Bachelor Degrees

SECTION SIX : Bachelor Degree Programs & Specific Regulations

  • Bachelor of Ministry (BMin)
  • Bachelor of Theology (BTh)
  • Bachelor of Ministry Honours (BMinHons)
  • Bachelor of Theology Honours (BThHons)

BMin Award Summary

Bachelor of Ministry (BMin)
CRICOS : 082719D

AQF Level 7 Bachelor
Entry Requirements

 

 – An Australian Tertiary Admission Rank (ATAR) of 65, or its equivalent (eg. OP ≤ 16); or
– Mature Age and Special Entry Admissions for those who have reached the age of 21; or
– articulation from other Sydney College of Divinity programs.
Duration 3 years full-time or 9 years part-time.
Mode Full-time, part-time.
International students on an Australian student visa are required to study full-time.
Structure 216 credit points (24 units).
English Proficiency

 

 Applicants whose entry qualifications were obtained in an institution where English is not the language of instruction normally require a minimum IELTS (or equivalent) score of 6.5 with no score less than 6.0 in all bands of the test.  A student can be admitted provisionally into the BMin when they have an IELTS result of 6.0 with no score less than 6.0 in all bands of the test.

Enrolment

Contact the Registrar of the college with whom you intend to study for enrolment and fee details.

Bachelor of Ministry (BMin) is offered at:

Graduate Profile and Rationale

The Bachelor of Ministry course is a primary undergraduate award which provides a broad and coherent study of Christian Life and Ministry and related studies in Biblical Studies and Theology. This degree prepares candidates for professional and lay Christian ministry and for further learning beyond the degree.

The course is organised through a structure of majors and sub-majors (See Academic Regulations section 2.1).  Not all majors and sub-majors are available at all Teaching Bodies. However, students may be able to complete a desired major or sub-major by completing units offered at another Teaching Body.

Outcomes

Knowledge

Graduates will have:

    • a broad and coherent body of knowledge with depth in the underlying principles and concepts in Christian Life and Ministry;
    • broad knowledge in Theology, Biblical Studies, and other theological areas of practice that will form the basis for independent lifelong learning.

Skills

Graduates will have cognitive, communication, and technical skills in a theology-related body of knowledge, so that they are able to:

    • review, reflect on, and synthesize theological information and identify and provide solutions to complex problems;
    • think critically and to generate and evaluate complex ideas;
    • demonstrate an understanding of theoretical concepts in theology;
    • communicate theologically-related knowledge, skills and ideas clearly and coherently.

Applications of Knowledge and Skills

Graduates will have the ability to:

    • demonstrate a broad understanding of knowledge by applying it creatively in ministry;
    • make high level, independent judgments in a range of ministry settings;
    • initiate, plan, and implement activities and projects within a range of ministry settings.

Exit Points

Students enrolled in the Bachelor of Ministry may exit with a Diploma of Christian Studies or Associate Degree of Christian Thought and Practice provided they have met the requirements of the award.

ACADEMIC REGULATIONS for the Bachelor of Ministry

1 Admission to Candidature
1.1 An applicant for admission to candidature for the Bachelor of Ministry will:
1.1.1 have an Australian Tertiary Admission Rank (ATAR) of 65, or its equivalent (eg. OP ≤ 16), with English proficiency; or
1.1.2 have reached the age of 21 and so satisfy the requirements for Mature Age Entry; or
1.1.3 have adequate grounds for Special Entry; or
1.1.3 seek to articulate from other Sydney College of Divinity programs.
1.2 A candidate for a Bachelor of Ministry will be designated as full-time or part-time. A student is designated as full-time if enrolled in 27 credit points or more in a semester, or part-time if enrolled in fewer than 27 credit points per semester.
1.3 No candidate for the BMin may be concurrently enrolled in any other undergraduate or postgraduate course within the Sydney College of Divinity or any other tertiary institution unless the candidate is enrolled in an approved joint degree program, or approval has been granted by the Academic Board.
1.4 Applicants whose entry qualifications were obtained in an institution where English is not the language of instruction may be admitted to the Bachelor of Ministry, providing they have achieved competency in English by
1.4.1 achieving an IELTS (or equivalent) result of 6.5 with no score below 6.0 in all bands of the test; or
1.4.2 achieving an IELTS result of 6.0 with no score below 6.0 in all bands of the test, providing they pass all course units in the first two semesters of the course.
1.5 Application for admission to the Bachelor of Ministry is made to the Registrar of the appropriate Teaching Body offering the program.
2 Course Structure
2.1 The disciplines, sub-disciplines, majors, and sub-majors are:

