PATRIA CHEQFChurch Higher Education
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International Standard of Church Higher Education Draft 0.9 20 September 2026 For consultation

Part IV · No. 07

The degree certifies academic competence. Any office, mandate or ordination is a separate act.

Arts & Humanities·Level 7 · Second Cycle·Church Degree · suffix C

M.A.C.

Master of Arts — Church Degree

Advanced academic specialisation in a humanities or social-science field within the Church system.

CHEQF Level7
Qualification typeSecond cycle, academic
Admission requirementsA Level 6 degree in a relevant field or equivalent.
Normative volume90–120 EAC; 120 EAC is recommended for a research-oriented model.

Content · Outcomes

Content is what is taught. Outcomes are what is verified.

What the programme must contain

  1. advanced disciplinary studies
  2. research methodology
  3. specialized seminars
  4. electives/interdisciplinary studies
  5. research thesis or substantial capstone

What the graduate must demonstrate

  1. possesses advanced knowledge of the specialisation and critically evaluates contemporary debates
  2. independently selects and applies research methods
  3. integrates complex and incomplete information and formulates justified conclusions
  4. produces academic writing suitable for publication-level or professional expert work
  5. is capable of leading complex intellectual or professional work.

Final · Progression

Final capstone work and dissertations may not be transferred from elsewhere.

How the programme closes

A research thesis normally worth 20–30 EAC, or an equivalent research capstone with oral defence.

Where it leads

Access to PhD.C. subject to sufficient research preparation.

Status

Black is what the degree certifies. This is what it does not.

No CHEQF academic degree, by itself, confers a right to ordination, ministry in a particular jurisdiction, or appointment to ecclesiastical office. Such decisions are made by the competent Church authority.

“This is an ecclesiastical academic qualification awarded within the Church system of higher education. It is not represented as a state-awarded or state-accredited academic degree unless such recognition has been separately granted by the competent authority of the relevant jurisdiction.”

Recommended status statement on every diploma, Article 17

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