The Faculty of Theology at the University of Pretoria is nationally and internationally acknowledged for its high academic standards and scholarly integrity. This is evident in the Dean’s benchmarking initiative. At the annual Lekgotla of the Faculty in March 2013, an external facilitator was commissioned to guide the Faculty in determining its unique selling proposition XE "unique selling proposition"  (USP). The hitherto intellectual excellence as branding the Faculty was broken down into the following three claims:

• We connect worlds
• We teach life-giving theology, and
  
• Proven excellence is our guarantee.  

The Faculty has succeeded in developing certain niche areas in which it has at least national, but in certain cases also international recognition:

• Pentateuch Research (Old Testament)
• Psalm Research (Old Testament)
  
• Septuagint Research (New Testament)
  
• Historical Jesus Research (New Testament)
  
• Narrative Pastorate (Practical Theology)
  
• Poverty and Sustainable Households (Missiology)
  
• Missional Ecclesiology and Leadership (Missiology)
  
• Dialogue between Science and Theology (Systematic Theology).

The Faculty’s overarching research theme (FRT XE "FRT" ) is Ecodomy XE "Ecodomy"  – Life in its fullness. Various aspects of three clusters XE "clusters"  (sources – Old and New Testament Studies, beliefs – Dogmatics and Church History, and practices – Practical Theology and Missiology) are addressed in various publications and research activities.