Discipline Sub-disciplines Majors / Sub-majors
Biblical Studies Biblical Studies
Theology Systematic Theology
Christian Ethics
Worship & Liturgy		 Theology (discipline)
Systematic Theology
Christian Ethics
Worship & Liturgy
Humanities in the Christian Tradition Church History
Philosophy 		 Humanities in the Christian Tradition (Discipline) (major /sub-major not to include A units)
Church History
Philosophy
Christian Life & Ministry Christian Spirituality
Mission
Pastoral Counselling
Pastoral Theology		 Christian Life & Ministry (Discipline)
Christian Spirituality
Mission
Pastoral Counselling
Pastoral Theology
2.2 The Bachelor of Ministry requires the completion of 216 credit points which will include:
2.2.1 one major and sub-major in Christian Life & Ministry, or one of the following sub-disciplines: Christian Ethics, Christian Spirituality, Pastoral Counselling, Mission, Pastoral Theology, Worship & Liturgy;
2.2.2 sub-majors in both Biblical Studies and Systematic Theology.
2.3 All course units will be taken from the Sydney College of Divinity Schedule of Units of Study.
2.4 Majors and sub-majors are available in:
2.4.1 Biblical Studies;
2.4.2 Christian Spirituality, Mission, Pastoral Counselling, Pastoral Theology, Christian Life & Ministry [Discipline];
2.4.3 Church History, Philosophy, Humanities in the Christian Tradition [Discipline];
2.4.4 Systematic Theology; Christian Ethics; Worship & Liturgy, Theology [Discipline].
2.5 A major in a sub-discipline requires 54 credit points from the sub-discipline, with not more than 18 credit points from 7100 series units. Under certain provisions (see 2.9), up to 36 credit points from 8100 and 9200 series units may be included.
2.5.1 If a student wishes to undertake a major in Biblical Studies, then 54 credit points in Biblical Studies plus 9 credit points in A7112 Introduction to Biblical Hebrew, A7122 Introduction to New Testament Greek, or A7111 Introduction to Biblical Languages must be taken before or concurrently with any post-7100 series Biblical Studies units.
2.6 A major in a discipline requires 54 credit points from the discipline, with at least 27 credit points in one subdiscipline, with not more than 18 credit points from 7100 series units. Under certain provisions (see 2.9), up to 36 credit points from 8100 and 9200 series units may be included.
2.7 A sub-major requires 36 credit points from units assigned to the major, including no more than 18 credit points from 7100 series units. Under certain provisions (see 2.9), up to 36 credit points from 8100 and 9200 series units may be included.
2.8 Units coded “A” are not counted towards a major/sub-major in any discipline or subdiscipline.
2.9 Candidates who have completed 108 credit points towards the Bachelor of Ministry may select up to 36 credit points from the Schedule of 8100 and 9200 series units. Within these units, a candidate can only select up to 18 credit points of 9200 series units, provided they have already completed at least a sub-major in that sub-discipline with a Grade Point Average of at least 2.0.
3 Period of Candidature
3.1 The period of candidature for the Degree will normally be 3 years full-time and up to 9 years part-time.
3.2 In certain circumstances, the Student Support and Support and Administration Committee may grant extensions.
4 Leave of Absence
4.1 The Student Support and Administration Committee may grant leave of absence from the Bachelor of Ministry. The period of leave will not be counted as part of the period of candidature for the award.
4.2 The period of leave will normally be one semester, after which a candidate may apply for a further period of one semester, or will be required to complete candidature.
5 Assessment
5.1 The assessment of subject units will be in the manner approved by the Academic Board, in line with the College’s established guidelines for assessment packages at the undergraduate level.
5.2 Academic Board may require students to present themselves for oral examination.
5.3 Academic and non-academic misconduct will be penalised in accordance with the regulations of the Sydney College of Divinity, whose stipulations are severe.
6 Credit
6.1 A candidate may seek credit up to a maximum of 144 credit points in the Bachelor of Ministry.
6.2 Credit will be granted for units that are from an equivalent award or institution and have outcomes, content, demand hours, and assessment equivalent to that of units in the Bachelor of Ministry.
7 Saving Clause
7.1 Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained herein, the Academic Board of the Sydney College of Divinity may, in any case in which it may deem it appropriate to do so, vary, dispense with or suspend any requirement or prescription by these regulations, and report forthwith to the Council of the Sydney College of Divinity.

