2026-2027

Pastoral Program

The Pastoral Program is a 2- or 3-year programme that begins with the One Year for the Church course and concludes with the Master's Program in Eastern Christian Studies. If students do not have 60 ECTS in theology, a Pre-Master's year can be added.

Those who are called to serve the Church need an education that equips them academically, practically and spiritually. At Sankt Ignatios College, our programs offer all these elements within a modern framework that is flexible and student-centred.

We are a partnership among four Orthodox church traditions: Byzantine (Greek and Slavic), Syriac, Coptic and Tewahedo (Ethiopian/Eritrean), creating a truly international learning community in the heart of Södertälje.

Each of our vocational students belongs to one of our seminaries, and their training is specially tailored to that tradition.

We currently have four seminars:

  • Coptic Orthodox Seminary
  • Ethiopian Tewahedo Orthodox Seminary
  • Georgian Orthodox Seminary
  • Syriac Orthodox Seminary

Pathways to pastoral training:

For students with a bachelor's degree, we offer the following pathways to a pastoral degree. Please note that each pathway always begins with the One Year for the Church course.

Upon successful completion of the pastoral training program, the student will, if desired, receive a letter of recommendation for ordination.

If the Bachelor's degree includes 60 higher education credits (ECTS) in theology, this two-year study path is recommended: One Year for the Church followed by the Master's Program in Eastern Christian Studies.

If the Bachelor's degree does not include 60 higher education credits (ECTS) in theology, this three-year program of study is recommended: One Year for the Church followed by the Pre-Master in Religious Studies and Theology followed by the Master's Program in Eastern Christian Studies.

For students without a Bachelor's degree, we offer various pathways to pastoral education. Please note that Sankt Ignatios College does not currently offer a Bachelor's degree. However, students can study for their Bachelor's (BA) at another institution in parallel with language studies at Sankt Ignatios College or complete a Pre-Master's at our Stockholm School of Eastern Christian Studies.

Please contact the Dean of Students by email at deanofstudents@sanktignatios.org for further information based on your specific situation. Students are assigned a priest or mentor who guides them through the process of choosing the path that best suits their situation.

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Requirements

Attendance is compulsory. Participants are expected to take part in all course activities, both by attending and actively participating in scheduled sessions and by completing assignments outside scheduled lessons. If participants miss lessons, they may need to complete additional assignments to meet the course’s learning objectives. To be considered as having completed the course, 80% attendance and active participation are required.

Syllabus

See the syllabus for further information.