Doctorate in Canon Law

The Doctor of Canon Law is the terminal degree in the studies of canon law. A canon lawyer is a person trained in the universal law of the Church which is founded in the Code of Canon Law.

The doctoral program consists of two distinct stages. First, for admission to the doctoral program, the student must have successfully received the licentiate degree (J.C.L.) and demonstrated superior academic ability as demonstrated by achievement of an overall A- average in the various components of the licentiate program (i.e., coursework, thesis, comprehensive examination) taken in the aggregate. However, within this overall average, the grade for the thesis must be at least A-.

For students who did not earn the licentiate degree from Catholic University, the student must submit a thesis or major writing project for faculty review and two letters of recommendation, from professors on the faculty where they earned their licentiate degree. A decision is made by the faculty conjointly.

Secondary School Report International candidates are asked to have their secondary school or high school guidance counselor complete the Secondary School Report. If your school does not have a guidance counselor, another school official who knows you and your academic work well may complete the form. This form allows the guidance counselor/school official to evaluate your involvement, motivation and potential as a student. This information adds an important dimension to your credentials. Additional recommendations may be included in your application in an open letter format. Official/Attested Copy of Transcripts Arrange to have your secondary school, high school, or college send the required educational documents directly to The Catholic University of America. The University requires official records of educational study leading to the earned degree(s) or certificate(s).Minimally accepted TOEFL scores, when applying for graduate programs, are 550-paper; 213-computer; and 80 Internet. Students taking the TOEFL should have at least 20 out of 30 in each of the TOEFL subcategories. The minimally accepted graduate IELTS score is 6.5. Individual IELTS test module scores are also reviewed in addition to the overall IELTS score.