FAQ

What is an online University?

Online universities utilize technology in order to provide education remotely to a geographically-vast student body. Holy Sophia provides this education all over the world, focusing on convenience and academic rigor. The convenience of such an education is multi-faceted: 1) Each intensive course is only 8-weeks long. 2) Some courses require live (synchronous) lectures; others require listening to recorded (asynchronous) lectures; still others do not require lectures, being led instead by an expert faculty member who guides each student personally through the course materials and writing assignments. This allows the student to focus on the crux of her or his education, which is reading, reflecting, writing, and adjusting one’s thoughts in response to the instructor’s frequent and direct feedback. 3) Each student can work anytime throughout the week to complete the respective assignments. 4) Multiple courses can be undertaken in those 8 weeks. All of our courses work through an online, user-friendly portal with easy, clear, and organized communication between faculty and students, and even between students themselves. This online university is guaranteed to suit your busy lifestyle no matter the situation!

 

What is the educational philosophy behind this University?

One of the dilemmas facing contemporary education and pedagogy is that students, even at the graduate level, ask, “What is the minimum amount of work I must do to get a good grade or to earn my degree?” At Holy Sophia, we believe that students should not attend lecture passively, but that the work begins with the student’s engagement. Reading, reflecting, writing, and modifying one’s thoughts in response to the instructor’s feedback is critical to the educational journey. As such, we guide our students closely along each step of this journey, aiming to yield work that is worthy of publication by the highest standards of western academia.

 

By when do I have to register for a course?

For any course, you must register at least two weeks prior to the course start date. Any exceptions must be approved by the Academic Director.

 

How many courses can I take at once?

You are allowed to take up to three courses in any given 8-week period, but this is considered a full-time load. As such, it is not recommended if you have other responsibilities. The recommended course load per 8-week module is 1-2 courses to ensure full attention to the readings, assignments, and faculty member’s feedback.

 

Will I need to be available a specific time each week?

Some courses require live lectures (synchronous), which can potentially be watched in a recorded format after permission from the faculty member. Other courses offer recorded lectures (asynchronous). Still, other courses follow the model mentioned above in which the student engages in high-ordered, rigorous reading, writing, and frequent evaluation by the professor. This latter model, again as mentioned above, ensures the production of critical thinking, reasoning, and reevaluation by the student—a process fundamental to a high standard of academic excellence.

 

What is the status of accreditation?

As of Sep 11, 2023 and according to the State of Connecticut, Holy Sophia University has been accepted and registered in the State of Connecticut as the following:

Name of Corporation: Holy Sophia University, Inc.

Business ALEI: US-CT.BER:2851617

NAICS Information: Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (611310)

Nature of Activities to be Conducted or Purposes to be Promoted by the Corporation:

To own and operate Holy Sophia University which trains Coptic Orthodox Christian clergy and laity as well as other religious courses of study. This school has as its mission the dissemination of the rich tradition of Coptic Orthodox Christianity, including its history, Patristic heritage, ecclesiology, worship, dogma, and ethos, all of which are inextricably linked.

Required Non-Profit Statement: The Corporation is non-profit and shall not have or issue shares of stock or make distributions.

Other Provisions: Click Here to See Documents