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Shaping contemporary culture
Center for
Thomistic Studies
The University of St. Thomas Center for Thomistic Studies is the only philosophy program in the United States uniquely focused on the thought of St. Thomas Aquinas. Thomistic Studies takes inspiration from the Church’s insistence upon the perennial value of the thought of Aquinas especially as expressed in the encyclical letters Aeterni Patris (1879) and Fides et Ratio (1998). In Aeterni Patris, Pope Leo XIII called for a general renewal to the study of the philosophical thought of St. Thomas Aquinas. In Fides et Ratio, Pope St. John Paul II reiterated this message and called for a re-commitment on the part of philosophers and theologians to the study of the thought of St. Thomas Aquinas, tempered to fit the needs of the 21st century.
Thomistic Studies is committed to meet the challenges and realize the opportunities indicated by Pope St. John Paul II, striving toward the dawn of a new age in philosophy and intellectual culture. Following the model employed in the writings of Aquinas, the Center seeks the truth through a constructive cross-cultural dialogue. Our students and faculty pursue a living Thomism, drawing from tradition and engaging contemporary culture in order to shape the future.
Our Curriculum
Programs of Study
Grounded in philosophy and theology and shaped by classical inquiry, the Center for Thomistic Studies offers a Master’s degree program and Doctoral degree program. Both encourage interdisciplinary engagement across metaphysics, ethics, natural law, and theology. Students develop habits of disciplined thinking and analysis that support advanced study and scholarly research.
Academic Programs
Chart Your Course
Explore academic programs across UST, from the liberal arts to professional and graduate study. The catalog brings majors, minors, certificates, and degree requirements into one place, helping you compare options and plan a coherent path forward.
Faith and Academic Study
Center for Thomistic Studies Leadership
Steven Jensen
Under the leadership of Steven Jensen, the Center for Thomistic Studies approaches education as a rigorous intellectual tradition grounded in truth, reason, and faith.
Student Experience
Studying Within a
Living Tradition
Students in the Center for Thomistic Studies participate in an academic environment shaped by close reading, dialogue, and scholarly mentorship. Learning is supported through seminars, lectures, and opportunities to engage with visiting scholars and academic conferences.
- Seminar-based coursework focused on classical texts
- Faculty mentorship supporting philosophical and theological inquiry
- Opportunities for lectures, symposia, and scholarly engagement
- Weekly colloquia series featuring faculty and scholars from UST and other institutions
Program Overview
Considering Thomistic Studies at UST?
Find answers to common questions about curriculum focus, academic pathways, and student experience within Thomistic Studies.
Who should consider the graduate program at the Center for Thomistic Studies?
The program is well suited for students interested in philosophy, theology, law and ethics. It appeals to students seeking engagement with classical texts and enduring intellectual questions.
Are the MA and PhD programs at the Center for Thomistic Studies appropriate for students who major in fields outside philosophy and theology?
Yes. The graduate programs are open to students across disciplines who are interested in philosophical and theological inquiry.
How does the program support advanced study?
Students benefit from close faculty mentorship, seminar-style learning, and opportunities to engage with scholars through lectures and academic events hosted by the Center for Thomistic Studies.
How is the Center for Thomistic Studies grounded in the Catholic intellectual tradition?
In his encyclical Aeterni Patris, issued in 1879, Pope Leo XIII, called upon Catholic philosophers and theologians to “restore the golden wisdom of St. Thomas, and to spread it far and wide for the defense and beauty of the Catholic faith and for the good of society.” Most subsequent popes have echoed this thought. In Fides et Ratio, for instance, John Paul II states that, “We must reiterate the value of the Angelic Doctor’s insights and insist on the study of his thought.”
In 1979, the University of St. Thomas established the Center for Thomistic Studies precisely to address this papal concern. Through the Center, the University hopes to spread the thought of Aquinas, so that it can be leaven to strengthen the Catholic Church. In the last 40 years, the Center has done more than any other institution in the United States to maintain the thought of Aquinas within the American Catholic Church. As Jeffrey Hause (Michael W. Barry Professor, Department of Philosophy, Creighton University) has said: “The Center’s commitment to research and teaching keeps the thought of Aquinas at the forefront, which no similar institution in North America can claim. Its work uniquely exemplifies the strongest and most vibrant strain of Catholic philosophical and theological thought since the late Middle Ages.” Likewise, Jude Doughertey (former dean of the school of philosophy, the Catholic University of America) said, “The Center for Thomistic Studies is unrivaled in keeping the tradition alive.”
CTS achieves this mission primarily by training future educators who will keep the thought of Aquinas alive in their students. Many of our graduates go on to teach at Catholic seminaries, helping in the formation of priests, many teach at Catholic colleges throughout the United States, and many teach at Catholic high schools. CTS also achieves its mission through the scholarship of its professors and students, who promote the thought of Aquinas within the scholarly community.
Honored by leading
Lectures and Media
The University of St. Thomas is nationally recognized for academic excellence, mission-driven education, and student success by leading accreditation and ranking organizations.
Learn from Thomistic Experts
Aquinas Lecture Series
Each year, the Center for Thomistic Studies’ Aquinas Lecture brings a distinguished member of the philosophical community to the University of St. Thomas for a talk which displays the great resources of the Thomistic philosophical tradition, either by addressing a subject directly related to the writings of St. Thomas or some other figure in the tradition, or by addressing more systematically a question of enduring philosophical importance. Among the Aquinas Lecturers the Center has had the privilege of hosting are such renowned thinkers as Henry Veatch, Joseph Owens, Elizabeth Anscombe, Peter Geach, Janet Smith, Alasdair MacIntyre, Germain Grisez, Avery Cardinal Dulles, S.J., Msgr. John F. Wippel, Fr. Leo J. Elders, SVD, and Archbishop J. Michael Miller.