Study With Us - Postgraduate Studies
Licence in Divinity: Pathway in Catechetical Sciences
Licence in Divinity: Pathway in Catechetical Sciences
The Licence in Divinity: Pathway in Catechetical Sciences is a qualification of the Holy See, distinct from an STL, and has been offered by Maryvale Institute since 2012. The Licence in Catechetics is awarded through Maryvale’s Higher Institute of Religious Sciences (HIRS) and validated by the theology faculty of the Ecole Cathedrale of Paris (Faculté Notre Dame de Paris). It is a 3 year, part-time, distance-learning programme.
It is intended for those in leadership positions in catechetics and in other positions of responsibility. For example, the Licence in Catechetics is especially suited to:
Admission to the Licence in Catechetics programme is available for all those who have the Ecclesiastical B.Divinity, or an equivalent qualification.
The full Licence programme will take 3 years.
The programme enrols new students each January
Aims:
Licence in Catechetics Course Prospectus.
The full Licence programme comprises 8 postgraduate modules in Catholic Theology, Religious Studies and Catechesis, followed by a final year writing a dissertation in this area (20,000 words) and studying three specialist modules in Catechetics. These focus on:
The dissertation is then assessed in the form of an oral examination.
Any applicants who already possess an MA in Catholic Theology, Religious Studies and Catechesis may progress straight to the final year, subject to approval by the Admissions Committee.
Three online and (if possible) one in-person weekend at the Institute support these three years of study and prepare the students for an oral defence of their Licence dissertation, which occurs at the end of the Licence Programme. Please see the Licence Prospectus for dates.
Students are required to write an assignment of 5000 words for each of the four modules studied in the first year. This is supplemented by an oral presentation that constitutes 30% of the assignment total for module 3 (and also for module 7 in the second year). The four module assignments each constitute 25% of the year’s total. In addition they are required to complete a short research assignment at the end of the first year, which constitutes 20% of module 8. The remaining 80% of module 8 is met by the dissertation proposal undertaken in the second year.
During the second year, students are required to write an assignment of 5000 words for each of the three modules studied that year, and to produce a dissertation proposal. The three module assignments and module 8 (Research Methods) each constitute 25% of the year’s total.
In the third and final year, students write a 20,000-word dissertation as well as completing a written assignment of 5,000 words for each of the three specialist modules. The dissertation is assessed through an oral defence at the end of the year.
For the final year of the Licence, the assignments are weighted as follows:
The Licence in Catechetics is a postgraduate ecclesiastical degree, distinct from an STL, which is awarded through Maryvale’s Higher Institute of Religious Sciences (HIRS) and validated by the theology faculty of the Ecole Cathedrale of Paris (Faculté Notre Dame de Paris) on behalf of the Congregation for Catholic Education in Rome.
The level of course fees payable depends on whether you are a UK/EU or a non-EU student. Please ensure that you refer to the appropriate section on the
Applications are welcome up to the first week of January using the forms below. If you have any further enquiries, please get in touch with the Programme Administrator through the contact button.
If you have a disability or any long-term condition that impacts on your day-to-day life, please download the
To make an enquiry to the Licence in Catechetics Administrator, click on the Course Contact Form button below:
Reflections from Licence in Catechetics Study Weekend
Licence in Catechetics Students
- “Helpful to hear about key pedagogies from [a] Catholic perspective. Always engaging and great balance between lecturing and dialogue.”
- “Great lectures, and tied together much of my prior understanding. Strong research/methodological basis.”
- “[The lecturer] has a great way of encouraging engagement and discussion between everyone – very informative and enjoyable.”
- “[The lecturer] was very passionate about the topic and [this] was very evident in her delivery.”
Reflections from Licence in Catechetics Study Weekend
Licence in Catechetics Students
- “LOVED LOVED LOVED [the session on hermeneutics] could have had another 2 hours of this. [The lecturer] was incredible!”
- “This [session on module 1] was so helpful. Clear and concise as to what is expected in each module. [The lecturer] allowed time for dialogue and and sharing of experiences.”
- “Thanks for another great study weekend at Maryvale.”
- “Comprehensive presentation covered historical approaches, significant figures, education psychology. The slides were immensely detailed and will be useful going forward.”
- “Useful introductory overview.”
- “Comprehensive introduction to hermeneutics – thank you.”
Reflections from a Licence in Catechetics Study Weekend
Licence in Catechetics Students
- “Very informative.”
- “Great pacing.”
- “Interesting.”
Reflections from a Licence in Catechetics Study Weekend
Students particularly appreciated:
Licence in Catechetics Students
- “[The] friendly and approachable nature of the lecturer, and the informal atmosphere that promoted engagement and participation [on the Introductory session]."
- "[The] openness and friendly nature of the session [on The Divine Word: Culture And Exegesis]."
"[I found the course] very beneficial, it gave me a greater insight to other aspects of the faith including the contribution which catechesis provides."
Licence in Catechetics Graduate
"Many thanks for offering this superb course."
Licence in Catechetics Graduate
"I derived a sense of achievement after completing the course."
Licence in Catechetics Graduate
"I would recommend the Licence to MA students … I reflect upon the spiritual, theological, practical journey here at Maryvale and I know that it has enriched my life."
Licence in Catechetics Graduate
"Detailed, encouraging, challenging, practical and enjoyable."
Licence in Catechetics Graduate
"There is no substitute for this kind of experience, with the insight, encouragement and helpful criticism of colleagues and professors."
Licence in Catechetics Graduate
"It is always a blessing to come together to share, discuss, challenge and support each other. Thank you for designing our programme of study so thoughtfully and thoroughly."
Licence in Catechetics Graduate
The Institute's regulations, procedures and complaints policy can be found here.
