Accreditation and Approvals

The University of Saint Mary of the Lake is chartered by the State of Illinois to grant the doctorate and all other academic degrees 

The Ecclesiastical Faculty of Theology is authorized by the Holy See to grant the doctorate and all other academic degrees in the field of theology.

Mundelein Seminary is accredited by the Association of Theological Schools, (10 Summit Park Drive, Pittsburgh, PA 15275-1103,  412-788-6505) to grant the Master of Divinity, the Master of Arts and the Doctor of Ministry degrees.

The Ministry Formation Programs are approved by the Archdiocese of Chicago as fulfilling the formational requirements for ministerial credentialing of pastoral associates and directors of religious education.

The Ongoing Formation Programs are approved by the Archdiocese of Chicago as fulfilling the formational requirements for Catholic School teachers and catechists 

 The University and its faculty have numerous affiliations

Institutional Affiliations

Association of Chicago Theological Schools

Association of Theological Schools of the

United States and Canada

Hispanic Summer Program

Institute for Ecumenical and Inter-religious

Formation

Institute for Priestly Formation

Midwest Association of Theological Schools

National Catholic Educational Association

North Chicago Theological Institute

Professional Affiliations

Academy of Homiletics

American Academy of Religion

American Catholic Historical Association

American Catholic Philosophical Association

American Choral Directors Association

American Educational Research Association

American Library Association

American Society of Papyrologists

American Psychological Association

American Society of Church History

American Theological Library Association

Association of Chicago Priests

Association of Doctor of Ministry Education

Association of Literary Scholars and Critics

Association for Theological Field Education

Biblical Archeology Association

Canon Law Society of America

Canon Law Society of Great Britain and Ireland

Catholic Association of Theological Field Education

Catholic Association of Teachers of Homiletics

Catholic Biblical Association

Catholic Theological Society of America

Catholic Historical Association

Center for Process Studies

Chicago Society for Biblical Research

College Theology Society

Conference of Catholic Theological Institutions

Eastern Canon Law Society

Ecclesiastical History Society

Ecumenical Association of Third World Theologians

Federation of Diocesan Liturgical Commissions

Federation of Seminary Spiritual Directors

Fellowship of Catholic Scholars

G. K. Chesterton Society

Hymn Society of America

Illinois Counseling Association

Institute for Classical Architecture

International Academy of Practical Theology

International Mariological Society

International Society of Anglo-Saxonists

International Theological Commission

Medieval Society of America

Midwest Association of Spiritual Directors

Midwest Canon Law Society

National Association of Church Personnel Administrators

National Association of Diocesan Ecumenical Officers

National Association of Pastoral Musicians

North American Academy of Ecumenists

North American Patristic Society

Paul Tillich Society

Society of Architectural Historians

Society of Biblical Literature

Society for Catholic Liturgy

Society of Christian Ethics

U.S. Catholic Historical Society

  THE ASSOCIATION  OF CHICAGO  THEOLOGICAL SCHOOLS

  Mundelein Seminary is a member of the Association of Chicago Theological Schools (ACTS), an ecumenical association of nine Protestant and two Catholic seminaries formed in 1985. ACTS is intended to be the chief avenue of cooperation among its member institutions, particularly in the areas of student cross-registration, library access and acquisitions, interchange among faculty members in the various disciplines of theological education, and communications between the schools.

  Six of the schools are located on Chicago's south side in Hyde Park: Catholic Theological Union,  Chicago Theological Seminary (United Church of Christ), Lutheran School of Theology, Seabury Western, Meadville/Lombard Theological School (Unitarian Universalist), and McCormick Theological Seminary Presbyterian U.S.A.). One school is in the western suburbs: Northern Baptist Theological Seminary.

  Five of the schools are located in the northern metropolitan area: Garrett-Evangelical Theological Seminary (United Methodist), Mundelein Seminary, North Park Theological Seminary (Evangelical Covenant), and Trinity Evangelical Divinity School (Evangelical Free Church of America).

  Together, the schools within ACTS offer an enormously rich network of resources for theological education, making it one of the largest centers for theological education in the world. Available to the approximately 3500 students currently enrolled at its member schools is a faculty of some 300, over 1000 courses offered annually, and library collections of over 2.2 million volumes and nearly 5000 currently received periodical subscriptions. Several schools have well-stocked theological bookstores. More important, ACTS makes it possible for students and faculty to pursue their work, study and reflection in interaction with people from many different cultural and theological traditions 

THE NORTHSIDE CHICAGO THEOLOGICAL INSTITUTE

  In 1974, the Northside Chicago Theological Institute (NCTI) was organized by five theological schools for ecumenical and educational purposes: Mundelein Seminary, Garrett-Evangelical Theological Seminary (Evanston), Seabury Western, North Park Theological Seminary (Chicago), and Trinity Evangelical Divinity School (Deerfield).

 The activities of the NCTI are under the direction of a Board of Directors whose officers are elected annually. The Rector and  Academic Dean and one faculty member from Mundelein Seminary are members of the board 

  In January, each member school of NCTI observes the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity through activities appropriate to its own tradition. Exchange of pulpit speakers is one practice that has proven to be an enrichment of the schools.

  In the Fall and Spring, NCTI sponsors two seminar courses which address various theological themes. "Global Theologies" and "The Life in the Spirit" are the thematic titles for the Fall and Spring seminars. The faculty of the various NCTI schools participate as resource people in this intensive seminar experience which is held on three week nights and two weekends. 

HISPANIC SUMMER PROGRAM 

  In 1995, Mundelein Seminary became a sponsoring member of the Hispanic Summer Theology Program, which takes place for two weeks every summer at a different site in the United States or Puerto Rico. Hispanic students, as well as others who are bilingual and who are interested in Hispanic ministries, may attend this academic program and take a maximum of two courses for two credits each. Courses in the Hispanic Summer Program cover a wide range of the theological curriculum, and are always taught with the Latino church in mind. Mundelein Seminary hosted the 2008 Hispanic Summer Program.