Program Overview

The Certificate in Theological Studies is a post-baccalaureate conjoint certificate intended to provide university graduates with a general university-level foundation in Christian studies.

We offer the following pathways of study:

  • Theological Foundations Studies – designed to equip students with a general theological knowledge and practice within the Reformed Tradition of the Christian faith.
  • Presbyterian Leadership Studies – designed to equip religiously engaged persons, clergy, or other professional religious leaders with a basic academically critical understanding of the Presbyterian tradition.

The Certificate in Theological Studies may also provide academic background for those interested in making application to Knox College’s other Basic Degree programs or the MA program in Theological Studies.

Admission Requirements

  • An undergraduate degree or equivalent degree from a university, college, or Indigenous Institute recognized by the University of Toronto
  • CGPA 2.7/4.0 or greater (70%; B-) for the entire degree
  • English-Language Proficiency
  • Academic or professional reference and pastoral reference
  • For CTS in Presbyterian Leadership Studies:  An applicant undertaking this program to meet the requirements prescribed by The Presbyterian Church in Canada’s Committee on Education and Reception is required to submit a letter from the committee indicating a recommended course of study.

NOTE: If your undergraduate degree was conferred by a post-secondary institution that uses a grading scale other than the 4.0 GPA scale, please review your transcripts to confirm CGPA equivalency before applying to Knox College.

Baccalaureate requirement
Applicants to a conjoint basic degree program must hold an appropriate baccalaureate degree with adequate standing (normally at least B- standing in their final year) from an institution approved by a Canadian provincial quality assurance agency, or accredited by a US agency recognised by the Council for Higher Education Accreditation, or demonstrated educational equivalent of a North American baccalaureate degree as judged by the Admissions and Procedures Committee, which may make reference to information provided by the School of Graduate Studies of the University of Toronto. In cases where an institution is not from an institution approved by a Canadian provincial quality assurance agency, or accredited by a US agency recognized by the Council for Higher Education Accreditation, the TST member college must submit a transcript, brief information about the institution, including faculty and their academic credentials, and an accompanying letter indicating its desire to admit the student to the TST Registrar, who serves as Secretary to the A & P Committee, for consideration by the Committee. The college representative on BDC will present the case to the A & P Committee at its meeting. The A & P Committee has the authority to make decisions on non-standard credentials. In cases where precedents have been set by the Admissions and Procedures Committee, TST colleges may admit graduates from such institutions without submitting a request for consideration. A college may appeal the decision of the Admissions and Procedures Committee in respect of equivalent credentials to the Basic Degree Council.

Program Structure

The Certificate in Theological Studies requires successful completion of seven courses in Christian studies, which can be taken either on a full-time or part-time basis.

Theological Foundation Studies is offered through online delivery effective Fall 2025. Students are required to take a minimum of five online courses of the seven courses required for the Certificate. There are no required in-person courses.

Five foundational (1000-level) courses will be taken from among the historic sub-disciplines of Theological Studies, as indicated below:

  • Old Testament/Hebrew Scriptures
  • New Testament
  • Theology (systematic theology, historical theology, dogmatic theology)
  • History of Christianity
  • Another area of Theological Studies (such as theological ethics, philosophy of religion, comparative theology, apologetics, pastoral or practical theology, spirituality, liturgics, etc.) This additional foundational course will be decided by the student in consultation with an academic advisor.

Two additional courses will be taken at an advanced level (TST course codes numbered at the 2000-level or 3000-level)

Presbyterian Leadership Studies continue to be offered through in-person delivery. Students are required to take a minimum of five in-person courses of the seven courses required for the Certificate. Knox may designate up to two courses as required to be taken online.

Where students enter with some previous coursework in theological or religious studies, their academic advisor may waive a requirement in favour of a substitute course.

Learning Outcomes

Certificate in Theological Studies program learning outcomes

Students will demonstrate:

  1. General knowledge and understanding of key concepts, methodologies, theoretical approaches and assumptions in Theological Studies.
  2. Broad understanding of some of the major fields in Theological Studies.
  3. Analyze methodologies applied in relevant scholarship in a course and adopt or reject those methodologies in the student’s own writing.
  4. Ability to review, present, and interpret information, and construct theological knowledge, in the light of some of the significant theories, concepts and methods of representative sub-fields of Theological Studies.
  5. Convey and support their own views clearly both verbally and writing.
  6. Appreciation of the differing views of others.
  7. Recognition of the ways in which varied expressions of Christian belief and practice are shaped by cultural contexts.
  8. Ability to bring to their Theological Studies the insights of the humanities, the social sciences, the arts, and the natural sciences.

Tuition Basics

For full tuition details and bursary information, visit our Tuition/Financial Aid page.