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2007-08 Academic Bulletin (Catalog) PDF format or Word format

Academic Rights and Freedom
Christendom College is committed to promoting academic freedom. It recognizes the right of students to the Truth, and to receive instruction in accordance with the teaching of the Catholic Church. The Graduate School exists to impart the truth of the Catholic Faith to its students in a way that is open and dialogical. The Graduate School not only recognizes but it jealously guards and vigorously protects each faculty member's freedom and right to teach the Catholic Faith without fear of reprisal. Professors and students enjoy the freedom to explore and research and thereby develop their own insights into Catholic doctrine under the guidance of the Magisterium of the Catholic Church. Legitimate pluralism, consistent with fidelity to both the ordinary and extraordinary Magisterium, strengthens the bonds of unity, and honest dialogue is most welcome at the Graduate School.

Admissions
Admission into the Master of Arts and Apostolic Catechetical Diploma programs of the Notre Dame Graduate School of Christendom College is open to all properly qualified persons who desire to develop their knowledge of authentic Catholic teaching in explicit communion with the Holy See and with the principles of renewal in ecclesiastical studies given to the Church by the Second Vatican Council.
The Notre Dame Graduate School does not discriminate on the basis of age, sex, race, handicap, color, national and ethnic origin in administration of its educational policies, admission policies, and other school administered programs.

Admission Requirements
Applicants for admission to the Notre Dame Graduate School must present evidence of ability to do graduate work in Theology. A baccalaureate degree (B.A. or B.S) is required for the Master of Arts Program and the Advanced Apostolic Catechetical Program, but not for the Basic Apostolic Catechetical Diploma. A student may be admitted on probation if the Admissions Committee is not satisfied of his ability to do graduate work in Theology. The probationary period is two semesters, and the student must earn a GPA of 3.0 to be fully admitted to the MA or Diploma Program.
Applicants should send the following materials to the Director of Admissions, Notre Dame Graduate School of Christendom College, 4407 Sano Street, Alexandria, VA 22312.

1. Completed application form (obtainable from the Admissions Office or online at http://www.christendom.edu/grad/admiss.html).

2. A statement of purpose (150 words or more) explaining the reasons for enrolling in the program.

3. At least two (2) letters of recommendation, preferably one from a pastor or priest who knows the applicant, and another from a former professor attesting to the applicant's qualifications and ability to pursue graduate studies, or from a supervisor with whom the applicant has worked.

4. Official transcripts of all post-secondary academic work performed at other institutions.

5. $30.00 application fee (made payable to Christendom College).

A student may be admitted to the Graduate School on probation if the Admission Committee is not convinced of his ability to do graduate work in Theology. A student admitted on probation has two probationary semesters in which to maintain a GPA of 3.0, and if he does so, he will be fully admitted to the MA or Diploma program.
Admission to study does not imply admission to candidacy for a degree, which is granted only after completion of required courses in a satisfactory manner.
Audit students and special (non-matriculating) students are welcome at Christendom on a space-available basis. These students do not need to apply for admission, but may register for courses by contacting the Graduate School.

Transfer Credits
Students who wish to have their previous graduate work in Theology or Philosophy considered for transfer to NDGS must make this request of the Dean of the Graduate School and provide official transcripts of such graduate work. They may also be required to supply course syllabi or catalog course descriptions. No more than twenty-one hours (seven courses) may be transferred. Credits earned more than ten years before matriculation at NDGS will not be accepted. No more than six credits from courses by correspondence are transferable, and these must have been earned before the start of matriculation at NDGS. Academic credit is not granted for life experience.

Time Limitations and Residency Requirements
Students are normally expected to complete the M.A. and Diploma program within eight (8) years of the date of the first course taken. Students are bound by the academic requirements of the NDGS Bulletin in effect at the time of their first registering as a matriculating student fully admitted to the program. A student who returns to NDGS after an absence of more than one semester will be bound by the requirements in force when he returns.

