Founded in 1968, the Washington Theological Union is one of the largest, Catholic graduate schools of theology and ministry in the United States. The school serves students from diverse backgrounds and traditions. The Washington Theological Union serves candidates for the priesthood and other church ministries. The school maintains working relationships with offices of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, Archdiocese of Washington and several interdenominational groups. An active partner in ecumenical education, the Washington Theological Union is a co-founder of the Washington Theological Consortium. The school is accredited by the District of Columbia Education Licensure Commission and the Association of Theological Schools in the United States and Canada. It operates the departments of spirituality, sacred scriptures and ecclesiastical history. The school offers a range of certificate and master s degree programs. The Washington Theological Union features a library and has conference and seminar rooms for conducting meetings and workshops. The school is a member of the Catholic Library Association and the Catholic Press Association.