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

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.

  • 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.

Program Structure

The Certificate in Theological Studies requires successful completion of seven courses, which can be taken either on a full-time or part-time basis. Up to two courses may be taken online.

This program can be completed:

  • full-time in one academic year

The seven courses are distributed across the theological subdisciplines as follows:

  1. One 1000-level course in Old Testament/Hebrew Scriptures
  2. One 1000-level course in New Testament
  3. One 1000-level course in systematic theology (or a similar course may be designated dogmatic theology, historical theology, Christian doctrine)
  4. One 1000-level course in the history of Christianity
  5. One foundational course (normally 1000-level) in another sub-discipline of Theological Studies (ex. theological ethics, spirituality, liturgics, art and theology, philosophy of religion, etc.)
  6. One advanced course at the 2000-level or 3000-level
  7. One advanced course at the 2000-level or 3000-level

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.