Degree and Diploma Students must fulfill residency requirements by participating in a minimum of three on-campus semesters, which may including the six-week summer sessions.

Add/Drop/Change of Courses
The add/drop period is the first two weeks of the fall and spring semesters and the first week of the summer semester. During this period, students may register for, or add, a course for credit by completing the Add/Drop/Change Form and submitting it to the Administrative Director. No student will be admitted to a course after this period. If a student wishes to change his status from audit to credit after this period, he must obtain permission from the professor before submitting the form.
If a student withdraws from a course within this period, no record of the course will appear on the transcript. If a student withdraws from a course after the add/drop period, a grade of “W” will be given for the course. A student who wishes to withdraw from a course (or to change to “audit” status) must notify the Administrative Director of the Graduate School in writing, preferably using the Add/Drop/Change Form. Failure to notify the Administrative Director in writing of one’s intention to withdraw will result in a recorded grade of F. When applicable, the appropriate refund will be issued.

Cancellation of Courses
The Graduate School reserves the right to cancel any course at any time due to insufficient enrollment, as determined by the Dean of the Graduate School in consultation with the Vice President for Academic Affairs. If inclement weather necessitates the canceling of classes, the announcement is made on radio station WTOP: 104.3 and 107.7 FM, and 821 and 1500 AM, and www.wtop.com.

Attendance
Students are expected to attend all lectures for each course in which they are enrolled. Penalties for absences or tardiness are assigned by the professor. Unauthorized absences in excess of 9 contact hours may effect the grade of F. Students are expected to be prompt and to dress and conduct themselves in a manner appropriate for pursuing higher studies in theology.

Tape Recorders and Laptops
Students who wish to use tape recorders or laptop computers in class must receive permission from the instructor. Such permission is only for the purpose of note-taking and study by students; publication beyond the class is forbidden.

Grades
The range of grades, with the explanation and grade point of each, is as follows:

Students are required to maintain a B (3.0) average to qualify for candidacy for the degree of Master of Arts and for the Apostolic Catechetical Diploma.

A grade of Incomplete is granted only for exceptional circumstances beyond the control of the student. If for a grave reason a student is unable to complete the requirements for a course by the end of the semester, he may apply to the professor for an ‘Incomplete', which, if granted, would give the student until midterm of the following semester to complete the requirements. Incompletes are granted at the discretion of the professor, and only for grave reasons such as illness or other serious incapacity. Failure to complete the course within the stipulated period results in an automatic F, unless the Dean of the Graduate School grants an extension of the Incomplete because of continuing incapacity (such as prolonged illness) which prevents completion of the work.

Students are not permitted to register for an upcoming semester if they have more than two incompletes from the previous semester, or if they have an incomplete from any semester prior to the preceding semester.

Academic Counseling
The Dean of the Graduate School interviews each student upon matriculation to discuss his program of study and to assign the student a regular academic advisor. Students may seek academic advice or counseling at any time from the Dean, the student's advisor, or any available faculty member.

Any student whose GPA falls below 3.0 must seek academic counseling from the Dean. A student who receives at grade of F in any exam or course is strongly encouraged to seek academic counseling from the professor, and perhaps also from his academic advisor and/or the Dean.

Academic Probation
A student is on probation if his Grade Point Average (GPA) falls below 3.0, provided that he has attended the Graduate School for at least two semesters. He is permitted to register for one more semester in order to raise his GPA to or above 3.0. Failure to do so may result in the necessity of withdrawing completely from Christendom. Students are permitted to retake courses in order to improve their grades.
A student may be admitted to the Graduate School on probation if the Admission Committee is not convinced of his ability to do graduate work in Theology. A student admitted on probation has two probationary semesters in which to maintain a GPA of 3.0, and if he do so, he will be fully admitted to the MA or Diploma program.

