Overview of the Dominican School of Philosophy and Theology
The Dominican School of Philosophy and Theology (DSPT) is a Roman Catholic graduate school offering Master’s level degrees in both philosophy and theology, as well as a degree completion program for a Bachelor of Arts in Philosophy. Following the life and example of St. Thomas Aquinas, who sought to understand God and the world through the wisdom of classical and eastern traditions of his day, we seek a dialogue with the contemporary culture. St. Albert the Great, teacher of St. Thomas and pioneer of the scientific method, serves as the School’s patron.
St. Thomas Aquinas sought to understand the truth in all its forms and taught the critical relationship between faith and reason, old and new, Gospel and culture. The School approaches Philosophy in this spirit, seeking a foundation in the classical texts of the western tradition and engaging the questions and concerns of the best of contemporary philosophy. Philosophical study, which pursues understanding of the natural world and the human person, forms a vital preparation for Theology, which seeks insight into the spiritual world and the divine persons. Both disciplines emphasize the relationship between the understanding of truth and the application of truth in practice.
DSPT includes within its community of scholars Catholic and non-Catholic women and men, consecrated religious from a number of communities, including the Dominicans, Salesians, and Franciscans, and seminarians. Within that community the School fosters a capacity for collaboration between the lay, ordained and consecrated members of the Church as well as between the Catholic Church and the diverse traditions of the world she serves.
The Dominican Order, formally known as the Order of Preachers, traditionally has served the Church as her official and foremost theologians, thanks to the Order’s dedication to inquiry, teaching and preaching that is both disciplined and comprehensive. Inspired by this tradition, the School seeks to instill in its students habits of perseverance, critical thinking, and thoughtful appreciation of truth wherever it can be discovered.
The significant resources of the Graduate Theological Union and the University of California at Berkeley augment and complement the Dominican School’s own faculty and programs. DSPT offers the following academic degrees:
And non-degree study options:
The Dominican School of Philosophy and Theology is accredited by the Western
Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC) and the Association of
Theological Schools in the United and Canada (ATS). In addition, it is
established by the Master of the Order of Preachers as a Center of Studies
for the Order. This school is authorized under Federal law to enroll
non-immigrant students.
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