BTh Award Summary

Bachelor of Theology (BTh)
CRICOS : 063703C

AQF Level 7 Bachelor
Entry Requirements – An Australian Tertiary Admission Rank (ATAR) of 65, or its equivalent (eg. OP ≤ 16); or
– Mature Age and Special Entry Admissions for those who have reached the age of 21; or
– articulation from other Sydney College of Divinity programs.
Duration 3 years full-time or 9 years part-time.
Mode Full-time, part-time.
International students on an Australian student visa are required to study full-time.
Structure 216 credit points (24 units).
English Proficiency Applicants whose entry qualifications were obtained in an institution where English is not the language of instruction normally require a minimum IELTS (or equivalent) score of 6.5 with no score less than 6.0 in all bands of the test.  A student can be admitted provisionally into the BTh when they have an IELTS result of 6.0 with no score less than 6.0 in all bands of the test.

Enrolment

Contact the Registrar of the college with whom you intend to study for enrolment and fee details.

Bachelor of Theology (BTh) is offered at:

Graduate Profile and Rationale

The Bachelor of Theology course is a primary undergraduate award that provides a broad and coherent study of theology and related disciplines. This degree prepares candidates for professional and lay Christian ministry and for further learning beyond the degree.

The course is organised through a structure of majors and sub-majors (see Academic Regulations section 2.1).  Not all majors and sub-majors are available at all Teaching Bodies. However, students may be able to complete a desired major or sub-major by completing units offered at another Teaching Body.

Outcomes

Knowledge

Graduates will have a broad and coherent body of knowledge in Theology, Biblical Studies, and one other discipline or area of practice, that will form the basis for independent lifelong learning.

Skills

Graduates will have cognitive, communication, and technical skills in a theology-related body of knowledge, so that they are able to:

    • review, reflect on, and synthesize theological information and identify and provide solutions to complex problems;
    • think critically and generate and evaluate complex ideas;
    • demonstrate an understanding of theoretical theological concepts;
    • communicate theologically-related knowledge, skills and ideas clearly and coherently.

Applications of Knowledge and Skills

Graduates will have the ability to:

    • demonstrate a broad understanding of knowledge by applying it creatively in Christian living and ministry;
    • make high level, independent judgments in a range of ministry settings;
    • initiate, plan, and implement activities and projects within a range of ministry settings.

Exit Points

Students enrolled in the Bachelor of Theology may exit with a Diploma of Christian Studies or Associate Degree of Christian Thought and Practice, provided they have met the requirements of the award.

ACADEMIC REGULATIONS for the Bachelor of Theology

1 Admission to Candidature
1.1 An applicant for admission to candidature for a degree of Bachelor of Theology shall
1.1.1 have an Australian Tertiary Admission Rank (ATAR) of 65, or its equivalent (eg. OP ≤ 16) with English proficiency; or
1.1.2 have reached the age of 21 and so satisfy the requirements for Mature Age Entry; or
1.1.3 have adequate grounds for Special Entry; or
1.1.4 seek to articulate from other Sydney College of Divinity programs.
1.2 A candidate for a Bachelor of Theology will be designated as full-time or part-time. A student is designated as full-time if enrolled in 27 credit points or more in a semester, or part-time if enrolled in fewer than 27 credit points per semester.
1.3 No candidate for the Bachelor of Theology may be concurrently enrolled in any other undergraduate or postgraduate course within the Sydney College of Divinity, or any other tertiary institution unless the candidate is enrolled in an approved joint degree program, or approval has been granted by the Academic Board.
1.4 Applicants whose entry qualifications were obtained in an institution where English is not the language of instruction normally will be required to demonstrate competency in English by
1.4.1 achieving an IELTS (or equivalent) result of 6.5 with no score below 6.0 in all bands of the test, or
1.4.2 achieving an IELTS result of 6.0 with no score below 6.0 in all bands of the test providing they pass all course units in the first two semesters of the course.
1.5 Application for admission to the Bachelor of Theology is made to the Registrar of the appropriate Teaching Body offering the program.
2 Course Structure
2.1 The discipline, sub-discipline, majors, and sub-majors are:

