Part IV · No. 15
The degree certifies academic competence. Any office, mandate or ordination is a separate act.
Canon Law·Level 7 · Second Cycle·Ecclesiastical degree · no suffix
M.C.L.
Master of Canon Law
Advanced preparation in Orthodox canon law, Church governance, and the application of canonical sources.
| CHEQF Level | 7 |
| Qualification type | Second cycle, ecclesiastical-academic/professional |
| Admission requirements | A Level 6 degree; the programme may require prerequisite modules in theology, Church history, and legal methodology. |
| Normative volume | 120 EAC recommended. |
Content · Outcomes
Content is what is taught. Outcomes are what is verified.
01 Required content areas
What the programme must contain
- canonical sources and methodology
- ecclesiology
- history of canonical institutions
- church governance
- marriage and disciplinary canons
- comparative church law
- relations with civil law
- legal languages/Greek/Church Slavonic according to the specialisation
02 Graduate learning outcomes
What the graduate must demonstrate
- locates, dates, interprets, and compares canonical sources
- distinguishes dogmatic, canonical, disciplinary, and administrative norms
- prepares canonical opinions and draft decisions
- analyses interaction between canon law and civil law
- applies canonical methodology with due regard for Church tradition and the competence of ecclesiastical authorities.
Final · Progression
Final capstone work and dissertations may not be transferred from elsewhere.
03 Final assessment
How the programme closes
An M.C.L. thesis of 20–30 EAC or equivalent canonical research with oral defence.
04 Academic progression
Where it leads
Access to D.C.L. and selected PhD.C. programmes.
Status
Black is what the degree certifies. This is what it does not.
05 Status and professional limitation
The degree certifies academic competence; authority to act as an ecclesiastical judge, chancellor, or other official arises only from a separate appointment.
“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