Master of Arts in Apostolic Leadership

Your first step is to get in touch with any questions or submit the simple application for admission. After acceptance to the University as a candidate for graduate studies, we will assist you every step of the way toward acceptance into your academic program so you can enroll and begin your classes!

The Power of Words (3 credits)

Harness the divine gifts of language and logic. Topics include critical reading and listening; the construction of sound, persuasive arguments; and awareness of audience, situation, and purpose.

Being Human (3 credits)

Internalize a distinctly Catholic understanding of the human person. Topics include the unity of body and soul, the human person's innate religious sense, and the redemption of human nature in Jesus Christ.

God and His World (3 credits)

Explore a network of convergent routes to the knowledge of God. Topics include the inseparability of faith and reason, contemporary skepticism regarding faith as a valid way of knowing, and the Tradition's most powerful responses to attacks on the rationality of belief.

The Divine Drama (3 credits)

Probe the "deep history of the world" as revealed in Sacred Scripture. Topics include the narrative structure of salvation history; God's covenantal relationship with ancient Israel; and the seismic significance of the birth, life, death, and resurrection of human history's central figure, Jesus of Nazareth.

Pursuing Happiness (3 credits)

Probe the answer to the fundamental question of human life. Topics include happiness as the human person's basic desire and highest aim, the cultivation of virtue as the beginning of happiness, and the contemporary relevance of St. Thomas Aquinas' theory of happiness.

The Catholic Imaginative Vision (3 credits)

Come to see the whole of your experience through the eyes of faith. Topics include the Catholic literary and artistic tradition and the reenactment of salvation history in the life of every human person.

Beholding Christ (3 credits)

Deepen your intimacy with the risen Savior. Topics include the human person as a beloved child of God, the life of prayer, and dependence on Christ as the foundation of apostolic leadership.

Responding to the Religion of the Day (3 credits)

Confront error with Truth. Topics include the Church's historical approach to apologetics and evangelization, the core features of our age's dominant religious worldview, and antidotes to that worldview's various distortions of reality.

Called to Apostolic Mission (3 credits)

Rediscover your vocation. This capstone course will furnish you with a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to consider how you might serve both the Church and the world while advancing the Kingdom of God in your home, your workplace, and your community.

In addition to the above core courses, each student must complete a nine-credit, three-course concentration sequence in an application area of their choice.

If you are serving or have served our country, we sincerely thank you. Our military services office is here to work closely with active duty, retired, reserve, and eligible family members qualified for military benefits. Learn how we can help you with the application process and review the benefits you have earned.

Donald J. Bungum, PhD
Associate Professor of Philosophy and Catholic Studies
My work focuses on epistemic authority, epistemic virtue, suffering, and theodicy.

Scott Cleveland, PhD
Director of Catholic Studies
Assistant Professor of Philosophy
My work focuses on virtue, emotion, happiness, philosophy of religion, and philosophical theology.

Nathan Kilpatrick, PhD
Associate Professor of English and Catholic Studies
My work focuses on the intersection of literature and Catholic culture since Vatican II, personalism, genre studies, and narrative theology.

Kathleen Kirsch, PhD
Assistant Professor of Classics and Catholic Studies
My specialty is fourth-century Christian Latin poetry, especially the work of Prudentius. In my research, I show how he articulated his faith in language and imagery comprehensible to his contemporaries. In this way, he engaged in a “New Evangelization” in his era. My secondary research area is manuscript studies, especially paleography and textual criticism.

Father Dominic Bouck
Chaplian and Instructor of Catholic Studies
I was formed in the Dominican Friars of the St. Joseph province in Cincinnati, Washington, D.C., and New York City. After completing temporary vows I returned to the diocese where my formation was completed at the Pontifical North American College in Rome.

For a full list of fees, visit our Tuition and Fees page.

The University of Mary is committed to putting your educational goals within reach. Learn what scholarships you qualify for.

We welcome students from various backgrounds, including transfer students from institutionally accredited colleges and universities recognized by the US Dept. of Education and those with military or career and work experience. 

How do I show my previous college, military, or work experience?

• Official transcripts (if applicable) from a regionally accredited institution with a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.75 should be submitted directly to the Office of Admissions.
  • Did you graduate from the University of Mary? Then we’ll get your Mary transcript for you!
  • At most other schools, you can request transcripts by going to the National Student Clearinghouse or by contacting the registrar’s office. 
    • Have your transcripts sent to:
      Office of Admissions
      University of Mary
      7500 University Drive
      Bismarck, ND 58504
    • Or request to send electronic transcripts to registrar@umary.edu.
• Students with previous career or work experience can earn credits for prior learning.
  • You can choose to test for prior learning credits — we convert your test scores into college credit.
  • You can request a portfolio review for prior learning credits. You’ll assemble documentation to show your experience, which will be reviewed and evaluated by an experienced faculty member.
• Military experience can count towards a degree.
  • If you are Active duty, National Guard, Reserve, or a Veteran from the Army, Coast Guard, Marine Corps, or Navy, you can request your transcript through Joint Services Transcript.
  • Air Force personnel should contact the CCAF to receive your transcript. 
  • If you already have your CCAF degree, check out our Air University Associate to Baccalaureate Cooperative page to see how you can apply your degree to get a bachelor’s degree at the University of Mary.

WHAT WILL I NEED TO APPLY?

• All of our programs require you to fill out the general application form in addition to submitting the application fee and your transcripts.
• Any program-specific requirements you’ll need to submit in addition to the items listed above can be found in our catalog.

At the University of Mary, we review every application on an individual basis, ensuring that the materials you submit are evaluated with care and attention. Reach out to us if you have any questions in filling out your application.

• Next Step Scholarship: If you recently earned your bachelor's degree from the University of Mary, you may be eligible to take one graduate course of your choice tuition-free. That's a $1,740 value.
• Catholic Educators Scholarship: At Mary, we support and seek to promote Catholic education at all levels. If you work full-time at a K-12 Catholic school, you may qualify for up to $5,000 toward your master's tuition.
• Graduate Scholarship for Newman School Alumni: Open to graduates of colleges and universities recognized by The Cardinal Newman Society in the annual Newman Guide to Choosing a Catholic College. This exclusive award clocks in at $400 a term, up to 5 terms.
• Graduate Scholarship for Catholic Ministry Staff: In gratitude for their service to the Church, we offer current full-time employees of Catholic parishes and dioceses up to $400 per semester in funding.

To learn more about our scholarships, you can visit the scholarship page or contact the admissions representative for this program.