Language Courses & Exams
TST Language Program
- TST language courses (French and German) are for TST graduate students in Theological, Historical, Pastoral, Biblical Studies, or related disciplines, who require reading knowledge in a research language. Students learn the fundamentals of grammar and vocabulary required for translation and reading comprehension.
- All courses are conducted in English, and assume no previous language study. Courses are delivered synchronously online, however, students must attend the final class in person which will be at TST. (There are no exceptions to this requirement).
- Successful completion of theses courses with a grade of B- or higher fulfills TST German or French language requirements (students should confirm language requirements with their supervisor or College Graduate Degree Director before enrolling in the course). Courses are non-credit and not accessed on ACORN.
- Course offerings are subject to minimum enrolment.
Questions? Contact the GCTS Office by email, gcts.office@utoronto.ca or 416-978-6754.
Language Examinations
One way to meet a language requirement for a TST graduate program is to write and pass an examination administered by TST's Graduate Centre for Theological Studies (GCTS). See *NOTE further below for additional information about language requirements.
Language exams are available for French, German, Italian, Spanish, Greek, Hebrew, and Latin, and are offered two times per year, in September and January. An additional examination session may also be held in late April.
Sample exams are available as PDF downloads at the bottom of this page.
Exam Date: Tuesday, September 3, 2024
Where: All exams are held in-person at the TST offices, 47 Queen's Park Crescent East, Toronto, Ontario M5S 3C3 (map)
Languages: French, German, Greek, Latin, Spanish, and Hebrew. Other languages may be available upon request, with at least 3 week's notice prior to the exam date.
Exams in Hebrew and Greek competency and proficiency will draw upon a specific range of biblical text. For more information on this range, please see the TST Language Exams – Fall 2024 flyer.
Fee: Exams taken by registered TST students to fulfill program language requirements are not subject to a fee (first attempt only). The fee for all other exams, including all exams taken to fulfill admission requirements, is $42.75 per exam. See your payment method option here. For PayPal, scroll to "Payment Method: PayPal"
Registration and Examination Regulations: Registration is restricted to TST students. Registration information, and the examination regulations, may be found in the TST Language Exams - Fall 2024 flyer.
Registration Deadline: Wednesday, August 21, 2024 by 12:00 pm (ET).
Questions? Contact the Graduate Coordinator by email gcts.coord@utoronto.ca or 416-978-7826.
*NOTE: Greek, Hebrew and Latin requirements can also be met by passing TST Greek, Hebrew and Latin courses. See the Course Catalogue for course offerings. Please be aware that graduate degree students taking introductory language courses in order to fulfill program language requirements must request that the GCTS Administrator or their college registrar change their course registration from credit (CR) to extra (EXT), as such courses are not to be used towards calculating a student’s grade-point average (GPA). Language course grades, nevertheless, will still appear on transcripts. Some exceptions may apply for students in Biblical studies areas, who may take advanced language courses for credit. For all such matters and questions, contact the Graduate Coordinator by email, gcts.coord@utoronto.ca or 416-978-7826.