The Bachelor of Theology programme is a four year residential programme with two major components--course work and field education, which includes learning contracts.
Course Work
The courses offered in the programme are grouped in four categories--Biblical Studies, Theological Studies, General Studies and Ministry Studies. This provides an emphasis on biblical and theological studies while ensuring, through General Studies and Ministry Studies, and integration with the wider world of human experience that will be the context of the graduate’s anticipated ministry.
| i. |
General Studies: Courses that provide interaction between biblical and theological studies and issues that emerge from other disciplines. Issues dealt with in these courses are chosen for their special relevance to church and church related ministries. |
| ii. |
Biblical Studies: Courses dealing with the text of Scripture, covering:
A systematic knowledge of the content of Old and New Testaments;
The knowledge and skills needed for interpreting the text of Scripture;
Knowledge of and skill in using the original languages of Scripture. |
| iii. |
Theological Studies: Courses covering theological disciplines, including:
Systematic theology
Historical theology and church history
Theology in the African context
Apologetics and applied theology |
| iv. |
Ministry Studies: Courses dealing with the practice of church and church related ministries, covering:
Issues of Christian living
Evangelism and discipleship
Preaching and teaching
Counselling
Christian education in the church context
Christian missions |
Field Education and Learning Contracts
Field education provides students with structured learning through the practice of Christian ministries in the context of actual church situations. It includes:
| i. |
Weekly team ministries: During each University term, teams of students, under the guidance and supervision of a member of the academic staff, participate on a weekly basis in the ministry of a local church. Weekly team seminars provide opportunity for reflection on past experiences and planning for the next stage in the team ministries. |
| ii. |
Third year internship: For the whole of the third term of the third year students serve under and experienced pastor in a church off the University campus. During this time they receive intensive practical training in church ministries combined with regular instruction, guidance and counsel from a tutor appointed by the University. |
| iii. |
Annual evangelistic campaign: A team of students, under the guidance and supervision of a member of the academic staff, engages in approximately ten days of intensive evangelistic endeavour. Each student is expected to participate in two of these campaigns. |
Learning contracts provide a key tool for structuring and assessing learning in the field education component of the programme. They provide for individualized, self-directed learning within the framework of field education objectives.
As part of the field education learning programme, students are expected to keep a student journal recording the student’s critical reflections on the experience of practical ministries, identifying problems that are encountered and the strategies developed by the student to overcome these problems.
Vocational Concentrations
In addition to the common core of course work for all students, each student is expected to select one of three vocational concentrations that are designed to provide specialised training for specific types of ministry. Each concentration consists of five courses, consisting in each case of four required courses and one of three electives.
The three vocational concentrations offered are:
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Pastoral Studies, focusing on preparation for pastoral ministry; |
| ii. |
Missiology, focusing on preparation for a missionary ministry, with special attention to cross-cultural situations; |
| iii. |
Christian Education, focusing on preparation for educational ministries in the local church, Bible schools and theological colleges. |
Persons wishing to apply for admission to study in the Bachelor of Theology degree programme are expected to provide the University Admissions Officer with evidence that he or she meets the academic qualifications for admission, together with the specified application fee... See More