Protestant Theology

What is faith? Can God allow evil and suffering and still be just? Should creation be ruled or merely preserved by mankind? If you are interested in these questions, this is the programme for you!

View of the church steeple in Jena

Image: Anne Günther (University of Jena)

Key facts

Degree

Diplom

Duration

10 Semesters

Credits/ECTS

300

Teaching language

German

Tuition fee

None

Semester contribution

€ 256,48

Start of studies

Winter semester, Summer semester

Part-time possible

Yes

Institution

Faculty of Theology

Contacts

Find your application procedure

Content of the study programme

Do you like to think about God and ‘the bigger picture’? The extremely diverse study of theology lets you do exactly that, as it is more comprehensive and exciting than most academic disciplines.

A large part of the course focuses on historical issues, such as the history of Christianity from its Judaic roots to the present day and the modern-day challenges involved in the practice of faith.

You will need good language skills—and not only for your sermons if you decide to pursue a career as a pastor. After all, your studies will involve Old and New Testament passages in their original language, as well as the history of the biblical tradition, the historical reality of the world’s religions and the contemporary practice and structure of churches.

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Studying at the Faculty of Theology at the Friedrich Schiller University Jena [in German]

Structure

The study of Protestant Theology is structured into a basic course with 120 credits (ECTS for short; 1 ECTS = 30 hours for attendance, preparation and follow-up work, private study, assessed coursework and examinations), a main course with 120 ECTS and an integration period with 60 ECTS.

Proficiency in Hebrew, Ancient Greek and Latin is mandatory for students. But don’t worry! If you have not learned the languages before university, you can generally acquire the required knowledge during your first four semesters with our young and dedicated language teachers. But don’t underestimate the workload, especially at the start of your studies. You will need to work hard and stick at it! However, students are granted an extension in their basic course of one semester each for Ancient Greek and Hebrew.

The focus of the main course is on deepening your knowledge (in a choice of specialist areas) and developing critical thinking skills.

How might your study programme shape up?

Basic course

The basic course lasts four semesters (plus any additional language semesters for Latin, Hebrew and Ancient Greek). You can set your focus and even attend elective courses from other study programmes.

Study content:

Old Testament: Hebrew and Aramaic scriptures of the Bible, introduction to the history of Israel and other cultures of the Ancient Near East
New Testament: study of scripture, insight into the movement of Roman antiquity and early Christianity
Church History: the emergence and spread of Christian doctrine and life from its beginnings to the present day
Systematic Theology: Christian thought and interpretation in dealing with current issues (dogma) and Christian action (ethics)
Practical Theology: theory of internal religious practice (e.g. worship, church leadership) and external religious practice (e.g. teaching, diakonia)
Religious Education: theory and practice of religious education and discussion of innovative forms of religious education
Religious Studies: origin of religions, historical changes and structuring, and critical examination of ideas, texts, social models, etc.

The four-week internship is ideally completed during the lecture-free period between the final semester of the basic course and the first semester of the main course. We will be happy to help you find a (specialist) internship.

An intermediate examination is taken at the end of the basic course.

More detailed information can be found in the module catalogue for the study programme [pdf, 225 kb] de.

Main course

The aim of the main course is to become specialized in certain areas within four to six semesters.

Old Testament (advanced module)
New Testament (advanced module)
Church History (advanced module)
Systematic Theology (advanced module)
Practical Theology / Religious Education (advanced module)
Philosophy (module)
Interdisciplinary advanced module
Religious Studies and Intercultural Theology (module)
Elective modules

More detailed information can be found in the module catalogue for the study programme [pdf, 225 kb] de.

Integration period

The two-semester integration period comes right at the end of the course, including the exam preparation and the individual components of the final examination.

Integration module I and II
Academic paper
Practical theological draft
Examinations

More detailed information can be found in the module catalogue for the study programme [pdf, 225 kb] de.

