

Boston College STM Summer at Linz is typically comprised of 2 three-week sessions, including a six-week Theological German course in the mornings and two three-week courses in English, in the afternoon. Due to Covid-19, summer 2021 offerings are still being determined.
Eligibility
Current STM students do not need to apply and should reach out to Marcia Ryan (marcia.ryan@bc.edu). If you are interested in participating in Summer at Linz and are not a current STM student, please apply below or contact STM admissions with questions (stmadm@bc.edu).
6 Credit course for 6 weeks.
Offered in the morning, but not required.
The course German for Theologians will introduce German grammar, syntax, and vocabulary at an elementary level enabling the participants to read, understand, and translate theological and religious studies texts. This course will be taught summer 2020 by Professor Helmut Sturm at Catholic Private University in Linz, Austria.
3 Credits, 3 weeks first afternoon session.
Living in aestheticized cultures requires skills of critical perception informed by relevant theories. While reality has always been more than “hard facts” – both religion(s) and art bear witness to that –contemporary technological possibilities have ‘augmented’ reality and are raising questions about who we are as human beings. The course will cover text in art history and theology in an exemplary manner related to the local art and architecture. Central theological themes such as anthropology, soteriology, grace, etc. will be critically correlated with themes in art and technology, ( e.g. baroque iconography, and questions raised by post humanism, and artificial intelligence).
The course will be offered as an interdisciplinary workshop where theologians, art historians, and philosophers will engage in lectures and discussions with each other and students. Excursions will be a central part of this course. This course will be taught by Prof. Anna Minta, Linz; Prof. Ilaria Hoppe, Linz; Ass. Prof. Julia Rüdiger, Linz; Ass. Prof. Julia Allerstorfer, Linz; Ass. Maximilan Lehner, Linz; Dr. Maximiliane Buchner, Linz; Andreas Telser, Linz.
3 Credits, 3 weeks second afternoon session.
This course will investigate critical theological aspects of witnessing against the historical background of Upper Austria’s 1930’s and 40’s. In doing so, students will come face-to-face with one of the darkest periods in human history. In such a context, the course will introduce students to one of the region’s most outstanding witness, Franz Jaegerstaetter (1907-1943). It will be taught in an interdisciplinary manner by both historians and theologians. Excursions to historic sites as well as the engagement with family members of Jaegerstaetter and other Christian witnesses will play a central role in this course. This course will be taught by Ass. Prof. Andreas Telser, Linz; Dr. Annette Langner-Pischmann, International Research Center for Social Issues and Ethics, Salzburg, Dr. Andreas Schmoller, Dr. Verena Lorber, Jaegerstaetter Institute, Linz; Dr. Helmut Wagner, Author of Dr. Johann Gruber: Priest, Teacher, and Patriot
Summer courses designed for STM
KUL has designed a summer program similar to the new STM summer model. Two- three week sessions, Monday thru Thursday. Fridays are reserved for organized day trips, led by a staff or faculty member of the school they are an integral part of the courses pedagogy. Students may partake in one or both sessions. German intensive is the morning class for the entire 6 weeks, but is not a required if one chooses to do only an afternoon class.
The afternoon courses will be Christian Witness: Franz Jagerstatter and Art in Religion. Both courses will be interdisciplinary in nature with Linz faculty from all three areas: theology, philosophy and art in religion.
KUL is the only private, Catholic university in Upper Austria, with a student body of 400. The campus is located within walking distance of the picturesque center of Linz, a city of more than 200.000 people. The city is a mix of contemporary retail stores among the charming stone walkways, Baroque architecture, medieval churches and traditional Austrian cafes. KUL was founded in 1672, and the first to be accredited as Private University in the year 2000. The three main areas of graduate degree awards: theology, philosophy and art in religion. Linz is looking to internationalize by bringing students from abroad to KUL. Many Linz students matriculate during the week and return home on the weekends to rural areas.
The accommodations that will be provided for STM summer session students are generous. The seminary across the courtyard from the school has all the amenities one would need for a comfortable six weeks abroad. Each room is similar to a college dorm room with a bed, desk, storage area, but with slightly more space. Breakfast is included in the cost of the stay and held in an attractive dining room, Monday-Friday. There are four floors in the building designated for seminarians, administration, the Jägerstätter Institute, chapel and one floor for visiting students and faculty. A kitchen is available for weeknight dinners that students will be responsible to provide for themselves. For those who prefer a quick meal out, there are plenty of options within walking distance. A washer and dryer area is available at a modest cost.
Linz is the third-largest city of Austria and capital of the state of Upper Austria (one out of nine states altogether). The population of the city is about 200,000. Linz is also located 10 miles from the Czech border, and within reasonable distance of the borders of Italy and Germany for students wishing to explore outside of Austria. KUL is accessible via train from the Vienna airport. The train ride is just under 1.5 hours from Vienna. The train also makes weekend excursions to various parts of Austria simple and affordable. Linz is best known for its high-tech innovations as well as its contemporary art scene coming together in a unique way in the Ars Electronica Center (www.aec.at/news/en/).
The application to STM must be completed online. Students interested in studying in Linz should apply as a non-degree student for Summer 2020.
Additional requirements for international applicants
Additional requirements for religious applicants
A non-refundable fee of $75 is required for every degree and non-degree application submitted.
Please note: The application fee cannot be refunded for any reason. If you qualify for a fee waiver, you should not pay the fee when you submit the application form. Fee waivers are automatically granted to the following applicants: Jesuits, veterans, applicants currently completing a year of service, and current STM students. We do not waive the application fee for other reasons.
The personal statement must be uploaded as part of the application. The personal statement should be two to three pages in length, double-spaced.
Your statement should address the following:
One copy of each transcript is required from all colleges, universities, seminaries, or theological schools that you have attended. Each transcript should contain a list of all coursework taken, grades/marks received, and, if applicable, degree granted and date of degree confirmation. If your college or university will send official transcripts electronically, they can be emailed to stmadm@bc.edu. Otherwise, transcripts must be mailed and be contained in a sealed, signed envelope. If the official transcript is not English, a translation should be provided with the official document. Please alert us if your transcript will be arriving with a different name than the one you are using on your application (e.g. your maiden name).
Mailing Addresses
For applicants using the U.S. Postal Service:
Boston College School of Theology and Ministry
Simboli Hall
140 Commonwealth Avenue
Chestnut Hill, MA 02467
For applicants using FedEx or UPS, please use this address:
Boston College School of Theology and Ministry
Simboli Hall
9 Lake Street
Brighton, MA 02135-3841