​Principles of Catholic Theology

School of Philosophy & Theology

The Microcredentials in Principles of Catholic Theology offer an accessible, academically grounded introduction to five core areas of the Catholic intellectual tradition: Faith and Reason, Christian Anthropology, Fundamental Moral Theology, Catholic Social Thought, and Pastoral Theology. Completed as a suite of five modules, they lead to the Professional Certificate in Catholic Theology and provide credit towards postgraduate Theology studies.

Designed for those seeking foundational formation or ongoing professional development, the program supports learners in deepening their understanding of Catholic faith, thought, and practice. It provides a flexible and meaningful pathway for those preparing for ministry, teaching, leadership, or personal enrichment.

• Microcredential summary

  The Professional Certificate in Principles of Catholic Theology comprises five microcredential modules that function as a unified suite of learning opportunities for initial and ongoing education and formation in faith and theology. Through these modules, you are invited on a journey of encountering God and developing knowledge and appreciation of the Catholic faith and values, thus contributing to the mission of the Church.

  Available modules

  • Module 1 - Faith and Reason
  • Module 2 - Christian Anthropology
  • Module 3 - Fundamental Moral Theology
  • Module 4 - Catholic Social Thought
  • Module 5 - Pastoral Theology

  Learning hours

  Each microcredential is designed to reflect approximately 50 hours of learning, including online discussion, individual study, and assessment.

  Learning hours are estimated to range from 4 to 12.5 hours per week for each module, with an estimated timeframe of 1 to 3 months needed to complete a single microcredential.

• Learning guidelines

  Upon successful completion of the five Principles of Catholic Theology Microcredentials, you will be able to:

  1. Engage the key theological concepts in relation to Church teaching and contemporary applications.
  2. Work with primary theological sources (e.g., Scripture, magisterial documents, writings of major theologians) to build confidence in interpretation and analysis.
  3. Participate in guided reflection activities that support personal and spiritual formation.
  4. Complete assessment tasks to demonstrate understanding of Catholic theology.
  5. Reflection on feedback from academic staff to support growth in theological thinking and communication.
  6. Connect with peers who share an interest in the Catholic faith, ministry, and lifelong formation.​

• Assessment and course learning outcomes

  Online study
  Learning takes place entirely online with no scheduled class times. Participants engage with materials, discussions, and assessments at their own pace within set deadlines, providing maximum flexibility for balancing study, work, and personal commitments.

  Assessments
  Participants must complete two non-graded pass (NGP) assessments for each microcredential module within set deadlines: Reflection Paper and Case Study.

  Learning outcomes

  Upon successful completion of all five microcredentials, you will be able to demonstrate three learning outcomes:

  1. ​​Show a deep understanding of principles in catholic theology across the five key areas covered in the program.
  2. ​Articulate an excellent appreciation of the Catholic faith and values, and the mission of the church.
  3. ​Apply the principles of catholic theology to the professional and social life.

• ​Module 1 - Faith and Reason

  This microcredential explores the nature and relationship between faith and reason within the context of the Christian faith. It examines the writings of Thomas Aquinas and Pope/Saint John Paul II’s encyclical Fides et Ratio to critically and reflectively consider the consequential issue around faith and reason.

  Upon successful completion of each module, you will be able to:

  • Articulate a deeper understanding of the relational concepts of faith and reason
  • Show a capacity to apply the principles of Faith and Reason to personal and professional life.

• Module 2 - Christian Anthropology

  This microcredential explores the biblical view of humanity created in God’s image and likeness. It considers the relationship between nature and grace and discusses the significance as the new Adam. It also considers the implications of Christian anthropology for contemporary matters relating to human relationships to life’s complexities.

  Upon successful completion of each module, you will be able to:

  • Articulate the theological principles of Christian anthropology
  • Apply the principles to contemporary issues in the personal and professional life.

• Module 3 - Fundamental Moral Theology

  This microcredential addresses the relationship between the Christian faith and the moral decisions Christians make in life. It focuses on building capacity for moral reflection on the human person and the moral life, the sources of moral knowledge, and moral behaviours.

  Upon successful completion of each module, you will be able to:

  • Explain the meaning and structure of the Christian moral life in the Catholic tradition
  • Show to have a deeper appreciation of decision making in the light of the Christian faith.

• ​Module 4 - Catholic Social Thought

  This microcredential engages the social doctrines of the Catholic Church. It includes foundational principles relating to teachings around God’s plan of salvation, mission of the church, social doctrine, human rights, the common good, subsidiarity and solidarity.

  Upon successful completion of each module, you will be able to:

  • Express a good understanding of the principles of Catholic social thought.
  • Articulate their impact on social concerns in life.

• ​Module 5 - Pastoral Theology

  This microcredential examines the nature of pastoral care and pastoral ministry and offers opportunities for theological reflection on what it means to be pastoral. It looks at Jesus as the model for contemporary pastoral theology.

  Upon successful completion of each module, you will be able to:

  • Articulate the principles of pastoral theology
  • Explain its relationship to pastoral ministry and other disciplines of theology.

• Entry requirements

  To register for the Principles of Catholic Theology stackable microcredential, participants require no previous knowledge or experience.

• Enrolment

  Enrolment is now open and can be completed at any time, offering participants the flexibility to begin when they feel prepared.

  How to enrol

  Follow the steps outlined below to enrol in available modules for Principles of Catholic Theology:

  1. Go to the application form via the payment gateway
  2. Click on 'Create Booking.'
  3. Select your 'Student Type.'
  4. Complete the online payment form.
     1. Enter your personal details.
     2. Choose your modules.
  5. Click 'Add to Order.'
  6. Review your selections and click 'Process Payment.'
  7. Select your preferred payment method from the list.
  8. Enter your details and click 'Pay Now' to finalise your payment.

  After you successfully complete the online application and payment form, you will receive a confirmation email with details on how to access the learning materials.

  Conditions of enrolment

  By enrolling into any of the available modules, you agree to the following conditions:

  • The university has the right to cancel classes at any time prior to module/class commencement and will automatically refund any paid fees.
  • Students must pay full fees at the point of enrolment and access to modules is conditional on payment being received.
  • A student must apply to the Facilitator to withdraw from a micro-credential, and must do so before the census date to avoid financial penalties.

• Fees and costs

  2026 Fees

  • Individual modules: $400 AUD
  • Full cost (5 modules): $2000 AUD

  Refund conditions

  Refund of paid fees will only occur under the following circumstances:

  • Student withdraw from a module prior to commencement or by the published census date (refer to the micro-credential outline and confirmation of enrolment email for further information)
  • Student is liable for the full tuition fee for withdrawals after this date
  • The University cancels the module
  • Authorisation from the National Head of School

• More information

  Considering your uni options?

  Our advisors provide support throughout the process of choosing modules and completing our application. If you need advice about studying microcredentials at Notre Dame, please contact Sheona Kaschula.

  Email: sheona.kaschula@nd.edu.au
  Phone: +61 (08) 9433 0132

About the Facilitator

​​Dr Lawrence Pang
Dr, BTheo (UNDA), MTheo (UNDA), PhD (UNDA)
National Deputy Head of School of Philosophy and Theology (Fremantle)

Email: lawrence.pang@nd.edu.au​