Discipline Sub-disciplines Majors / Sub-majors
Biblical Studies Biblical Studies
Theology Systematic Theology
Christian Ethics
Worship & Liturgy		 Theology (discipline)
Systematic Theology
Christian Ethics
Worship & Liturgy
Humanities in the Christian Tradition Church History
Philosophy 		 Humanities in the Christian Tradition (Discipline) (major /sub-major not to include A units)
Church History
Philosophy
Christian Life & Ministry Christian Spirituality
Mission
Pastoral Counselling
Pastoral Theology		 Christian Life & Ministry (Discipline)
Christian Spirituality
Mission
Pastoral Counselling
Pastoral Theology
2.2 The Bachelor of Theology requires the completion of 216 credit points which will include:
2.2.1 Three sub-major sequences:
2.2.1.1   Biblical Studies
2.2.1.2   Systematic Theology
2.2.1.3  Humanities in the Christian Tradition (or its subdisciplines) or Christian Life and Ministry (or its subdisciplines), or the sub-disciplines of Christian Ethics (E) or Worship and Liturgy (L)
2.2.2 Two of these sub-majors shall be extended to a major
2.2.3 At least 9 credit points in Church History
2.3 All course units will be taken from the Sydney College of Divinity Schedule of Units of Study.
2.4 Majors and sub-majors are available in:
2.4.1 Biblical Studies
2.4.1.1  Biblical Studies (The BTh Biblical Studies major requires 54 credit points plus 9 credit points in A7112 Introduction to Biblical Hebrew, A7122 Introduction to New Testament Greek, or A7111 Introduction to Biblical Languages taken before or concurrently with any post-7100 series Biblical Studies units.)
2.4.2 Humanities in the Christian Tradition
2.4.2.1   Humanities in the Christian Tradition, Church History, and Philosophy.
2.4.3 Christian Life & Ministry
2.4.3.1  Christian Life & Ministry, Christian Spirituality, Pastoral Counselling, Mission, and Pastoral Theology.
2.4.4 Theology
2.4.4.1  Theology, Systematic Theology, Christian Ethics, and Worship & Liturgy.
2.5 A major in a subdiscipline requires 54 credit points from the subdiscipline, with not more than 18 credit points from 7100 series units. Under certain provisions (see 2.9), up to 36 credit points from 8100 and 9200 series units may be included.
2.6 A major in a discipline requires 54 credit points from the discipline, with at least 27 credit points in one subdiscipline, with not more than 18 credit points from 7100 series units. Under certain provisions (see 2.9), up to 36 credit points from 8100 and 9200 series units may be included.
2.7 A sub-major requires 36 credit points from units assigned to the major including no more than 18 credit points from 7100 series units and with at least one 7200 series unit.
2.8 Units coded “A” are not counted towards a Major/sub-major in any discipline or subdiscipline.
2.9 Candidates who have completed 108 credit points towards the Bachelor of Theology may select up to 36 credit points from the Schedule of 8100 and 9200 series units. Within these units, a candidate can only select up to 18 credit points of 9200 series units, provided they have already completed at least a sub-major in that sub-discipline with a Grade Point Average of at least 2.0.
3 Period of Candidature
3.1 The period of candidature for the degree shall normally be 3 years full-time and up to 9 years part-time.
3.2 In certain circumstances, the Student Support and Administration Committee may grant extensions.
4 Leave of Absence
4.1 The Student Support and Administration Committee may grant leave of absence from the Bachelor of Theology. The period of leave will not be counted as part of the period of candidature for the award.
4.2 The period of leave shall normally be one semester after which a candidate may apply for a further period of one semester or be required to complete candidature.
5  Assessment
5.1 The assessment of subject units will be in the manner approved by the Academic Board, in line with the College’s established guidelines for assessment packages at the undergraduate level.
5.2 Academic Board may require students to present themselves for oral examination.
5.3 Academic and non-academic misconduct will be penalised strictly in accordance with the regulations of the Sydney College of Divinity.
6 Credit
6.1 A candidate may seek credit up to a maximum of 144 credit points in the Bachelor of Theology.
6.2 Credit will be granted for units that are from an equivalent award or institution and have outcomes, content, demand hours, and assessment equivalent to that of units in the Bachelor of Theology.
7 Saving Clause
7.1 Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained herein, the Academic Board of the Sydney College of Divinity may, in any case in which it may deem it appropriate to do so, vary, dispense with or suspend any requirement or prescription by these regulations, and report forthwith to the Council of the Sydney College of Divinity.

 

BMinHons Award Summary

Bachelor of Ministry (Honours) (BMin(Hons))

AQF Level 8 Award Bachelor Honours
Entry Requirements The course shall be available to:

  • those who have completed the Sydney College of Divinity BMin within the previous five years, with a grade point average of 2.7 in the coursework and 3.0 in the area of specialisation; or
  • hold equivalent qualifications from a university or other tertiary institution.
Duration 1 year full-time or 3 years part-time.
Mode Full-time, part-time.
Structure 72 credit points, comprising 36 credit points in coursework and a thesis for 36 credit points.
English Proficiency Applicants whose entry qualifications were obtained in an institution where English is not the language of instruction normally require a minimum IELTS (or equivalent) score of 7.0 in all bands of the test.

Enrolment

Contact the Registrar of the college with whom you intend to study for enrolment and fee details.