Why study in Jena?

an internationally renowned degree: The Friedrich Schiller University Jena is one of the few universities in Germany where you can still obtain a diploma in Protestant Theology. But you are not tied to that option, as you can also take the ‘ecclesiastical examination’ at the Faculty of Theology de.
research focus: Due to its Lutheran roots, the Faculty of Theology de plays a pioneering role in the preservation and research of Reformation heritage. The work of theologians at the University of Jena is characterized by research on key topics like ‘The Bible in the context of antiquity and the Orient’, ‘Reconciliation from a theological and ethical perspective’, ‘Religious education in the context of social change’, ‘Reformation and modernity’ and ‘Biblical and Lutheran theology in the church and society of today’.
excellent supervision: small seminar groups, great student commitment and teaching staff who are (almost) always available to answer questions in one-to-one conversations
close interdisciplinary cooperation, e.g. with the Faculty of Catholic Theology in Erfurt, the Department of Ancient Near Eastern Studies de and the Ethics Center in Jena
quick internship placements: close cooperation with churches in Thuringia and the ecclesiastical province of Saxony
adventures abroad: global network of partner universities, e.g. São Bento (Brazil), Stellenbosch (South Africa) and Sibiu (Romania)
important historical sites are not far from Jena, such Eisenach and Wartburg Castle, Erfurt and Weimar.

Behind the scenes

Image: M. Bleeke

Change of perspective

Your studies will fully immerse you in foreign cultures, eras, languages and reasoning in small seminar groups. Some of your classes may be held outside in summer, such as here at the Frommannscher Garten in Jena.

What can you do after your studies?

Image: Jürgen Scheere (University of Jena)

Areas of employment
for graduates

in the member churches of the Protestant Church in Germany (e.g. as a pastor, parish worker, etc.).
in non-school education (adult education centres, ecclesiastical academies, etc.)
at charitable institutions
at specialist editorial offices
at libraries, museums, foundations, cultural institutes, etc.

Downloads and links for the study programme

What are the personal requirements?

basic knowledge of religious and ecclesiastical history
a keen interest in social affairs and church issues
enjoyment in reading and interpreting texts
interest in foreign cultures, eras, languages and reasoning
membership of the Protestant Church before the first intermediate examination (First Ecclesiastical Examination / Diplom) or another member church of the World Council of Churches (Diplom)

Admission requirements

University entrance qualification: A university entrance qualification, such as a general secondary school leaving certificate, is required for admission onto the study programme.

More information on university entrance qualifications can be found here.
Language requirements: The study programme is taught in German. You must therefore have a very good command of German at the start of the study programme.

You will require knowledge of Latin, Ancient Greek and Hebrew to study theology. If you do not have the necessary language skills at the start of your programme, you can learn the languages at the Faculty of Theology during your studies (except German—see above).

Contacts

Subject-specific academic advisory service — Vice-Dean and Dean of Student Affairs Prof. Dr Hannes Bezzel

Room 104

Fürstengraben 6

07743 Jena

Google Maps site plan

+49 3641 9-42715

+49 3641 9-42914

hannes.bezzel@uni-jena.de

Opening hours:

by arrangement

Subject-specific academic advisory service — Tommy Drexel

Room 108

Fürstengraben 6

07743 Jena

Google Maps site plan

+49 3641 9-42603

tommy.drexel@uni-jena.de

Examinations Office of the Faculty of Theology

Fürstengraben 6

07743 Jena

Google Maps site plan

+49 3641 9-42604

Central Student Advisory Service

University Main Building / SSZ

Fürstengraben 1

07743 Jena

Google Maps site plan

+49 3641 9-411111

zsb@uni-jena.de

More information

Opening hours:

The Central Student Advisory Service does not offer personal services at the moment.

Consultations can also take place via phone.

Please send us an email and we will call you back (German phone numbers only).

Student Service Centre

University Main Building, Room E065

Fürstengraben 1

07743 Jena

Google Maps site plan

+49 3641 9-411111

+49 3641 9-411112

studium@uni-jena.de

More information

Opening hours:

The service counter and the thoska Office in the Student Service Centre (SSZ) are closed until further notice.

We currently provide advice and handle your concern solely via phone, email and mail.

You can reach us by phone
Monday to Friday from 9:00 to 11:00

Postal address:

Friedrich-Schiller-Universität Jena
Studierenden-Service-Zentrum
07737 Jena

International Office - Stay abroad

University Main Building

Fürstengraben 1

07743 Jena

Google Maps site plan

outgoing@uni-jena.de