community
  • Knowledgeable and accessible faculty
  • Engaging online courses with discussion forums
  • Mobile app for study on the go
  • Online library staffed by a theological librarian
  • 24/7 technical support

Get started today!

The certificate program is offered through the Graduate School of Theology, which is accredited by the Commission on Accrediting of the Association of Theological Schools. The CDU Graduate School of Theology aims to provide a transformative learning experience in the digital space and to develop leaders for the new evangelization in the 21st century.