Bachelor of Ministry (Honours) (BMin(Hons)) is offered at:

Graduate Profile and Rationale

The Bachelor of Ministry (Honours) award qualifies candidates who apply a body of theological knowledge in a specific context to undertake professional work and as a pathway for research and further learning in Christian ministry.

Outcomes

Knowledge

Graduates will have a coherent and advanced body of knowledge with depth in the underlying principles and concepts in one or more disciplines related to Christian ministry, and knowledge of research principles and methods.

Skills

Graduates will have cognitive and technical skills in a theologically-related body of knowledge so that they are able independently to:

    • review, analyse, synthesise and transform theological information and identify and transmit solutions to complex ministry problems;
    • think critically, evaluate and generate complex ideas in developing new strategies in the practice of Christian ministry;
    • technical skills to design and use research in a project;
    • communicate theologically-related knowledge, skills, and ideas clearly and coherently to a variety of audiences.

Applications of Knowledge and Skills

Graduates will have the ability to demonstrate the application of knowledge and skills:

    • with initiative and judgment in professional practice and/or scholarship in one or more theologically-related disciplines related to Christian ministry;
    • adapt knowledge and skills in a particular context for Christian ministry;
    • with responsibility and accountability for own learning and practice and in collaboration with others;
    • to plan and execute project work and/or a piece of research and scholarship with some independence of perspective.

Articulation to Other Awards

Students who have completed the Bachelor of Ministry (Honours) will be eligible for entry into the Doctor of Philosophy and Doctor of Ministry provided they have met the entry requirements.

ACADEMIC REGULATIONS for the Bachelor of Ministry (Honours)

1 Admission to Candidature
1.1 An applicant for admission to candidature for a degree of Bachelor of Ministry (Honours) shall
1.1.1 have satisfactorily completed the Sydney College of Divinity BMin within the last five years and with a grade point average of at least 2.7 in the coursework and at least 3.0 in the area of specialisation; or
1.1.2 hold an equivalent qualification from a university or other tertiary institution.
The grade point average is calculated as follows:
GPA = (4H + 3D + 2C + 1P +0N) ÷ E where:

  • H is the number of credit points gained at H grade
  • D is the number of credit points gained at D grade
  • C is the number of credit points gained at C grade
  • P is the number of credit points gained at P grade
  • N is the number of credit points attempted which earned an N grade
  • E is the total number of credit points for which a student has enrolled (excluding units with W and S)

