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POSTGRADUATE COURSES

The postgraduate ministry courses are designed to provide professional development, research, and theological reflection for Christian leaders in ordained and lay ministry roles, with an emphasis on innovation. The courses are nested and build upon one another.

​Graduate Certificate in Ministry Studies

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Course Duration

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The course requires 6 months of full-time study 0.5 EFTSL or equivalent part-time.

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Course Admission requirements

  • A Bachelor degree in any discipline; and

  • At least two years relevant experience; and /or permission of the Postgraduate Coordinator.

  • The postgraduate committee under certain circumstances can admit others who can show evidence of fitness for candidature.

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Course Structure

Students who hold an Undergraduate degree in Theology or Ministry will follow Pathway A. Student how hold an Undergraduate degree in any other field will pathway B. The content of Guided Study units will be negotiated with the course coordinator.

Each pathway comprises four units of 4.5 credit points each as follows

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Pathway A - Required Units

MINS8557 - Reflecting on Best Practice in Ministry

MINS8201 - Guided Study A

MINS8202 - Guided Study B

MINS8203 - Guided Study C

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Pathway B - Required Units

MINS8557 - Reflecting on Best Practice in Ministry

MINS8207 - Biblical Hermeneutics

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1 of the Following

MINS8209 - Interpreting the Old Testament

MINS8210 - Interpreting the New Testament

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and 1 of the Following

MINS8211 - Introduction to Christian Thought

MINS8212 - Jesus Christ: A Theological Introduction

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Graduate Diploma in Ministry

 

Course Duration

The course requires 1 year of full-time study 1.0 EFTSL or equivalent part-time.

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Course Admission requirements

  • A Bachelor degree in any discipline; and

  • At least two years relevant experience; and /or permission of the Postgraduate Coordinator.

  • The postgraduate committee under certain circumstances can admit others who can show evidence of fitness for candidature.

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Course Structure

Students who hold an Undergraduate degree in Theology or Ministry will follow Pathway A. Student how hold an Undergraduate degree in any other field will pathway B. The content of Guided Study units will be negotiated with the course coordinator.

Each pathway comprises four units of 4.5 credit points each as follows

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Pathway A - Required Units

MINS8201 - Guided Study A

MINS8202 - Guided Study B

MINS8203 - Guided Study C

MINS8204 - Guided Study D

MINS8205 - Guided Study E

MINS8557 - Reflecting on Best Practice in Ministry

MINS8558 - Introduction to Community Research

MINS8559 - Theology for Ministry Practice

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Pathway B - Required Units

MINS8201 - Guided Study A

MINS8202 - Guided Study B

MINS8207 - Biblical Hermeneutics

MINS8557 - Reflecting on Best Practice in Ministry

MINS8558 - Introduction to Community Research

MINS8559 - Theology for Ministry Practice

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1 of the Following

MINS8209 - Interpreting the Old Testament

MINS8210 - Interpreting the New Testament

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and 1 of the Following

MINS8211 - Introduction to Christian Thought

MINS8212 - Jesus Christ: A Theological Introduction

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Exit Pathway

  • Students may exit with a Graduate Certificate in Ministry having met the course requirements.

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Master of Ministry

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The Master of Ministry consists of 72 credit points of study including 49.5 credit points of course work and 22.5 credit point dissertation.  The course requires two years of full-time study 2.0 EFTSL, or equivalent part-time.

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Course Admission Criteria

Entry to the Master of Ministry normally requires:

 

  • A Bachelor of Ministry degree or equivalent qualification or the ACD Graduate Diploma in Ministry or equivalent qualification; and

  • At least two years’ relevant ministry experience; and

  • Permission of the Course Coordinator. 

 

The Postgraduate Committee may, under certain circumstances and subject to specific conditions, admit others who can show evidence of fitness for candidature.

 

A candidate who holds the ACD Graduate Diploma in Ministry degree or equivalent may be granted advanced standing in the Master of Ministry.

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Course Structure

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The Master of Ministry consists of 72 credit points of study as follows:

 

Coursework Units:

These prepare students for specialist thinking and skills use in the area of Ministry Practice,

engagement with current research in the field, and theological reflection upon their own ministry

practice and leadership in the Australian context.

