Admissions should be submitted to the Office of Admissions by the final day of Open Registration for the upcoming semester. The Admissions and Degrees Committee votes on the admission of prospective students only after all application materials have been received. 

Admissions Priority Deadline to secure classes and financial aid: 

Admission to the School of Theology is on a “rolling” basis. However, there is a priority deadline of June 1st for the Fall Semester and November 1st for the Spring Semester. Applications after the priority deadline will be considered for admission according to the number of spaces available for the semester for which they are applying. The Office of Admissions will review applications upon receipt of all required documents. 

• New Fall students: June 1
• New Spring students: November 1

To learn more, please review our Catalog

Admissions:
Phone: 513-233-6126
Email: admissions@athenaeum.edu

Dr. Joe Belleza, Program Director
Phone: 513-233-6180
Email: jbelleza@athenaeum.edu

We’re here to aid you in pursuing Christ and deeper integration of your faith through lifelong learning. Contact us today with admissions questions! 

Academic Calendar 

Spring Semester

2025-2026 Catalog

Course Schedule – Fall 2026

Course Offerings – Fall 2026

Course Schedule – Spring 2026

Course Offerings – Spring 2026

Some graduate-level evening classes are offered every other year. The table below shows the courses that will be offered in 2026-27 and the courses that will be offered the following academic year. Non-elective courses that are not on this list will be offered every year.

Course: Theology of the Body (CS 620)
Professor: Mrs. Emily Macke
Class Time: Thursday, 7-9:40 p.m.
Dates: August 27-November 5, 2026

In response to the degradation of the dignity of the human person, St. John Paul II proposed an “adequate anthropology.” In his “Theology of the Body,” the late Holy Father offered his reflections on the meaning of the body and the human person, love, relationality, redemption, gender, marriage, celibacy for the Kingdom and fruitfulness, stemming from the rich tradition of the Church. In exploring St. John Paul II’s “Theology of the Body,” this course hopes to cultivate a profound realization of what is meant by the “imago Dei,” and how this identity rooted in one’s Creator and Redeemer manifests itself in vocation and morality.

Course: Grace, Justification & Sanctification in Catholic and Protestant Theologies (CS 632)
Professor: Dr. Alan Mostrom
Class Time: 7-9:40 p.m.
Dates: August 27-November 5, 2026

This course will examine the doctrines of grace, justification, and sanctification from Roman Catholic and Protestant perspectives. The doctrines will be studied from the findings of Biblical, historical, and systematic theological disciplines. The engagement with Protestant theology is both apologetical and ecumenical, with a special focus on the Catholic Church’s dialogues with the Protestant theology of salvation.

Our synchronous online courses allow students to fully engage with instructors and classmates in real time. Students access live lecture streaming and participate fully in class through classrooms equipped with distance-learning audiovisual equipment and software.

Our asynchronous online courses have been designed by veteran faculty with the support of educational consultants specializing in online learning. Students will be guided through learning modules with their instructor, who will be readily available to students. These courses intentionally focus on interaction with the instructor and with classmates, real application of course content and the delivery of an authentic educational experience.

Registration

To register for an online class, log in to your Populi account and click on the “Registration” tab. Courses labeled with “WEB” after the course number are offered online. For example:

MT 5000-1: Fundamental Moral Theology (in-person)

MT 5000-WEB: Fundamental Moral Theology (online)

For help registering for online courses, contact the Registrar at jroyer@athenaeum.edu or 513.344.4511.

2026-27 Graduate Tuition 

2026-27 Certificate Tuition 

2026-27 Other Fees 

College Financing Plan
The College Financing Plan is a tool provided by the U.S. Department of Education.  This standardized form helps prospective students calculate their costs and financial aid so they can make an informed decision regarding their enrollment at the institution.  This can also be used to compare costs and financial offers from multiple schools.

The College Financing Plan (previously known as the shopping sheet) is required as part of the Principles of Excellence Program of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs.  Institutions utilizing this form provide the necessary consumer information required by PL 116-315 § 1018 and 38 U.S.C. § 3679(f).

Financial Aid
The Athenaeum does not participate in Title IV Federal Student Aid programs.

The School of Theology administers its own need-based financial aid for lay students.  To be eligible, a student must be admitted and enrolled in a degree or certificate program.  For more information, visit the ‘Financial Aid & Scholarships’ tab here.

Other types of aid may be available to enrolled students, including ministry grants or parish scholarships.  Students serving as parish catechists may call the Archdiocese of Cincinnati’s Office of Evangelization and Discipleship for information about continuing education grants for catechists. 

College Financing Plan Template

This worksheet provides the estimated annual cost of your program, based on the information you provide.  The actual cost may differ.  If you have questions about items and information referenced in the worksheet, please contact the Registrar: email registrar@athenaeum.edu, phone 513.233.6118. 

If you are an educator, Lay Ecclesial Minister or an alum of Mount St. Mary’s Seminary & School of Theology (MTSM), you are eligible for a 25% tuition discount. 

• Educators must be employed by an Archdiocese of Cincinnati or Diocese of Covington recognized school. 

• Lay Ecclesial Ministers include Directors or Coordinators of Religious Education, Pastoral Associates or Staff, RCIA Directors, Catechists, etc. 

• Permanent Deacons* and Priests must be in good standing with the Archdiocese of Cincinnati 

• Alumni must have completed a recognized program and obtained a degree or certificate from MTSM. 

*The Office of the Diaconate of the Archdiocese of Cincinnati is offering an additional 25% for an overall total of 50% off tuition for Permanent Deacons. 

Try a class and discover:
• Outstanding Faculty
• Personal & Spiritual Growth
• Revitalization of Your Ministry
• Continuing Education Units 

Application for Tuition Discount

Need-Based Financial Aid
The School of Theology administers its own need-based financial aid for lay students.

To be eligible, a student must be admitted and enrolled in a degree, certificate or endorsement program. Financial Aid Applications for the School of Theology are accepted at designated times throughout the academic year. Students may not receive institutional scholarship awards that exceed the cost of tuition. 

Financial Aid Application

For more information about School of Theology financial aid, contact the  Office of Admissions or the  Office of the Registrar.

The institution is Title IV-eligible, but has elected not to participate in Title IV programs. Eligibility is maintained for the purposes of processing in-school deferment requests for eligible students (i.e., those in at least a half-time rate of pursuit).

Grants, Scholarships, and Other Sources of Aid
We encourage students to be proactive in locating outside sources of financial aid. You may wish to discuss tuition needs with your pastor, as some parishes assist active parishioners with tuition and/or book fees. Catechists may contact the Archdiocese of Cincinnati Office for Evangelization and Discipleship (513-421-3131) for information about the Gabrielle Bouscaren Fund, which offers support for the continuing education of catechists. Some courses may be reimbursed by your place of employment. Members of fraternal, social or civic organizations should explore the possibility of scholarships via their organization.

Priority Deadlines
Priority given to applications received before the dates below. To secure the award, recipients must confirm enrollment by the dates below.

Fall Semester: July 1
Spring Semester: November 1