During the second and third years of Licenciate studies, students must take optional courses and meet a minimum of 25 ECTS.

Some of these courses are theoretical in nature, while others are practical. They are taught by Faculty professors, Judges of the Roman Rota, Judges from Diocesan tribunals, Officials of the Roman Curia, as well as by lawyers of the Rota, and aim to provide students with the best possible training for their future pastoral work (as judges, Chancellors of the Curia, Lawyers and Defenders of the Bond, etc.)

At the beginning of the academic year, an updated list of the optional courses which will be offered in the upcoming semesters will be published, as well as any potential "numerus clausus" established for the courses.
The following optional courses are anticipated:

• Q401 Matrimonial Consent (2 ECTS)
• Q432 Jurisprudence of the Roman Rota on Matrimony (3)
• Q442 Practicum on Matrimonial Cases I (4)
• Q452 Practicum on Matrimonial Cases II (4)
• Q463 Practicum on  Matrimonial Process (5)
• Q371 Psychiatric Defects in Matrimony (2)
• Q411 Special Matrimonial Processes (4)
• Q471 Penal Procedure (4)
• Q302 Causes of the Saints (4)
• Q312 Administrative Procedure (4)
• Q391 Canonical Questions on  Pastoral Care in the Parish (3)
• Q322 Human Rights: Foundation, Formulation, and Protection (3)
• Q331 Associations of the Faithful (3)
• Q361 Procedures Regarding the Clerical State (3)
• Q341 Structure and Practice of the Roman Curia (3)
• Q421 Juridic Responsibility of the Church Hierarchy and Contentious Administrative   Recourses
• Q481 Canon Law and State Law: a Comparative Analysis of Legal Systems in the    World (2)
• Q491 Religious Law in Comparative state Law at the Dawn of the 21st Century (2)
• Q501 Questions in Patrimonial Canon Law (3)
• Q511 Historical Aspects of Patrimonial Canon Law and their Consequences in the    Systems of Ecclesiastical Law (2)
• Q521 Natural Law and European Legal Culture (2)

At the request of interested parties, courses organized by the Roman Curia and by other Roman Schools of Canon Law, as well as courses offered by other Schools of the Pontifical University of the Holy Cross, may also be recognized as optional courses if proper notice is given.

In addition, during the third year of Licenciate studies, students must attend the Research Seminar and present a paper.