Guidelines For Submission

Editorial Policy


The Catholic University of America Press publishes in the fields of history (ecclesiastical and secular), language and literature, philosophy, political theory, and theology. We have interdisciplinary emphases on early Christian studies and medieval studies. We publish works of original scholarship that appeal to general audiences, scholars, and students. Many of our texts are suitable for use in the classroom.

Proposal and Acceptance Procedure for Fathers of the Church and Mediaeval Continuation

Preparing Your Manuscript

Illustration Submission Guidelines

Acquisitions Procedures


  • You should submit a proposal (abstract, annotated table of contents, or an introduction) together with an estimate of the word count of the complete manuscript (including notes). Include a resume and a list of previous publications. A cover letter should explain why your manuscript is a good candidate for publication by the Catholic University of America Press and with which CUA Press book(s) your manuscript engages or compares. It should list the most similar books already on the market in English and explain why your manuscript is unique and valuable. It should identify the core intended audience and any secondary audiences, being as specific as possible. It should list any previously published material being used in a revised form (e.g., journal articles made into chapters), as well as the number of images or other visual elements (tables, charts, etc.) that are desired for inclusion. If the proposal is for a translation, include a sample of eight-to-ten double-spaced pages in length together with a copy of the corresponding original text. Send your proposal to:
For theology and philosophy:For other topics:
John Martino, Acquisitions Editor
[email protected]
Trevor Lipscombe, Director
[email protected]
The Catholic University of America Press
620 Michigan Ave NE
240 Leahy Hall
Washington, DC 20064
  • Your materials will not be returned unless you enclose a stamped, self-addressed envelope with your submission.
  • If the summary information shows sufficient promise, we will invite submission of the entire manuscript. Please note that we receive far more manuscripts each year than we can reasonably publish, and so although we may invite you to send us your manuscript, this is no guarantee that we will publish it.
  • Should we invite your manuscript, the appropriate editor for your field will advise you on the appropriate manner of manuscript submission. We strongly discourage sending a full manuscript before submitting a proposal and being invited to do so.
  • If the manuscript is based on your doctoral dissertation, make sure it resembles a book and not your thesis. These often have extensive block quotations, excessive footnotes, and long discussions of the secondary literature; books seldom do. Submissions that are too close to an unrevised dissertation will be rejected. We expect a book manuscript to be substantially developed from the dissertation from which it came and to contain additional research.
  • The acquiring editor reviews your manuscript for appropriateness to the list, financial feasibility, and substantive merit. At this stage, your manuscript may be declined for publication or sent out for evaluation by scholars with an expert knowledge of the topic. Further action depends on the nature of this anonymous peer-review process.
  • In many cases, the evaluations will be favorable but recommend that you revise the manuscript. The editor may then ask you to prepare a written response indicating areas of agreement and disagreement with the recommendations of the readers and outlining plans for revision of the manuscript in light of them. With a suitably crafted response to the readers, the editor can present the manuscript to the faculty editorial committee.
  • Only the Editorial Committee of the Press, composed of senior members of the University’s faculty, may approve a manuscript for publication under the Press’s imprint.
  • After a decision is made to publish, we offer the author a contract, provide additional information pertinent to the publication process, and begin the editorial and production process.
  • NOTE: The process outlined above is normative. At any stage, we may for any reason discontinue our evaluation and decline to publish the manuscript.