Description

Specific admission requirements

The admission of students to the School of Social Theology and Christian Culture is realized with:

1. Upper secondary degree
2. National level examination

Graduation requirements

8 SEMESTERS, 240 ECTS.

A full academic year is equivalent to 60 ECTS units and each semester to 30 ECTS (European Credit Transfer System) (1 ECTS=25-30 hours student work load hours). Compliance with the ECTS regulations (European Credit Transfer and Accumulation System) according to the Greek Legislation harmonization to the relevant European one in 2007 (Ministerial Decision no Φ.5/89656/B3, art.1-3, Hellenic Government Gazette no 1466/2007/B). Each course is assigned with a certain number of ECTS (>=2) that expresses the proportional part of the student workload needed in order to achieve expected learning outcomes in a course, workshop, seminar, practice, etc

In order to attain the degree of the School of Social Theology and Christian Culture students have to attend and successfully complete 26 compulsory courses (47,27 %), 22 required elective courses (38,18 %), and 8 free elective courses (16,07 %), i.e. a total of 56 courses and acquire 240 ECTS. Out of the 48 compulsory and required elective courses 12 courses include theory and practice and 8 courses of the programme contribute to the acquisition of particular practical skills.

The final exams are either written or/and oral or the students are expected to submit a written assignment. Additional to the attendance and successful completion of all courses of the Undergraduate Study Programme the students: a) participate in the practice of the Liturgics and Homiletics courses, b) complete the internship in Paedagogics in Secondary Education schools, and c) in the case of foreign students have the obligation to attend and pass the courses of Greek language in the School of Modern Greek Language of AUTh.

The compulsory courses (COM) have indicatively been distributed in the first four semesters of the curriculum depending on their intrinsic interdependencies and on the pre-requirements of their content. The required elective courses (RELC) distributed in the winter and spring semester have been allocated in the last 4 semesters. The students can choose for each winter or spring semester the RELC they prefer; these can be equal to 50% + 1 of the offered courses or to 30 +/- 2 ECTS per semester.

Additionally, during their studies the students have to choose 8 free elective courses (FELC) either from those offered by the School itself or from those of other Faculties and Schools of the University. Each FELC is equal to 4 ECTS. The students have to choose 4 FELCs in winter semesters (16 ECTS) and 4 FELCs in spring semesters (16 ECTS). However, the students can choose some or all their FELCs from other university schools or faculties, each FELC equal to a different amount of ECTS, on the condition that they gather 32 ECTS for all FELCs.

Depending on the FELCs that a student chooses, she/he can obtain a complete orientation in her/his studies (biblical, historical, Dogmatics, Liturgics, Canon Law and Patristics). In relation to Biblical studies, and not only to this, the permanent FELCs of Bible Hebrew and Latin of Christian texts are offered. The School also offers four permanent FELCs in Information Technology; those students who will choose and attend them can have access to the ECDL diploma. Moreover, part of the FELCs can be covered by special courses in paedagogics from the School itself and other University faculties and schools, in order that the students supplement the education that the School offers with its 4 courses in Paedagogics and that they attain paedagogical competence.

Knowledge and skills

More specifically, on the basis of the courses and the practical training they have followed, the School graduates can obtain the following knowledge and skills:

a) teaching and academic research of the literary, philological, hermeneutical, exegetical and theological issues of the Bible and of patristic literature, of hagiography, of historical, philosophical and others cultural aspects of the text, of the history of and teaching about the phenomenon of religion and of religious movements as well as the critical edition and publication of texts of the Christian literature through the ages

b) teaching and academic research in the field of Church history and of Byzantine culture, in the origins and development of the institutions of the Orthodox Church and in its doctrinal formulations, in its synodic practice and in the life of the local Orthodox Churches, and in the promotion of the faith of the Church in the inter-Christian and ecumenical relations. Furthermore, conducting inter-Christian and inter-religious dialogues and establishing a dialogue forum between Theology and natural sciences and ecology

c) teaching and academic research in cultic and cultural expressions of the Orthodox tradition, namely in holy worship, in homiletics, in Christian archaeology, in Hymnology, in Byzantine music and chanting, as well as practicing the art of chanting and icon painting

d) teaching and scientific research in issues regarding the organization and the pastoral and social work of the Orthodox Church, namely Canon Law issues and issues of Church-State relations, pastoral care and pastoral psychology, Christian ethics, sociology of Christianity, and Christian Paedagogics. Additionally, the practice of teaching and educational work regarding the Secondary School subject of Religion and the practice of liturgical, pastoral, and social work of the Orthodox Church and finally of working in international organizations and humanitarian foundations

e) use of information systems and application of Information Technology in theological research and education

Competence

Specifically: Graduates of the School of Social Theology and Christian Culture that have obtained the aforementioned knowledge and skills will be able to:

1. study and interpret biblical and Church texts by applying their knowledge of the historical-social information regarding their composition, by making reference to our contemporary reality and by taking into account their Church context
2. study and comprehend the texts of the Patristic and Church literature in their historical context and in relation to our contemporary reality
3. analyze in a critical way the religious phenomenon and recognize the interactions between religions and societies in the historical past and in the modern world
4. become aware of and critically study the sources and events in Church history and especially the contemporary situation of the Orthodox patriarchates and especially that of the Ecumenical Patriarchate
5. analyze and interpret the texts and monuments of the Orthodox Church as such and in comparison to those of the other Christian denominations
6. comprehend the historical, social, and cultural significance of religious traditions and engage themselves in dialogue with them according to the ecumenical spirit of the Orthodox Church
7. possess the knowledge of and deal with issues of liturgics and liturgical practice of the Orthodox Church covering all the possible fields of the holy worship, namely historical, archaeological, aesthetic, textual, theological aspects as well as their contemporary implementation
8. investigate the sources and the origins of the canonical Church legislation and analyze its historical and contemporary interpretation and its impact on the international reality
9. develop and apply the theory and practice of the Christian Orthodox education in relation to the contemporary educational developments and needs
10. discern and apply the ways through which the theological approach and especially that of Orthodox theology of the human person can assess and form the ethics of persons and societies
11. apply theological knowledge in their professional and social life and in accordance to the human rights and the European reality
12. interpret theological and religious concepts and contexts to wider audiences and in dialogue with contemporary thought

Generally:

1. apply knowledge in research and teaching
2. process international bibliography in one foreign language at least
3. search, process, analyze and synthesize data and information, by application of the necessary methodology and technology
4. adapt themselves to novel situations and make decisions
5. work independently or in groups in international and/or interdisciplinary contexts
6. generate new research ideas and knowledge, plan and design and manage research projects
7. respect diversity, multiculturalism, the natural environment, and the achievements of other sciences
8. demonstrate social, professional and moral responsibility and sensitivity to gender issues and human rights
9. view themselves as well as others critically
10. promote free, inductive and deductive thinking