Purpose

The Associate of Arts in Ministry (AAM) degree is designed to provide its recipients with an undergraduate liberal arts/vocational degree in a two-year format in the area of Christian ministry.

Goals

Sacred Heart Major Seminary strives to instill in its Associate of Arts in Ministry degree graduates the ability to:

1. Demonstrate a basic understanding of Sacred Scripture, Catholic tradition, and ministry, such as:
• Demonstrate the use of the Catechism of the Catholic Church, Sacred Scripture, and
some conciliar documents for the study of Catholic Theology.
• Identify basic tenets of the Catholic faith.
• Apply Catholic theology and the principles of theological reflection to a ministerial case
study.

2. Demonstrate knowledge of ministry skills and foundational resources for ministry, such as:
• Identify and apply passages in Sacred Scripture and Catholic teaching useful for pastoral
counseling.
• Identify tools for evaluating catechetical experiences.
• In a case study related to pastoral care, such as marriage nullity, identify and cite
applicable canon law.
• Articulate liturgical principles from the Constitution on Sacred Liturgy.
• Demonstrate knowledge of various leadership styles and ability to identify own
leadership style.

3. Demonstrate the ability to make critical evaluations within the context of various
disciplines, such as:
• Draw valid conclusions.
• Make a critical evaluation of a topic.