St. Sophia Seminary is a unique community of faith and learning. Since the primary mission is to prepare qualified and approved candidates for the Holy Priesthood of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the U.S.A. and other Orthodox dioceses in this country and abroad, the only degree conferred upon seminarians is the Master of Divinity (M.Div.). This is the standard graduate professional degree for preparation for ordained ministry in the United States, although it also provides appropriate professional preparation for specialized lay ministries in the Orthodox Church and for advanced graduate study in theology and related disciplines.

Professional preparation for priestly, diaconal, and lay ministry in the Orthodox tradition entails a life of prayer, participation in the holy mysteries, and the cultivation of moral virtue, as well as rigorous academic study. The faculty of St. Sophia Seminary deem this spiritual formation of seminarians equal to their intellectual development. Students - whether they are prospective priests, deacons, or lay ministers, living in the seminary residence or off campus are expected to share in the daily liturgical life of the community, engage in a structured field education program, and consult regularly with a spiritual father either at the seminary or, with prior approval of the seminary rector, at a parish or monastery.