Study Guide

<p style="text-align:justify;"><span style="color:#151B1E;">Prospective candidates for the course of study leading to the Master’s Degree may be: </span></p><p style="text-align:justify;"><span style="color:#151B1E;">1. Graduates of the 1st Cycle studies from Greek Universities </span></p><p style="text-align:justify;"><span style="color:#151B1E;">2. Graduates of the 1st Cycle studies from foreign Universities. The J.P.S.P. (Joint Postgraduate Studies Programme) admits graduates of foreign Universities and Institutions which are recognized by the J.P.S.P. (Greek Legislation no 5029/2023, Gazette Α΄ 55, art 36, 2). </span></p><p style="text-align:justify;"><span style="color:#151B1E;">3. Graduates of Ecclesiastical Academies and Productive Armed Forces Schools, Hellenic Police and Law Enforcers. </span></p><p style="text-align:justify;"><span style="color:#151B1E;">4. Members of the categories of Laboratory Teaching Staff and Technical Laboratory Staff can register as supernumeraries and only one per year from the Schools that organize the Programme on the condition there is an existing connection with the work they perform at the relevant institution.</span></p>

<p style="text-align:justify;"><span style="color:#151B1E;">In order to obtain the MasterDegree, the student must attend and be successfully examined during the first two semesters (60 ECTS) and write a Master’s thesis during the third semester (30 ECTS), the topic of which is defined at the beginning of the third semester and it is graded by a three-member examination committee. </span></p><p style="text-align:justify;"><span style="color:#151B1E;">The object of the Joint Postgraduate Studies Programme "Religious and Pilgrimage Tourism" is the study and research of the various religious and pilgrimage data of the main Greek area, but also more broadly of the Balkans and Asia Minor, as well as the area of ??the Holy Lands, which data include the testimonies of sources and traditions about the various pilgrimages, as well as the ways of projecting and highlighting them. </span></p><p style="text-align:justify;"><span style="color:#151B1E;">The purpose of the Programme is the cultivation and promotion of scientific knowledge and research in the fields related on the one hand to the theoretical background of religious and pilgrimage tourism, and on the other hand to the provision and development of skills for those interested in working in the field of religious and pilgrimage tourism or to work professionally in it in the public or private sector.</span></p><p style="text-align:justify;"><span style="color:#151B1E;">The learning outcomes and qualifications of those who successfully attended the J.P.S.P. are the following:</span></p><p style="text-align:justify;"><span style="color:#151B1E;">1) obtaining a high-level Masterdegree in the subject and developing critical and research skills required for doctoral-level studies</span></p><p style="text-align:justify;"><span style="color:#151B1E;">2) training and provision of specialized knowledge in matters of religious and pilgrimage tourism</span></p><p style="text-align:justify;"><span style="color:#151B1E;">3) development of capacities for interdisciplinary treatment of complex practical issues related to the subjects in question</span></p><p style="text-align:justify;"><span style="color:#151B1E;">4) possibility of an academic research approach to the subject with the convergence of various scientific resources from related sciences</span></p><p style="text-align:justify;"><span style="color:#151B1E;">5) acquisition of skills for the organization and general management of the touristic value of religious and pilgrimage tourism data</span></p><p style="text-align:justify;"><span style="color:#151B1E;">6) ability to produce new knowledge and scientific work, which will enrich knowledge in the subject, deepen the phenomenon of religious and pilgrimage tourism, and contribute to the interpretation and understanding of its various aspects</span></p><p style="text-align:justify;"><span style="color:#151B1E;">7) training of theologians, historians, philologists, educators in general, Church officials, tourism professionals, and state and social bodies with a relevant subject so that they can offer high-quality professional work and become competent executives in organizations related to the fields of the Programme. </span></p><p style="text-align:justify;"><span style="color:#151B1E;">More specific purpose of the Joint Postgraduate Studies Programme it is the pastoral training of those interested and the deepening and promotion of specialized theological studies, which serve church relations and the connection of the science of Theology with society. </span></p><p style="text-align:justify;"><span style="color:#151B1E;">Guiding principles of the Programme are, on the one hand, to ensure postgraduate students’ solid scientific foundations, modern interdisciplinary knowledge, and appropriate research methods and principles, which will make them capable of continuous training and improvement of their research spirit, and on the other hand, the cultivation in them of the critical and creative skills required for the progress of their scientific, professional and research activity and for the satisfaction of the educational, research, social, cultural and development needs of the country</span>.</p><p style="text-align:justify;"> </p>

<p style="text-align:justify;"><span style="color:#151B1E;">The MasterDegree confers a significant number of credits and corresponding salary benefits to public or private sector employees.</span></p>

<p style="text-align:justify;"><span style="color:#151B1E;">Obtaining a MasterProgram is a prerequisite for students to gain access to third-level doctoral studies and to obtain a Ph.D. degree in Greece and at international universities.</span></p>

<p style="text-align:justify;"><span style="color:#151B1E;">A scale of 1 to 10 applies to the assessment and grading system of second level postgraduate students (Ministerial Decision 1231/Β1/425, Gazette 1099/2000/Β, art. 60), Excellent: 8,50–10,00, Good: 6,50–8,49, Very Good: 6,00–6,49.) The minimum passing grade is 6.</span></p>

<p style="text-align:justify;"><span style="color:#151B1E;">3 semesters, 90 ECTS to successfully complete the programme and receive the Master΄s Degree (1 ECTS=25 hours of study). A full semester is equivalent to 30 ECTS (Greek Legislation, no 3374/2005; art. 14). The student should attend and be successfully examined in 10 semester courses accumulating a total of 60 ECTS. In the first semester, four compulsory courses and one compulsory choice course are taught which are equivalent to 30 ECTS. In the second semester, four compulsory and one compulsory choice course are taught which are equivalent to 30 ECTS.   The third semester is the period when the students write their Master’s thesis which is equivalent to 30 ECTS.</span></p>

<p style="text-align:justify;"><span style="color:#151B1E;">The J.P.S.P. organizes its educational process following synchronous distance education methods. In particular, it adopts the fully synchronous distance education, in accordance with the provisions of Joint Ministerial Decision no. 18137/Z1 (Government Gazette vol. B, 1079/28-02-2023).</span></p><p style="text-align:justify;"><span style="color:#151B1E;">Attending the lessons and exercises is mandatory. Exceptions are only allowed for severe justified reasons.</span></p><p style="text-align:justify;"><span style="color:#151B1E;">The educational process includes courses, seminars and, research work, practical exercises, and various educational and research activities such as field visits and assignments. For the awarding of the MasterDegree, participation in all educational and research activities, the successful examination of core and elective courses, and the preparation of a Masterthesis are required. Specifically, in addition to attending MasterProgramme courses, Masterstudents must participate in parallel educational and research activities organized by the Programme, such as special seminars, workshops, and conferences, as well as other activities, which may consist of fast-paced educational programmes of a general or specialized nature, executive training of a specific duration, participation or editing in various publications or research programmes related to the provision of services to organizations, etc. Also, postgraduate students must present the assigned assignments and submit them to the Secretariat, with their Master’s thesis to be evaluated, a responsible declaration that there is no evidence of plagiarism.</span></p>