Programs

Degrees awarded

The University awards the following degrees after examination and/or assessment of the candidate. All degrees are religious in nature and are designed to prepare students for religious vocations. The University does not award secular degrees.

Links are provided to specific syllabuses and rubrics where applicable. Where no link is provided, the degree can be earned via learning contract or via dissertation, both of which methodologies are explained below.

As well as earned degrees, the University awards honorary degrees which are discussed below.

All degree titles awarded are regulated in accordance with the laws of the State of Hawaii. These laws require that the University limits its educational programs to the principles of the church or denomination with which it is affiliated (the Apostolic Episcopal Church) and grants degrees or diplomas only in areas of study that contain on their face, in the written description of the title of the degree or diploma being conferred, a reference to the theological or religious aspect of the degree’s subject area.

Undergraduate

Certificates

  • Certificate of Higher Education in Theology (Cert.H.E.(Th.)) as a freestanding award, or as part of the Western Orthodox Academy pathway
  • Certificate of Higher Education in Public Worship (Cert.H.E.(P.W.)) as a freestanding award, or as part of the Epiphany Guild pathway

Associates’ degrees

  • Associate of Ministry (A.Min.)
  • Associate of Ministry in Public Worship (A.Min.(P.W.)) as a freestanding award, or as part of the Epiphany Guild pathway
  • Associate of Theology (A.Th.) as a freestanding award, or as part of the Western Orthodox Academy pathway
  • Associate of Church Music (A.Ch.Mus.)

Bachelor’s degrees

  • Bachelor of Ministry (B.Min.)
  • Bachelor of Ministry in Public Worship (B.Min.(P.W.)) as a freestanding award, or as part of the Epiphany Guild pathway
  • Bachelor of Theology (B.Th.) as a freestanding award, as offered for ordinands, or as part of the Western Orthodox Academy pathway
  • Bachelor of Divinity (B.D.) as a freestanding award, or as offered for ordinands
  • Bachelor of Church Music (B.Ch.Mus.)

Research Bachelor’s degree

The University can also award the degree of Bachelor of Arts where the degree title includes the religious field of study, e.g. Bachelor of Arts in Religious Studies.

Graduate

Postgraduate Diplomas

  • Postgraduate Diploma in Theology (P.G.Dip.(Th.)) as a freestanding award, or as part of the Western Orthodox Academy pathway
  • Postgraduate Diploma in Public Worship (P.G.Dip.(P.W.)) as a freestanding award, or as part of the Epiphany Guild pathway

Master’s degrees

  • Master of Ministry (M.Min.)
  • Master of Theology (M.Th.)
  • Master of Church Music (M.Ch.Mus.) in composition or performance

Research Master’s degree

The University can also award the degree of Master of Arts where the degree title includes the religious field of study, e.g. Master of Arts in Religious Studies.

Professional Doctorate degrees

Research Doctorate degrees

The University can also award the degree of Doctor of Philosophy where the degree title includes the religious field of study, e.g. Doctor of Philosophy in Religious Studies.

Honorary degrees

  • Doctor Christianissimus (D.C.)
  • All of the other degrees awarded by the University may also be awarded honoris causa.

Staged pathways

While the degrees of the University are free-standing, there are also pathways that allow a candidate to progress from an initial postsecondary level to the graduate level through a series of staged awards. These pathways are offered in Public Worship (with majors in Research, Spoken Word and Music) (the Epiphany Guild pathway) and in Theology (the Western Orthodox Academy pathway). The pathways are not the only routes to the awards in question, but they may be helpful to candidates who do not wish to commit to a full degree program at this stage, or who would like the progressive stages of their degree program to terminate with a specific award as recognition of that achievement.

>>Pathway in Public Worship (Epiphany Guild)
>>Pathway in Theology (Western Orthodox Academy)

Individualized, mentored study

>>The University’s approach to study 

including information about learning contracts, the structure and design of programmes, and applying prior formal and informal learning for degree credit.