Directed Readings and Independent Study Course
Directed Readings courses may be permitted by the Dean of the Graduate School either for special research of interest to a student, or when a student is unable to take the course during its regular offering. A Directed Readings or Independent Study course is not usually permitted when it is possible for the student to take the course as a regular classroom course. A student who wishes to apply for a directed readings course must first seek permission from the Dean, and subsequently may ask an individual professor to direct him in such a course.

Students must pay an additional fee for an independent study course, and are advised that such a course normally requires at least 90 hours of work.

Papers
Research is a necessary and essential part of the learning process at the Notre Dame Graduate School. A research paper is required in all core and required courses., although professors may adapt this requirement to needs of the course. The approximate length for a research paper is not more than twenty, nor less than twelve pages in length (typed with double spacing). Research papers may or may not be required in an elective course, depending on the professor's preference. Basic Diploma students are not required to write papers in any course, and they should notify the professor of their Basic Diploma status at the beginning of the semester. Normally papers follow the Turabian format outlined in Kate L. Turabian, A Manual for Writers of Term Papers, Theses, and Dissertations, latest edition (University of Chicago Press), although professors may allow other formats. Students must complete and submit all required research papers prior to the end of the semester in which the paper was assigned.

The M. A. Thesis
The thesis is recommended for any student wishing to develop both research skills and specialized knowledge beyond what can be accomplished in research papers, and especially for those students planning on further, doctoral study. The thesis is written in lieu of two graduate elective courses, and six credits are given for a thesis with a passing grade. Only matriculating MA students may write a thesis, and they may apply to write the thesis only after completing seven courses (21 hours) of their degree program. The thesis must be an original piece of research, not shorter than 50 nor longer than 100 pages, typed with double spacing. The required format is Turabian's A Manual for Writers of Term Papers, Theses, and Dissertations (latest edition). The thesis must be completed and successfully defended within three years of approval for the project.

The student initiates the thesis process by contacting a member of the faculty who is able and willing to direct the student's thesis, and with his assistance deciding upon a general thesis topic. The student then submits to the Dean a letter of intent to write the thesis, including the thesis title, name of the director, a description of the thesis, an outline, and a bibliography. This application must be signed by the thesis director signifying his willingness to direct the thesis. Upon approval from the Dean, the student pays tuition equivalent to two (2) three-credit courses.

The student must submit the final version of the thesis to the thesis director at least two months prior to the planned defense of the thesis. At this time, the student must also invite one other faculty member, approved by the dean, to serve as reader. Then the student, in consultation with the dean, arranges for the defense of the thesis at a times mutually convenient to all three members of the committee (the dean, the thesis director, and the third faculty reader) and provide copies of his thesis to the dean and the faculty reader at least two weeks before the scheduled defense.

The thesis defense lasts approximately one hour: the student provides a twenty-minute oral presentation of the thesis, and then responds to questions from the committee members. After the defense, the committee will vote on the acceptance of the thesis and assign a grade, either (a) Approved, (b) Approved with modifications, or (c) Rejected. The thesis must be approved by the majority of the committee. The student must provide the library with two bound versions of his thesis before graduation.

Candidacy
A candidate for the MA degree and/or for the Apostolic Diploma is a student who has successfully completed all the required courses for the degree/diploma with a B (3.0) average or higher, and who has been approved for the degree-completion process. The candidate has not yet taken the comprehensive exam, and may also have elective courses and/or a thesis to complete.

A student may apply for candidacy during the semester in which he is taking the last of his required courses for the degree/diploma. The student meets with the Administrator/Registrar who verifies that the student has completed the required courses and that his GPA is at least 3.0. Together they outline a plan for the completion of any remaining requirements for the degree/diploma, such as elective courses to be taken, the thesis to be completed and defended (if applicable), a proposed date for the comprehensive exam (if applicable), and an expected time of graduation. A student who neglects to apply for candidacy in a timely fashion may be prohibited from taking the comprehensive exam when he wishes to, and may suffer a delay in graduation.

