Admission Rules and Procedures

Subject Requirements

Assessment: Student Progress

Course Prescriptions 2011

DIPLOMA OF THEOLOGY

Statement of Purpose

In conjunction with and for the satisfactory execution of the College’s Mission Statement, the Diploma of Theology is an academic programme with a practical orientation (i), to provide quality education in the main disciplines of theological training (biblical studies, systematic theology, church history, practical theology and fieldwork) and (ii), to train and to equip students with the competence and skills to become effective ministers of the Church in Samoa and abroad.

Objectives

On successful completion of the programme, the candidate will

(i)         have developed a reasoned understanding of the Scriptures,

(ii)        have gained the skills to read and translate the Hebrew and Greek texts of the Bible,

(iii)       be able to apply the Scriptures to a range of issues in the ministry of the church,

(iv)       be able to understand and communicate certain basic doctrines of the Christian faith, and    be able to respond adequately to problematic issues in ministry,

(v)        have gained a critical understanding of the history of the church,

(vi)       have an appreciation of the various influences that are at work in theological thinking and in Christian worship and spirituality.

BACHELOR OF THEOLOGY

Statement of Purpose

Further to the two-fold purpose of the Diploma of Theology programme, the Bachelor of Theology provides advanced theological education that attains to the level of a first degree (i.e., Bachelor’s) comparable to any conferred by Tertiary Institutions recognized by the College. The Bachelor of Theology programme runs concurrently with the Diploma programme and thus also provides an invaluable opportunity for the more gifted undergraduate students to obtain a Bachelor’s degree at the end of the normal 4 years of full time study at the College.

Objectives

On successful completion of the Bachelor of Theology programme, the student will have gained a more advanced understanding of the main disciplines of theological training undertaken at the College, for example,

(i)         better skilled at biblical exegesis with the use of the Hebrew and Greek languages, giving in depth understanding of the nuances of biblical language,

(ii)        wider knowledge of the application of Scriptural/theological truths to issues arising in the church and the world at large,

 (iii)      better skilled at analysing theological concepts and formulating relevant ways of dealing with various theological problems,

(iv)       broader understanding of the pastoral role of the church in history,

(v)        ability to effectively carry out a plan of action in terms of researching, data processing, presentation of findings and giving well constructed opinions on a given topic.

BACHELOR OF DIVINITY

Statement of Purpose

Further to the main purpose of training and equipping ministers for the Church in Samoa and abroad, the Bachelor of Divinity programme offers post-graduate theological training for current and future ministers. The programme is geared to further broaden the students’ horizons and be able to pursue a particular area of theological interest which can be a stepping stone towards a Masters degree or Doctorate.

Objectives

Students graduating with a Bachelor of Divinity are expected to have gained the ability to work independently and critically, and be able to evaluate and formulate well balanced opinions on issues at hand. They will be able to read and translate from the original languages of Scripture and will also be adequately trained in the various methods of interpretation in theological studies. BD graduates will have been appropriately equipped not only for further studies at higher levels but also for the various ministries within the church.

Note

While each of the disciplines of theological education (Biblical Studies, Theology, Church History & Practical Theology) is uniquely important in the implementation of the purposes and objectives of the programmes at the College, the overall curriculum is deliberately weighted at the area of Biblical Studies. This preponderance is based on the rationale that the study of the Bible is foundational in all aspects of the Malua Theological College curriculum.