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About the School
Study St. John Paul II
The St. John Paul II Institute at the University of St. Thomas is dedicated to the academic study of the life, writings, and philosophical and theological contributions of St. John Paul II. The Institute provides a scholarly setting for examining his influence on ethics, culture, human dignity, and public life within the Catholic intellectual tradition.
Our Curriculum
Programs of Study
Our online, asynchronous format is built for real lives: working professionals, parents, educators, clergy, and students across time zones. You can move through the program with structure and support—without needing to relocate or put your vocation on hold.
Even online, you are not studying alone. Students learn in an environment shaped by guided reading, faculty engagement, and a strong cohort experience—an academic community that is both serious and genuinely humane.
Immersive Capstone Experience
For students who participate, the program culminates in an unforgettable study tour in Poland—walking the places that formed Karol Wojtyła and shaped his mission. From Kraków to Wadowice and beyond, the capstone experience connects texts to terrain, biography to theology, and study to lived encounter. It is not “academic tourism,” but a guided immersion that deepens understanding and strengthens lifelong intellectual and spiritual formation.
Enrichment Opportunities
For those want to enjoy learning about Pope John Paul II themes without the commitment of a full class load, the Institute offers mini-courses online, per semester which are non-credited, open to the public, and span a variety of different topics such as Polish history, culture, Polish Texans, Encyclicals, etc. Every aspect of the mini-courses has something in common with St. John Paul II.
Academic Programs
Chart Your Course
Explore the offerings of the St. John Paul II Institute.
Guided by JP II Experts
Institute Leadership
Dr. John Corrigan
Under the leadership of Dr. John Corrigan, the Institute approaches the study of St. John Paul II as a living intellectual tradition—one that continues to illuminate contemporary questions about the human person, culture, work, love, freedom, and the moral life.
The Institute’s leadership emphasizes careful scholarship, fidelity to the Catholic tradition, and the conviction that ideas have consequences. John Paul II’s thought is not simply “studied”; it is engaged as a resource for renewing Christian witness in the modern world.
Student Experience
Studying a Living Intellectual Legacy
Students engage in an academic environment shaped by close reading, discussion, and scholarly mentorship. Learning is supported through coursework, lectures, and opportunities to explore the philosophical and cultural dimensions of John Paul II’s thought.
- Seminar-based coursework centered on primary texts
- Faculty mentorship supporting research and academic inquiry
- Opportunities for lectures, conferences, and scholarly dialogue
Program Overview
Considering the St. John Paul II Institute at UST?
Find answers to common questions about the Institute’s academic focus, degree options, and student experience.
What makes the St. John Paul II Institute so unique?
Founded in 2019 through the joint inspiration of Dr. John Hittinger, the UST Administration and our Pilgrim leader Fr., Dr. Witold Kania together with an array of inspired supporters the idea for the institute was born out of the experience of being a pilgrim to Poland and the desire for rigorous intellectual pursuit. This unique “birthing” has resulted in an experience in formation which draws on both mystical theology and traditional scholasticism.
The Institute is dedicated to the serious study of St. John Paul II’s philosophical, theological, and cultural contributions—especially his writings on the human person, human sexuality, dignity, freedom, ethics, love, work, and the formation of culture. Students don’t only learn about John Paul II; they learn to think with him, engaging in the texts that he created as the Church’s witness in the modern world.
Who should consider studying through the Institute?
The Institute serves students who want disciplined, graduate-level engagement with St. John Paul II’s thought and legacy: Workplace leaders, Catholic educators, faith formation leaders, professionals, and anyone seeking deeper intellectual formation for leadership in the Church and society.
If your work involves leadership or consulting roles or touches on public policy, education, ministry, ethics, cultural impact, or academic study—and you want a rigorous framework grounded in the Catholic intellectual tradition—this program is built for you.
What academic programs are offered?
The Institute offers graduate pathways—including a certificate, or “master’s degree in John Paul II Studies” which is an interdisciplinary liberal arts degree with a final project which has the option to focus your project in a specific field with a field specific expert. The degree is built around sustained engagement with St. John Paul II’s writings and the wider Catholic intellectual tradition.
How does the Institute support scholarly engagement?
The JPII Institute partners with the Pontifical University of John Paul II in Krakow, Poland to produce the peer-reviewed journal Wojtyla Studies. Students benefit from seminar-style learning, substantive faculty mentorship, and opportunities to participate in lectures and academic events connected to the Institute’s ongoing work. The goal is not only comprehension, but formation: students develop the habits of careful reading, clear writing, and thoughtful arguments that mark serious scholarship.
How is the Institute grounded in the Catholic intellectual tradition?
The Institute approaches St. John Paul II within the Church’s living intellectual inheritance—integrating faith and reason, defending the dignity of the human person, and exploring the moral and cultural implications of truth. Students learn to engage modern questions with Catholic depth: not by retreating from the world, but by thinking clearly, praying faithfully, and acting responsibly. All faculty take the oath of allegiance to Ex Corde Ecclesia and genuinely wish to live and promote it.
Join Our Community
Unlock the World of St. John Paul II
The St. John Paul II Institute at the University of St. Thomas offers students more than coursework: it offers a scholarly community dedicated to intellectual seriousness, faithful inquiry, and cultural renewal. Graduates leave prepared to interpret John Paul II’s legacy with maturity—bringing clarity, depth, and hope into their families, institutions, parishes, classrooms, and communities. For donors, this community is a lasting work: forming leaders who will teach, write, serve, and build—carrying forward the human and Christian vision John Paul II championed for the Church and the world.