Seminary of the Syro-Malabar Catholic Church

Doctorate in Theology

The Institute offers Doctorate in Systematic Theology, Spiritual Theology and Biblical Theology. For admission to the Doctorate course the applicant must hold a Master's Degree (M.Th.) in first class or its equivalent in the same field of research. The mode of commutation of any of the requirements for Doctorate with the course one has done in another ecclesiastical or secular institute or university or college shall be determined by the Syndicate, considering the merits of each case. The Syndicate shall also decide the equivalence of a degree with a degree from the Institute. The Syndicate has the right to demand from such students to attend the entire or part of the second cycle (M.Th.) with corresponding examinations, if it finds it necessary for admission to the Doctorate.

Duration

The students are required to devote at least two years (four semesters) to their research work, which may be extended up to five years. The syndicate may grant further extension after examining the merits of each case. If the research is not over on completion of the granted period of time, the student has no right to continue as a student of the Doctorate Course. The students are expected to spend normally the first two years of the Doctorate in regular contact with the Institute. The Director of the Doctoral research shall be one of the Professors of the respective Faculty. If the candidate chooses the Director from another Faculty, he is to be approved by the Syndicate.

Doctoral Research

The ancient and modern language requirement will be fixed by the Director of the thesis according to the area of specialization.

The research programme under the guidance of the Director of the Doctoral thesis during the first two semesters shall be the following:

Those who did M.Th. in the Pontifical Institute must do two Faculty seminars in which the members of the Faculty and the students of the M.Th. and Doctoral Course are present. A summary of the seminar and some points for discussion are to be made available to the participants of the seminar: members of the Faculty, Doctoral Course candidates and M.Th.students.

Those who completed M.Th. elsewhere should do two Faculty seminars and have two tutorials or present two research papers.

The student for Doctorate may be asked by the respective department to conduct a class of an hour before a panel of teachers on a topic related to his line of specialization, given to him 24 hours before the time of the class.

The candidate shall meet his Director regularly for discussions on the research

The Director of the Doctoral Course is expected to present an annual report of the performance of the candidate to the Syndicate.

Dissertation

The scheme of the topic of the dissertation has to be approved by the Director of the thesis and a body of professors appointed by the Syndicate.

The minimum number of pages for the dissertation shall be two hundred in patent size.

The dissertation must be evaluated and approved by the Director and two other Professors of the Faculty appointed by the Syndicate before it is admitted for public defence.

It must be publicly defended before the college of Professors of the Faculty. The public defence will last at least one hour, before a board of three examiners who will be the Director and two Readers. The panel shall be chaired by the President. Four copies of the thesis shall be presented to the Registrar of the Institute at least two months before the date of defence.

If the panel of examiners is divided on giving a favourable award, a second session may be arranged after six months, and the decision arrived by them shall be final.

Competent persons from other Faculties of the Institute and from other Faculties in India and abroad can be included in the panel of examiners.

The Degree of Doctor will be conferred when the dissertation or at least a significant part of it has been published and the required number of copies given to the Institute.