Aquinas Institute of Theology
| Aquinas Institute of Theology | |
|---|---|
| Short name | Aquinas Institute |
| Type | Graduate School of Theology |
| Status | Active |
| Affiliation | Catholic, Dominican |
| Operated by | Dominican Central Province of St. Albert the Great; Dominican Southern Province of St. Martin de Porres |
| Religious order | Order of Preachers (Dominicans) |
| City | St. Louis, Missouri |
| State / province | Missouri |
| Country | United States |
| Address | 23 S. Spring Ave., St. Louis, MO 63108, United States |
| Founded | 1925 |
| Website | Official site |
| Degrees | Master of Divinity, Master of Arts in Theology, Master of Arts in Pastoral Studies, Master of Arts in Pastoral Studies – Catechesis of the Good Shepherd (MAPS-CGS), Master of Arts in Practical Theology with a Specialization in Health Care Mission, Dual Master of Arts in Theology and Master of Divinity, Dual Master of Arts in Pastoral Studies and Master of Social Work, Dual Master of Arts in Theology and PhD in Health Care Ethics, Doctor of Ministry in Preaching, various Graduate Certificate programs |
| Pontifical status | No |
| Interdiocesan | No |
Aquinas Institute of Theology is a Catholic, Dominican graduate school of theology located in St. Louis, Missouri, founded in 1925 and sponsored by the Dominican Central Province of St. Albert the Great in partnership with the Dominican Southern Province of St. Martin de Porres. It trains lay and religious students, grounded in the teachings of Saint Thomas Aquinas, to preach the gospel, and offers programs unique among U.S. institutions, including the country's only Doctor of Ministry in Preaching and the only Master of Arts in Pastoral Studies – Catechesis of the Good Shepherd degree of its kind.
History
Aquinas Institute of Theology was founded in 1925 and has been educating graduate students in theology for nearly 100 years. In 2026, as the school began its 101st year, Fr. Vincent Dávila, OP, PhD—a 2017 graduate of the school's dual Master of Arts in Theology–Master of Divinity program—became its 11th president, with installation scheduled for August 25, 2026, at St. Pius V Catholic Church.
Academics
Aquinas Institute offers 12 academic programs ranging from graduate degrees to graduate certificates, including the "Core Three" programs (Master of Arts in Theology, Master of Arts in Pastoral Studies, and Master of Divinity), for which 12 fully funded Aquinas Scholarships are available to full-time students. The school maintains a 5:1 student-to-teacher ratio and has received $5 million in grant money from Lilly Endowment, Inc., used to launch the Center for Continuing Education and the Aquinas Children's Worship Partnership. It is designated the Center for Institutional Studies by the Order of Preachers and is sponsored in partnership by two Dominican provinces.
Current Status
As of 2026, Aquinas Institute of Theology remains active, offering graduate degree and certificate programs and reporting nearly 2,000 alumni worldwide who have served as hospital chaplains, non-profit executives, youth ministers, theology teachers, academic administrators, college professors, and social justice advocates.