Diploma in Orthodox Theology
The Diploma in Orthodox Theology is designed to prepare students for the service of being a Deacon in the Orthodox Church.
Those who wish to take the Diploma Program in preparation for ordination need to contact the Bishop directly and obtain his blessing for doing so. There is an official vocations assessment process in place in the Archdiocese of Canada, which should be completed before the prospective student begins the Diaconal Program.
Students who are unsure of their calling but wish to improve their understanding of the Orthodox faith may begin taking courses under the Certificate Program (ie. for laity) and transfer into the Diploma Program at a later time if they so choose.
The Diaconal Program contains the core theological courses of the Institute. There are 19 one-term courses in the Diaconal Program. A full-time student taking five courses per term would be expected to finish the program in two years. Part-time students should expect to complete the program in 3-4 years.