This is the same course that I developed with the faculty of the Maryvale Institute in Birmingham, England before moving to the United States three years ago.It is now offered in the US as well through the Maryvale Centre at the Diocese of Kansas City, Kansas.
The Maryvale Institute is the only Higher Institute of Religious Sciences – graduate and post-graduate level educational institution – with pontifical status in the English speaking world. It is good news that itss courses are now offered in the US via the Diocese of Kansas City, Kansas. This is not your standard online course – the Maryvale Institute has developed its own method of teaching at a distance through use of expertly designed coursebooks and attendance periodically at residential weekends. Termed ‘collaborative learning’ that is so effective that they view it as superior to the education recieved at conventional full time courses. The recent awarding of pontifical status is recognition of not only of its faithfulness to the Magisterium of the Church, but also the standard of excellence in the teaching offered.
The opening residential weeked for their course, Art, Inspiration and Beauty in a Catholic Perspective takes place in Kansas in July is intended both for working artists and those interested in art (with the thought that you might become the future knowledgable patrons of the art). The weekend is run by course director Dr Caroline Farey with whom I worked closely in Birmingham when the course was first launched and I will teach too. Maryvale’s missin is to deliver degree level education to working, mature students. As such it is designed so that no previous qualification is required in order to attend this course. The teaching method works from first principles and so anyone with the innate ability, almost regardless of previous levels of education, will flourish.
European readers should be aware that the course is still offered through the Birmingham campus of the Maryvale Institute in England.
The course costs only $995 for the whole year including course materials, tuition, accomodation and meals for the residential weekends and assessment. You will be required to buy a few books in addition to this. ths is extraordinarily good value. For further details contact ecat2@archkck.org and information about this and other courses offered by the Maryvale Institute Centre in Kansas City can be found here.
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“The Maryvale Institute is the only graduate and post-graduate level educational institution with pontifical status in the English speaking world.”
Are you saying this is the only STL and STD granting institution in the English speaking world? I believe there are many pontifical faculties in the US. Please clarify.
Hi Joe
Well we asked the Congregation for Catholic Education in Rome (the one responsible for this kind of pontifical status) and they didn’t know of another one and we couldn’t find another by searching the web. If anyone knows of one, it would be great for the Maryvale to be in touch with them. The Maryvale Institute has been formally named as a Higher Institute of Religious Sciences.
David
hi Joe,
I asked the Maryvale Institute themselves back in Birmingham to make absolutely sure that I hadn’t put something misleading and Caroline Farey tells me that there are a number of places that offer first degrees that have a pontifical validation. However, the Maryvale is the only Higher Institute of Religious Sciences, which means that every degree, graduate and post-graduate degree, ie higher degrees, is pontifical. This is I think what makes it unique at the moment.
Thank you so much for raising this. And if I found out any more I’ll let you know.
Very best wishes
David
This sounds terrific but I couldn’t find any information on what it costs except for the $45.00 application fee. Do you know the cost?
Hi Jim
I have contacted the people in Kansas and asked them to post something here. I don’t know about the US cost, but I do know that to attend the course in the UK costs 850 GBP so it is going to be something around that price. It’ll be good value for what you are getting I can promise you that though!
David
Dear Jim,
Happy to hear of your interest! The cost is $995 for the residential (accommodation and meals), full tuition and all course materials and assessment. You will be required to purchase a few additional books which are listed in the course description.
Flexible payment plans may be available – contact me at ecat2@archkck.org .
Kimberly
Thanks for posting this, it sounds fascinating and much needed. I looked through the packet with the textbook info, etc. Is there another post (or could you write one), where you discuss in a little more depth the content of the coursework? Thanks!
The content that I teach corresponds to a lot of the sort of information that i write about on this blog. I am about to run a series of articles by Caroline Farey, who teaches with me. So you can get a feel for her expertise (much stronger on the symbolism and content than me!) from those.