Our School | Holy Sophia University

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President: His Holiness Pope Tawadros II
Vice President: His Grace Bishop David, Bishop of the Diocese of New York and New England
Dean: Dr. Fr. Abraham Azmy, the founder of Holy Sophia University, who received his Ph.D. in Christian Education and is the hegumen of Virgin Mary and Archangel Michael Coptic Orthodox Church in Hamden, CT.

Amid the remarkable educational renaissance led by His Holiness Pope Tawadros II, Dr. Fr. Abraham Azmy founded Holy Sophia University on July 1, 2019. The university commenced its first academic courses with the Fall Module on September 2, 2019.

Holy Sophia University is dedicated to preserving and disseminating the rich tradition of Coptic Orthodox Christianity—its history, Patristic heritage, ecclesiology, worship, and theology, & dogma—all of which are profoundly interconnected. The university is committed to proclaiming the truth of God, revealed to humanity and handed down through apostolic succession under the guidance of the Holy Spirit.

Holy Sophia faithfully adheres to the direction and vision of the Coptic Orthodox Holy Synod, headed by His Holiness Pope Tawadros II.

University Slogan:
Where the wisdom of the early Church illuminates modern life.

Our Name:

The name Holy Sophia, which means Holy Wisdom, is a title of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Divine Wisdom, which was personified in the Old Testament. Our Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God, Incarnate Logos, and Second Person of the Holy Trinity, is the Wisdom of God, as St. Paul describes in his first epistle to the Corinthians chapters 1 and 2. He is the Wisdom from whom we receive the wisdom that is from above that our father James explains in his epistle—wisdom that is pure, peaceable, gentle, willing to yield, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality and without hypocrisy. This Coptic Orthodox School of Theology has as its mission the enlightenment and growth in wisdom of all its students and faculty through our Lord Jesus Christ Himself, the Holy Sophia of God the Father, through the Holy Spirit of Truth.

Mission Statement:

Holy Sophia University is committed to spreading the teachings of the Coptic Orthodox Church in accordance with the faith received from the Fathers of the Early Church. The university seeks to provide its students with a transformative and accessible education rooted in the ancient wisdom of our Patristic heritage. Through the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ—the Holy Sophia—the university aims to embody the life of Coptic Orthodoxy in a way that engages and dialogues with the complexities of contemporary culture.

The Coptic Orthodox Church in Her dynamic life in the Holy Spirit is a living Church that, while historic and traditional, is alive, flourishing, and ecumenically driven. Holy Sophia is a direct expression of this ecumenicity through programs of rigorous academic study and Spirit-filled education. Unity with God and love of God and neighbor are the fundamental guiding principles of all that we do at Holy Sophia, and it is with this guiding telos that is at the center of Holy Scripture that we invite you to join our mission for the glory of God and the salvation of the world.

Educational System:

Holy Sophia University adopts a widely recognized American model of online higher education. Each course is delivered over an eight-week period, referred to as a module. There are six modules offered per year:

Fall 1 & 3
Spring 1 & 3
Summer 1 & 3

Each module runs weekly from Monday to Sunday. Weekly learning includes designated readings, academic and reflective writing assignments, and participation in online discussions. All interaction between students and professors occurs on the university’s digital Blackboard platform. Weekly assignments may be submitted at any time during the week, offering students flexible access to education regardless of geographic location or time constraints.

Holy Sophia’s structure is particularly well-suited to the needs of busy learners and is available in both English and Arabic.

Programs and Offerings:

Students can choose from a wide array of offerings, including:

144 online courses
Master’s programs in Arabic
Master’s programs in English
Ph.D. programs in Arabic
Ph.D. program in English
Master’s program in German
Several certificate programs
Since its founding in 2019, Holy Sophia University has educated thousands of students. From an initial enrollment of 34 students in its first module, the university now serves hundreds of students in many languages.

Global Reach:

As an online university, Holy Sophia welcomes students from across the globe, including:

United States, Egypt, and Canada (majority)
England, Ireland, Germany, Spain, Netherlands, Italy, Belgium, Switzerland, and Russia
Australia, Fiji, Kenya, Ethiopia, and Eritrea
United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Gulf countries, Iraq, Lebanon, and Syria
Coptic Orthodox servants in China, Sri Lanka, the Philippines, Hong Kong, and Indonesia

Colleges of Holy Sophia University (in order of establishment):

Coptic Orthodox College of Theology (English)
Offers graduate degrees and courses in Theology, Apologetics, Biblical Studies, Church History, and Patristics.
College of Christian Education (English)
Specializes in Sunday School education, using contemporary research and educational methods. Offers a Master's in Christian Education.
College of Christian Counseling (Arabic)
Offers a Master’s degree in Counseling Sciences. Students complete a required period of practical training.
College of Theology & College of Biblical Studies (Arabic)
Offers Master’s and Ph.D. degrees in Theology, Church History, Patristics, Liturgical Studies, Pastoral Care, Apologetics, and Biblical Studies.
College of Orthodox Theology (German)
Offers a Master of Arts in Theology in the German language.

Additional Academic Services:

Survey Research Center
Conducts regular academic and field-based surveys. The results are available for scholarly research.
Holy Sophia Press
Publishes books, academic works, and theological studies.
Digital Publishing Partnership with “Abjjad”
A collaboration to digitally publish and distribute Arabic Coptic Orthodox literature.