Programmes by Dissertation

The dissertation or thesis option allows for a master’s or doctoral degree to be completed on the sole basis of the submission of a piece of substantial written work that incorporates the results of an independent investigation of a given topic. At master’s level, this work may be either original or the result of a systematic and critical exposition of existing knowledge. At doctoral level, this work must show significant originality. Full guidance is given as to the expected format and structure of the dissertation.

The degrees of Bachelor of Philosophy, Master of Philosophy and Pontifical Doctor of Philosophy, are generally earned entirely by dissertation. The University also offers the option of a conversion bachelor’s degree by dissertation for those who already hold a bachelor’s degree in a different field.

A further option for the highly experienced candidate, or those who are transferring in significant prior learning credit, is to use APEL as a means to reduce the dissertation requirement.

>>Degrees by research
>>Detailed guidance for dissertations

Programmes for Ordinands

The University’s Bachelor of Theology/Bachelor of Divinity is intended primarily for seminarians, although members of the public are also able to participate. The degree of Doctor of Ministry is offered to serving clergy of any Christian denomination.

>>Bachelor of Theology/Bachelor of Divinity for Ordinands

Doctorates by Published Work

The published work route to a doctorate is currently offered by many universities, but is generally restricted to university staff, or in some cases to existing alumni. At the University this route is open to all candidates meeting the academic prerequisites, and can include subject areas that are not otherwise offered by the University. The award will be available to those who have published substantial work representing an original and significant contribution to their discipline, usually in the form of books and scholarly articles that have been made available to the public in a recognized format. Interdisciplinary work can also be considered. Submission is made via a portfolio of this work together with an accompanying paper that places the work in its context.

The Pontifical Doctor of Philosophy and Doctor of Theology degrees are available via this route, as is the Doctor of Music. Also available is the higher doctorate of Doctor of Divinity. The higher doctorate is an earned rather than an honorary award and represents a standard significantly beyond the ordinary doctorate.

>>Guidance for Doctorates by Published Work

Degrees awarded other than by assessment

Since its inception, the University has not only awarded degrees following assessment of work but has also bestowed degrees honoris causa or jure dignitatis, either on an honorary basis or as a result of the senior status of the graduate. The University can also incorporate a degree awarded by another university by awarding its own degree ad eundem, usually a privilege reserved for graduates or Fellows. All of these awards are officially classified as honorary degrees.

Honorary degrees are awarded by the University under the authority of Florida Administrative Rules 6E-1.0041, section 1, the University being an institution operating under Section 1005.06(1)(f).

Degrees honoris causa are awarded to individuals of achievement who have established themselves as leaders in their field and to persons who have rendered particular assistance to the University. Those who have the ability to render advisory service to the University may be considered for the award of Fellow of the University (F.W.O.U.)

The University’s highest honorary award is the degree of Doctor Christianissimus (D.C.). This degree has been awarded by the Western Orthodox University since its inception, but has its origin in its parent body the Abbey-Principality of San Luigi, in which it is attached to the Order of the Crown of Thorns.

At the University, the degree of Master of Christian Arts is a degree awarded jure dignitatis that signifies the senior status of an existing graduate. A graduate of good character and proven achievement holding any bachelor’s degree of the University may, after a period of three years have elapsed, petition the University for the grant of the degree of Master of Christian Arts jure dignitatis for which a nominal fee is payable. The degree of Master of Christian Arts may also be conferred upon Fellows or other persons with a connexion with the University jure dignitatis. It is not conferred on completion of an examined course of study and is classified as an honorary degree.

Tuition/Fees

Details of tuition and fee costs can be found here.

Prisoner Education

The University accepts students who are currently in prison, considering education to be a vital element in the rehabilitation of offenders. In order to enrol, students who are incarcerated will need the permission of the prison authorities, who will generally have their education department communicate with the University directly in order to plan and implement the programme of study and assessment.