You will need to supply transcripts for verification.
1.2 A candidate for a Bachelor of Ministry (Honours) will be designated as full-time or part-time. A student is designated as full-time if enrolled in 27 credit points or more in a semester or part-time if enrolled in less than 27 credit points per semester.
1.3 An applicant may not be admitted to candidature unless the Teaching Body in which he or she is enrolled can ensure that adequate supervision is available.
1.4 Applicants whose entry qualifications were obtained in an institution where English is not the language of instruction will be required to demonstrate competency in English by an IELTS result of 7.0 in all bands of the test and may be required to attend such English language courses as prescribed by the Sydney College of Divinity.
1.5 Applicants will be required to show evidence of competence in appropriate ancient and/or modern languages in order to access primary sources and significant secondary works relevant to their thesis topic. Language requirements will be determined at the time of application in consultation with the proposed supervisor.
1.6 Application for enrolment in the Bachelor of Ministry (Honours) is made to the Registrar of the appropriate Teaching Body offering the program.
1.7 No candidate for the BMin(Hons) may be concurrently enrolled in any other undergraduate or postgraduate course within the Sydney College of Divinity or any other tertiary institution unless the candidate is enrolled in an approved joint degree program unless approval has been granted by the Academic Board.
2 Course Structure
2.1 The Bachelor of Ministry (Honours) requires the completion of 72 credit points, comprising 36 credit points in coursework and a thesis for 36 credit points.
2.2 The award shall include:
2.2.1 an 8100-series Research Methodology Unit (9 credit points)
2.2.2 an 8100-series Honours Seminar Unit (9 credit points)
2.2.3 a further two units (18 credit points in total) in the area of specialisation from 9200-series units
2.2.4 a supervised research project of 20,000 words for 36 credit points in the area of specialisation.
2.3 A candidate may not submit as the main content of the project any work or material which has previously been submitted for a degree without major reworking.
2.4 The appropriate body of the Teaching Body in which the candidate is enrolled shall appoint a supervisor.
2.5 Within four weeks (FTE) of enrolling in the year in which the thesis is to be written the candidate’s supervisor shall receive a thesis topic which is to be submitted by the appropriate body of the Member Institution for approval to the Research Committee of the Sydney College of Divinity.
2.6 All thesis proposals involving the gathering of personal information from people by surveys, interviews or case studies, etc must first be referred to the Research Committee for approval using the appropriate forms and will be dealt with according to the procedures and policies of the Ethics Review Committee.
3 Period of Candidature
3.1 The period of candidature for the degree shall normally be 1 year full-time study or up to 3 years part-time.
3.2 In certain circumstances, the Student Support and Administration Committee may grant extensions.
4 Monitoring of Candidature
4.1 Once each semester, and at any other time considered appropriate, the supervisor of the project shall report to the appropriate body of the Teaching Body on the progress of each candidate using the appropriate form.
5  Termination of Candidature
5.1 If for any reason the candidate’s progress is deemed to be unsatisfactory, the Teaching Body in which the candidate is enrolled will ask the candidate to show cause why candidature should not be terminated.
5.2 Any show cause submission will be forwarded to the Research Committee and the Committee’s recommendation will be forwarded to the Academic Board. The Committee may recommend the termination of candidature, continuation of enrolment, and imposition of conditions on the continuation of candidature.
5.3 If the candidate does not show cause, the Research Degree Committee will recommend termination of candidature to the Academic Board.
5.4 Persons whose candidature has been terminated may have recourse to the appeals procedures. The decision of the appeals committee is final.
6 Examination of Supervised Research Project
6.1 The candidate will submit to the Teaching Body in which she or he has enrolled three copies of a thesis embodying the results of the candidate’s research. All copies of the thesis will be bound in temporary form. The thesis must be written and presented in accordance with the current guidelines for the preparation of a thesis within the Sydney College of Divinity
6.2 The thesis must be the candidate’s own work, must be written in English, and reach a satisfactory standard of literary presentation.
6.3 Before a candidate may submit a thesis, the supervisor must certify in writing that the thesis conforms to the requirements of the regulations. A certificate to this effect will be supplied by the supervisor when the thesis is submitted. If the supervisor does not so certify, the appropriate body of the Teaching Body in which the supervision took place will determine whether the thesis will be submitted after having considered written submissions from the supervisor and the candidate.
6.4 The Sydney College of Divinity Research Committee will appoint two examiners, at least one of whom shall be external to the Teaching Body of both the supervisor and the student. Examiners will report in writing three months from the receipt of the thesis. Examiners will be replaced if the report is not received within four months unless the examiner is given leave to report later.
6.5 The thesis will be graded by the examiners according to the standard grading practice within the College and a final grade achieved by averaging the grades awarded by the examiners; provided that where the examiners’ marks differ by more than ten (10) marks a third examiner will be asked to grade the thesis and the final result will be based on consideration of the three grades.
6.6 The four coursework units will be graded according to standard grading practice within the Sydney College of Divinity.
6.7 The final grade of honours is calculated by taking into account the results of the Honours thesis (36 credit points) and the four coursework units (36 credit points). The Academic Board of the Teaching Body will then propose a final grade of First Class Honours, Second Class Honours Division One, Second Class Honours Division Two, or Third Class Honours, as deemed appropriate.
6.8 The classes of honours will be H = First Class; D = Second Class, Division One; C = Second Class, Division Two; P = Third Class.
6.9 If a candidate completes all the components of the honours course but fails to qualify for the award of any class of honours, his or her academic record will be endorsed with an academic comment “Failed to qualify for a class of honours in the BMin” and the honours course description against which the class of honours is normally recorded will be deleted.
7  Examiners’ Reports
7.1 Candidates will be given a copy of the examiners’ reports at the completion of the examination process. Examiners’ names will be included unless a written request to the contrary has been received by the Office of the Dean.
8 Submission of the Completed Thesis
8.1 When any corrections as determined by the Research Committee in light of the examiners’ reports have been completed, two bound copies of the thesis are to be submitted to the Office of the Dean.  The bound copies are to conform to the guidelines for the presentation and binding of theses following examination
9 Saving Clause
9.1 Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained herein, the Academic Board of the Sydney College of Divinity may, in any case in which it may deem it appropriate to do so, vary, dispense with or suspend any requirement or prescription by these regulations, and report forthwith to the Council of the Sydney College of Divinity.

 

BThHons Award Summary

Bachelor of Theology (Honours) (BTh(Hons))

AQF Level 8 Award Bachelor Honours
Entry Requirements The course shall be available to:

  • Those who have completed the Sydney College of Divinity BTh within the previous five years, with a grade point average of 2.7 in the coursework and 3.0 in the area of specialisation; or
  • hold equivalent qualifications from a university or other tertiary institution
Duration 1 year full-time or 3 years part-time.
Mode Full-time, part-time.
Structure 72 credit points, comprising 36 credit points in coursework and a thesis for 36 credit points.
English Proficiency Applicants whose entry qualifications were obtained in an institution where English is not the language of instruction normally require a minimum IELTS (or equivalent) score of 7.0 in all bands of the test.

