The Vatican has granted Heythrop College permission to award ecclesiastical degrees, writes Christopher Lamb.
The Congregation for Catholic Education last month gave the Jesuit-run college in London the power to award the qualifications which are normally obtained by seminarians, priests and Religious.
The college, which is part of the University of London, will create the “Bellarmine Institute” to teach the new degrees.
Ecclesiastical degrees, or “pontifical degrees” as they are known, are conferred in theology, philosophy and canon law. They are separated into three levels – baccalaureate, licentiate and doctorate. Heythrop will offer bachelor degrees, licences and doctorates in theology and philosophy. The college, which will continue to offer normal degrees, had the power to award ecclesiastical qualifications approved in 1964, but lost this after it joined the University of London in 1970.
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