Comprehensive Examination
The Comprehensive Exam is required for all students seeking the Master of Arts in Theological Studies degree. The purpose of this exam is to ascertain a student's ability to synthesize and integrate knowledge gained from classes, readings, and research. The exam includes the material covered in the core courses, in the required courses of a student's particular concentration, and in the books on the NDGS Bibliography.

Students normally register for comprehensive examinations when they apply for candidacy by filling out the Comps Registration Form and paying the fee. A student may not take comprehensive exams until he has completed all required courses for his concentration; however, he need not have finished elective courses or the thesis. Both written and oral comprehensive examinations must be taken on campus. The written exam is taken first, in two, two-hour periods separated by a break. The oral exam is taken on a later day, usually within a week, and lasts thirty minutes.

In the comprehensive exam, the student is expected to provide adequate, accurate, and relevant answers to the questions and to demonstrate in-depth theological knowledge commensurate with a Master of Arts degree. The answers should reflect a synthesis of knowledge gained from the required curriculum and the NDGS Bibliography, and demonstrate a solid grasp of the Roman Catholic Tradition and an ability to analyze and synthesize theological knowledge.

Academic Conduct
In light of the gospel message, the Notre Dame Graduate School expects all students to conduct themselves in accord with the principles of justice and Christian charity. NDGS will strive to treat students with the same principles, and to provide due process in the investigation of any alleged infraction. The Notre Dame Graduate School defines academic misconduct to include and violations of the academic regulations, cheating, plagiarism, obstruction of class activity, falsification of information or documents, and lying. Penalties for academic misconduct may include permanent dismissal, temporary suspension, probations, or a formal warning. Students accused of academic misconduct have the right to a hearing before a committee consisting of the Dean of the Graduate School, two professors, and a graduate student.

Student Records
Student records are private and are available only to authorized members of the administration who need to see them. Christendom College's policy complies with the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974 (Buckley Amendment).
Unless a student requests in writing that direct information be held private, the Graduate School will release the following direct information to any person on request: name, sex, address, telephone number, date and place of birth, and previous academic experience. The student who wishes such information to be private must notify the Dean of the Graduate School in writing. Once filed, the request remains in effect for the duration of that academic year.

Attendance at Graduation
All graduating students must attend the commencement exercises to receive their diploma, unless they have been excused by the Dean for a serious reason, in which case the diploma will be mailed.

Student Life
As a Catholic institution, Christendom College seeks to maintain a community life that promotes the religious, academic, social, cultural, and recreational development of the whole human person. More than just a place to take courses, the Graduate School may a fellowship of scholars who are also united in Liturgy and in leisure. A wide range of activities outside the classroom help foster this fellowship and personal growth. Christendom College does not have residences for graduate students during the fall and spring semesters at the Alexandria Campus. However, many residents in the area rent rooms and apartments to NDGS students, and the graduate school maintains a list of these to aid students in their search for housing. Room and board are provided for summer students attending the NDGS Summer Program at the Front Royal (Christendom undergraduate) Campus.

The Student Advisory Committee (SAC) is a voluntary student organization that sponsors spiritual, academic, and social events for the benefit of the entire Graduate School community. The committee also works together with the administration and faculty to respond to student needs and suggestions, maintains a graduate student directory, and occasionally publishes a journal, The Angelus. All graduate students are invited to join SAC.

Daily Mass is available at Queen of Apostles Parish Church, on whose grounds the Graduate School is located. Mass is also offered in the NDGS Queen of Angels Chapel during the semester according to a varying schedule. During the Summer Program at the Front Royal campus, daily Mass and Confession, and community Morning and Night Prayers at Christ the King Chapel are an essential part of the community life.

Social activities at Christendom's Graduate School vary according to the desires of the current student body, and include receptions at the graduate school, parties at the homes of students or faculty, informal get-togethers to watch movies or to go out to eat, an occasional field trip or Pilgrimage, and the popular "Theological Happy Hour. During the Summer Program, swimming, fishing, tennis, basketball and racquetball are additional favored activities.

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