Study at ICS

Welcome to the
Institute for Christian Studies

ICS provides a rich learning experience for students (Junior Members) earning their Master and Doctoral degrees. An affiliate of the Toronto School of Theology at the University of Toronto, ICS is, first and foremost, a community of scholars dedicated to the interdisciplinary study of philosophy. Junior members are mentored in an atmosphere of academic rigour and deep engagement with philosophical ideas and arguments. Small classes and seminars create an open and participatory environment where junior members learn from, and contribute to, the work of senior members and one another.

Click on one of the degree programs we offer for a more detailed description of each:

Doctoral Degree in Philosophy (PhD)

Balanced

  • Time is well distributed between coursework, research, and writing

  • Curricular structure is built around a variety of fields of study, offering great freedom of course and research options

Guided

  • PhD candidates work closely with a mentor in their discipline who guides them through the program from admission to dissertation defense

  • Doctoral students are given a solid foundation of coursework from which they are able to launch their dissertation research

Respected

  • PhD graduates from ICS have consistent success in finding placement in their field of study

  • With the option to complete the degree through the provincially accredited ICS standalone PhD or conjointly with the Free University of Amsterdam (VU), candidates are able to make the best strategic decision for their educational goals

More about the PhD >

Master of Arts in Philosophy (MA)

Rigorous

  • Consists of ten courses, a guided reading in thesis area, and concludes with a written thesis and oral defense

  • Designed for those who wish to pursue doctoral studies or who desire a firm grounding in the core issues of a chosen area of study

Recognized

  • Well recognized by a wide range of institutions as evidenced by the success of our MA graduates

  • The Institute for Christian Studies operates under a charter granted by the Ontario Legislature

Community-Oriented

  • Shared calling to explore the potential of the Reformational tradition within a close-knit academic community

  • Significant, intentional relationship with a senior member in the research field who serves as a mentor and supervisor of degree program and thesis completion

More about the MA >

MA (Phil) in Educational Leadership (MA-EL)

Flexible

  • Students may complete the program in multiple ways as fits their schedules and needs, with three options for pace of study and a combination of in-person and distance learning modes available

  • Features opportunities for both written reflection (and self-reflection) and a variety of inquiry-based learning projects

Deeply Rooted

  • Stemming from and focused on MA-EL students' own professional practices as educators and school administrators

  • Attentive to a wide variety of community contexts, student needs, and learning goalsall from a deep value for the image of God in the learner

Professional

  • Structured to foster active collaboration among MA-EL students, their peers and communities, and other leaders in the Christian school movement

  • Engaging contemporary pedagogical research and current discussions among educators

More about the MA-EL >

Master of Worldview Studies (MWS)

Flexible

  • Choose to study full-time on campus or part-time via distance education

  • Current concentration in Art, Religion and Theology, with more paths of study in development

Culturally Engaged

  • Fosters a personal and communal "philosophy of life" rather than an academic philosophical understanding

  • Supports inquiry that takes underlying religious convictions into account

Action-Oriented

  • One-year degree program if taken full-time, on-campus, able to be completed in two years at a part-time rate via distance education

  • Designed for individuals who have already begun professional careers

More about the MWS >

Questions about Admissions?

Contact Elizabet Aras
(Registrar & Student Services Coordinator)