Originally established in 1934 at
Los Gatos, California, as
Alma College, JST was founded to serve the needs of the California and Oregon Provinces of the
Society of Jesus. In 1969, the school moved to Berkeley to join the Graduate Theological Union. That same year, its name was changed to the Jesuit School of Theology at Berkeley. JST is one of only two Jesuit-operated theological schools in the United States, the other being
Boston College School of Theology and Ministry (formerly known as Weston Jesuit School of Theology) in
Brighton, Massachusetts. On 1 July 2009, Jesuit School of Theology at Berkeley merged with Santa Clara University, becoming Jesuit School of Theology of Santa Clara University. As such, JST followed the lead of the aforementioned Weston Jesuit School of Theology, which completed its affiliation with
Boston College in June 2008. ==Academic program and accreditation==