Succeeds in getting a first in theology -- it's an original (7)
I believe the answer is:
attains
'succeeds' is the definition.
(attaining is a kind of succeeding)
'getting a first in theology it's an original' is the wordplay.
'getting' is a charade indicator (letters next to each other).
'first in' says to take the initial letters.
'original' indicates an anagram.
The initial letter of 'theology' is 't'.
'a'+'t'+'its'='atits'
'atits' after 'an' is 'anatits'.
'anatits' anagrammed gives 'ATTAINS'.
'in' is the link.
(Other definitions for attains that I've seen before include "Achieves" , "Reaches, accomplishes" , "Reaches, succeeds in getting" , "effects" , "Succeeds in accomplishing" .)