Enrolment

Contact the Registrar of the college with whom you intend to study for enrolment and fee details.

Bachelor of Theology (Honours) (BTh (Hons)) is offered at:

Graduate Profile and Rationale

The Bachelor of Theology (Honours) qualifies candidates who apply a body of theological knowledge in a specific context to undertake professional work and as pathway for research and further learning in one or more theologically-related disciplines.

Outcomes

Knowledge

Graduates will have a coherent and advanced body of knowledge with depth in the underlying principles and concepts in one or more theologically-related disciplines, and knowledge of research principles and methods.

Skills

Graduates will have cognitive and technical skills in a theologically-related body of knowledge, so that they are able independently to:

    • review, analyse, synthesise and transform theological information and identify and transmit solutions to complex problems;
    • think critically, evaluate and generate complex ideas;
    • technical skills to design and use research in a project;
    • communicate theologically-related knowledge, skills and ideas clearly and coherently to a variety of audiences.

Applications of Knowledge and Skills

Graduates will have the ability to demonstrate the application of knowledge and skills

    • with initiative and judgment in professional practice and/or scholarship in one or more theologically-related disciplines;
    • adapt knowledge and skills in diverse theologically-related contexts;
    • with responsibility and accountability for own learning and practice and in collaboration with others;
    • to plan and execute project work and/or a piece of research and scholarship with some independence.

Articulation to Other Awards

Students may articulate to the MPhil, the DMin, the ThD, and the PhD provided they meet the entry requirements.

 ACADEMIC REGULATIONS for the Bachelor of Theology (Honours)

1 Admission to Candidature
1.1 An applicant for admission to candidature for a degree of Bachelor of Theology (Honours) shall
1.1.1 hold a BTh from the Sydney College of Divinity completed within the previous five years, with a grade point average of 2.7 overall and 3.0 in the area of specialisation; or
1.1.2 hold a qualification from another university or tertiary institution that the Academic Board considers equivalent to the requirements above.
The grade point average is calculated as follows:
GPA = (4H + 3D + 2C + 1P +0N) ÷ E where:

  • H is the number of credit points gained at H grade
  • D is the number of credit points gained at D grade
  • C is the number of credit points gained at C grade
  • P is the number of credit points gained at P grade
  • N is the number of credit points attempted which earned an N grade
  • E is the total number of credit points for which a student has enrolled (excluding units with W and S)

