IDENTITY AND MISSION

St. Gregory Nazianzen Orthodox Theological Institute (OTI) is a bilingual distance education program that has as its purpose the academic preparation and spiritual formation of men and women for service and ministry in the Orthodox Church. The Institute is a registered independent community-based non-profit organization in the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico. The OTI program is accredited by the Department of Education of the Holy Metropolis of Mexico, Central America, Colombia, Venezuela, and the Islands of the Caribbean (Ecumenical Patriarchate) and is thereby certified to prepare candidates for ordination. The programs of study at OTI include: (1) a Diploma in Theological Sciences track comprised of 6 semesters; and (2) a Licentiate in Theological Sciences track comprised of 4 additional semesters (following the Diploma track). There are also Accelerated Degree or FlexStart / Rolling Enrollment and College Level Testing options available.

BILATERAL COOPERATIVE AGREEMENTS

OTI has bilateral cooperative agreements with (1) Ignatius University, an affiliate of St. Kliment Ohridski University of Sofia, and (2) the Pavel Florensky School of Theology (Euclid University).

(1) The agreement with Ignatius University and its affiliate, the University of Sofia, permits OTI students to simultaneously enroll at either of these two degree-granting institutions, if they so desire, while studying at the Institute. OTI Licentiate track graduates may also enroll in the Ignatius University or University of Sofia Th.D. and Ph.D. programs.

(2) The agreement with the Pavel Florensky School of Theology (PFST) permits OTI Licentiate track students to simultaneously enroll in the PFST M.Th. or M.Div. programs. The agreement also permits OTI Licentiate track graduates to enroll in the PFST Th.D. program.

ALLIANCES

OTI has also allied itself with the efforts of the following prestigious institutions.

Amridge University (AU)

Montgomery, Alabama USA

Exceptional OTI Licentiate graduates are encouraged to apply for the AU Doctor of Ministry (D. Min.) program. The prerequisites to acceptance into the D. Min. program can be found in the Amridge University Academic Catalog. AU is accredited by the Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools.

Institute for Orthodox Christian Studies (IOCS)

Exceptional OTI Diploma graduates are also encouraged to apply for the IOCS course leading to the MA in Pastoral Theology, taught within the Cambridge Theological Federation. The prerequisites to acceptance into the IOCS course leading to the MA in Pastoral Theology include: (a) an outstanding GPA / qualifications; (b) a willingness to serve the Church in a pastoral capacity, and (c) a 6.5 or 7.0 score in the academic version of the International English Language Testing System, or its equivalent.

Students who pass IOCS course leading to the MA in Pastoral Theology with distinction may seek access to the Cambridge University M. Phil. Program, which is the gateway to Cambridge doctoral studies.

COMMONWEALTH NON-PROFIT REGISTRATION