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Studies & Degrees in Canon Law

Canon law is the legal system of the Catholic Church. It regulates how the Church is organised and governed, the rights and duties of its members, the sacraments (marriage in particular), church property, penalties and the procedure followed in church courts. The Latin Church and the Eastern Catholic Churches each have their own code.

The subject is taught in faculties of canon law, which follow rules set by the Holy See. The apostolic constitution Veritatis gaudium states that such a faculty has the aim of cultivating and promoting the juridical disciplines in the light of the law of the Gospel, so as to form researchers, teachers and people trained to hold special posts in the Church. Students read the codes and their sources and study related subjects. The Institut Catholique de Paris (ICP), for example, lists theology of canon law, philosophy of law, Roman law, elements of civil law, the history of canonical institutions and administrative and judicial practice, together with Latin and Italian.

Qualifications and levels

Canon law degrees are ecclesiastical degrees with their own structure. Veritatis gaudium sets three cycles:

  • First cycle of four semesters (two years), for students with no previous training in philosophy or theology, including those who already hold a degree in civil law
  • Second cycle of six semesters (three years), in which canon law is studied in depth; it ends with the licentiate (Iuris Canonici Licentiatus, JCL)
  • Third cycle, devoted to research and a dissertation; it ends with the doctorate (Iuris Canonici Doctor, JCD)

Students who have already studied theology usually enter the second cycle directly. At ICP the Licence canonique en Droit canonique takes six semesters, and applicants must hold a canonical bachelor's degree in theology or training in philosophy and theology that a faculty commission judges equivalent. ICP states that the licentiate corresponds to master's level and gives a cost of between €3,100 and €5,020 for full-time study.

KU Leuven fits the licentiate into the European credit system. Its Master of Canon Law is a two-year programme of 120 ECTS credits, and success leads to the canonical degree of JCL for students who have first completed a course of study in theology. The same faculty offers a Master of Society, Law and Religion of 60 ECTS credits, which can be taken on its own or as a gateway to the Master of Canon Law and allows for distance learning.

In Spain, the Universidad Católica de Valencia “San Vicente Mártir” (UCV) has a Faculty of Canon Law, established by the Congregation for Catholic Education on 6 January 2012, that awards the licentiate and the doctorate. According to UCV, both are ecclesiastical academic degrees with recognised civil effects in Spain.

Where to study

SpainExchange lists 4 active schools for canon law: two in Spain, one in France and one in Belgium. They are UCV in Valencia, the Universidad Pontificia de Salamanca, ICP in Paris and KU Leuven.

The language of instruction differs by school. ICP teaches its licentiate in French. KU Leuven offers its Master of Canon Law in English and also in Dutch. The Spanish faculties teach in Spanish. Latin matters everywhere, because the codes and many sources are written in it: the Leuven programme includes the reading of Latin canonical texts, and the Paris programme includes Latin and Italian.

Students are not only priests. UCV addresses its faculty to priests, members of religious orders, law graduates, teachers and committed lay Catholics.

Careers

Most canon lawyers work for the Church. KU Leuven reports that its graduates have been appointed as judges, promotors of justice and advocates in ecclesiastical tribunals, and that others serve as chancellors, judicial vicars or experts in canon law in a diocesan curia or in Catholic organisations. Some find employment as teachers in secondary schools, seminaries or universities. ICP notes that the licentiate allows its holder, under certain conditions, to exercise certain functions in the Church. Lawyers trained in civil law add canon law mainly to act in church courts, where cases on the validity of marriages are heard.

Frequently asked questions

How long does it take to study canon law?

The licentiate takes three years (six semesters). Students without previous studies in philosophy or theology first complete a two-year cycle. The doctorate comes after the licentiate.

Do I need a degree in theology or law first?

Not necessarily. The first cycle exists for students without philosophical or theological training, including civil law graduates. Students who already have that training can apply for the licentiate directly, and each faculty decides on equivalences.

Can I study canon law in English?

Yes. KU Leuven teaches its Master of Canon Law and its Master of Society, Law and Religion in English. The programmes in Paris and in Spain are taught in French and Spanish.

Are canon law degrees recognised by the state?

They are degrees of the Church. Their civil value depends on the country: UCV states that in Spain the licentiate and the doctorate in canon law have recognised civil effects.