You will need to supply transcripts for verification.
1.2 A candidate for a Bachelor of Theology (Honours) shall be designated as full-time or part-time. A student is designated as a full-time if enrolled in three units (27 credit points) or more in a semester or part-time if enrolled in less than three units (27 credit points) per semester.
1.3 An applicant may not be admitted to candidature unless the Teaching Body in which he or she is enrolled can ensure that adequate supervision is available.
1.4 Applicants whose entry qualifications were obtained in an institution where English is not the language of instruction will be required to demonstrate competency in English by an IELTS result of 7.0 in all bands of the test and may be required to attend such English language courses as prescribed by the Sydney College of Divinity.
1.5 Applicants will be required to show evidence of competence in appropriate ancient and/or modern languages in order to access primary sources and significant secondary works relevant to their thesis topic. Language requirements will be determined at the time of application in consultation with the proposed supervisor.
1.6 Application for enrolment in the Bachelor of Theology (Honours) is made to the Registrar of the appropriate Teaching Body offering the program.
1.7 No candidate for the BTh(Hons) may be concurrently enrolled in any other undergraduate or postgraduate course within the Sydney College of Divinity or any other tertiary institution unless the candidate is enrolled in an approved joint degree program, unless approval has been granted by the Academic Board.
2 Course Structure
2.1 The award shall include:
2.1.1 an 8100-series Research Methodology Unit (9 credit points)
2.1.2 an 8100 Honours Seminar Unit (9 credit points)
2.1.3 a further two units (18 credit points in total) in the area of specialisation from 9200-series units
2.1.4 a thesis of 20,000 words for 36 credit points in the area of specialisation.
2.2 A candidate may not submit as the main content of the thesis any work or material which has previously been submitted for a degree without major reworking.
2.3 The appropriate body of the Teaching Body in which the candidate is enrolled shall appoint a supervisor.
2.4 Within four weeks (FTE) of enrolling in the year in which the thesis is to be written the candidate’s supervisor shall receive a thesis topic which is to be submitted by the appropriate body of the Member Institution for approval to the Research Committee of the Sydney College of Divinity.
2.5 All thesis proposals involving the gathering of personal information from people by surveys, interviews, or case studies, etc must first be referred to the Research Committee for approval using the appropriate forms and will be dealt with according to the procedures and policies of the Ethics Review Committee.
3 Period of Candidature
3.1 The period of candidature for the degree shall normally be 1 year full-time study or up to 3 years part-time.
3.2 In certain circumstances, the Student Support and Administration Committee may grant extensions.
4 Monitoring of Candidature
4.1 Once each semester, and at any other time considered appropriate, the supervisor of the project shall report to the appropriate body of the Teaching Body on the progress of each candidate using the appropriate form.
5  Termination of Candidature
5.1 If for any reason the candidate’s progress is deemed to be unsatisfactory, the Teaching Body in which the candidate is enrolled shall ask the candidate to show cause why candidature should not be terminated.
5.2 Any show cause submission shall be forwarded to the Research Committee and the Committee’s recommendation shall be forwarded to the Academic Board. The Committee may recommend the termination of candidature, continuation of enrolment and imposition of conditions on continuation of candidature.
5.3 If the candidate does not show cause, the Research Degree Committee shall recommend termination of candidature to the Academic Board.
5.4 Persons whose candidature has been terminated may have recourse to the appeals procedures. The decision of the appeals committee is final.
6 Examination of Thesis
6.1 The candidate shall submit to the Teaching Body in which she or he is enrolled three copies of a thesis embodying the results of the candidate’s research. All copies of the thesis shall be bound in temporary form. The thesis must be written and presented in accordance with the current guidelines for the preparation of a thesis within the Sydney College of Divinity.
6.2 The thesis must be the candidate’s own work, must be written in English and reach a satisfactory standard of literary presentation.
6.3 Before a candidate may submit a thesis, the supervisor must certify in writing that the thesis conforms to the requirements of the regulations. A certificate to this effect shall be supplied by the supervisor when the thesis is submitted. If the supervisor does not so certify, the appropriate body of the Teaching Body in which the supervision took place shall determine whether the thesis shall be submitted after having considered written submissions from the supervisor and the candidate.
6.4 The Sydney College of Divinity Research Committee shall appoint two examiners, at least one of whom shall be external to the Teaching Body of both the supervisor and the student. Examiners shall report in writing three months from the receipt of the thesis. Examiners will be replaced if the report is not received within four months unless the examiner is given leave to report later.
6.5 The thesis shall be graded by the examiners according to the standard grading practice within the College and a final grade achieved by averaging the grades awarded by the examiners; provided that where the examiners’ marks differ by more than ten (10) marks a third examiner will be asked to grade the thesis and the final result will be based on consideration of the three grades.
6.6 The three coursework units shall be graded according to standard grading practice within the Sydney College of Divinity. The required Honours Seminar may be graded, but the results are not included in the final grade. The Research Methodology unit and two ‘further units’ are included and account for 3/8 of the final grade.
6.7 The final grade of honours is calculated by taking into account the results of the Honours thesis (5/8 of total grade) and the Research Methodology and two ‘further’ course work units (3/8 of total grade). The Academic Board of the Teaching Body shall then propose a final grade of First Class Honours, Second Class Honours Division One, Second Class Honours Division Two or Third Class Honours, to the Research Committee.
6.8 The classes of honours shall be H = First Class; D = Second Class, Division One; C = Second Class, Division Two; P = Third Class.
6.9 If a candidate completes all the components of the honours course but fails to qualify for the award of any class of honours, his or her academic record will be endorsed with an academic comment “Failed to qualify for a class of honours in the BTh” and the honours course description against which the class of honours is normally recorded will be deleted.
7  Examiners’ Reports
7.1 Candidates will be given a copy of the examiners’ reports at the completion of the examination process. Examiners’ names will be included unless a written request to the contrary has been received by the Office of the Dean.
8 Submission of the Completed Thesis
8.1 When any corrections as determined by the Research Committee in light of the examiners’ reports have been completed, two bound copies of the thesis are to be submitted to the Office of the Dean.  The bound copies are to conform to the guidelines for the presentation and binding of theses following examination.
9 Saving Clause
9.1 Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained herein, the Academic Board of the Sydney College of Divinity may, in any case in which it may deem it appropriate to do so, vary, dispense with or suspend any requirement or prescription by these regulations, and report forthwith to the Council of the Sydney College of Divinity.

 

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