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Guided Study Units:

With the approval of the course coordinator students study and are assessed in selected areas interest for professional development under the guidance of an appropriate supervisor. Students may read an agreed select bibliography as individual study or as part of a group, build their study around interviewing experts, attending a conference, or conducting a field trip, complete an approved postgraduate unit, or  undertake  an  agreed  project set within the student’s ministry context.

 

Community Research:

These allow students to develop specialist skills in engaging current peer and scholarly research in, and specialist knowledge of, the field of Ministry Practice. Participants also have the opportunity to present and have their own research critiqued in a collegial environment.

 

Dissertation:

Students will be expected to complete a ministry practice dissertation of 22,500 words (equivalent to 22.5 credit points) on a topic associated with a current ministry activity.

 

Prior to commencement of the dissertation a supervisor will be appointed. Participants will need to submit to the course coordinator a research proposal as part of their enrolment in Ministry Practice Dissertation I. Goals for each part of the Ministry Practice Dissertation will be set with the student’s supervisor.

 

Entry to Master of Ministry by transfer from Graduate Diploma in Ministry

Students who have completed the requirements for a Graduate Diploma in Ministry may apply to continue on into the Master of Ministry rather than graduate with the graduate diploma.

 

Students must have a grade average of Distinction in Graduate Diploma in Ministry units totalling at least 18 credit points calculated on the last 18 credit points taken.

 

Advanced Standing for Graduate Diploma in Ministry Graduates

An applicant who holds an ACD Graduate Diploma in Ministry and who is granted entry to the Master of Ministry may be granted advanced standing. Candidates who are granted advanced standing of 36 credit points will be required to complete the following Min course components:

 

  • Community Research Folio units (9 credit points)

  • Research Methods (4.5 credit points)

  • Ministry Practice research project study (22.5 credit points).

 

A candidate who holds a Graduate Diploma deemed equivalent to the ACD Graduate Diploma in Ministry degree may also be granted advanced standing. The required Master of Ministry course components will be determined on an individual basis.

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Required Units

MINS8557 - Reflecting on Best Practice in Ministry

MINS8558 - Introduction to Community Research

MINS8559 - Theology for Ministry Practice

MINS8201 - Guided Study A

MINS8202 - Guided Study B

MINS8203 - Guided Study C

MINS8204 - Guided Study D

MINS8205 - Guided Study E

MINS9032 - Research Methods

MINS9201 - Community Research Folio 1

MINS9202 - Community Research Folio 2

MINS9301 - Ministry Practice Dissertation I

MINS9302 - Ministry Practice Dissertation II

MINS9303 - Ministry Practice Dissertation III

MINS9304 - Ministry Practice Dissertation IV

MINS9305 - Ministry Practice Dissertation V

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Doctor of Ministry

The Doctor of Ministry is a 108 credit point course requiring three years full time study 3.0 EFTSL or part-time equivalent.

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Admission Criteria

Entry requirements for direct admission to the Doctor of Ministry are:

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  • A Bachelor of Ministry degree with first or upper second class honors or equivalent qualification or the ACD Master of Ministry degree or equivalent qualification; and

  • At least three years’ relevant ministry experience; and

  • Permission of the ACD Postgraduate Committee and the Course Coordinator.

 

The Postgraduate Committee may, under certain circumstances and subject to specific conditions, grant admission to others who can show evidence of fitness for candidature.

 

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Course Structure

A candidate who holds the ACD Master of Ministry degree or equivalent may be granted advanced standing in the Doctor of Ministry.

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These prepare students for specialist thinking and skills use in the area of Ministry Practice, engagement with current research in the field, and theological reflection upon their own ministry practice and leadership in the Australian context.

 

The required coursework units are: Reflecting on Best Practice in Ministry, Introduction to Community Research, and Theology for Ministry Practice.

 

Guided Study Units

With the approval of the course coordinator students study and are assessed in selected areas

interest for professional development under the guidance of an appropriate supervisor. Students

may read an agreed select bibliography as individual study or as part of a group, build their study around interviewing experts, attending a conference, or conducting a field trip, complete an approved postgraduate unit, or undertake an agreed project set within the student’s ministry context.

 

Community Research

These allow students to develop expert skills in engaging current peer and scholarly research in, and specialist knowledge of, the field of Ministry Practice. Participants also have the opportunity to present and have their own research critiqued in a collegial environment.

 

The required coursework units are: Introduction to Community Research and three Community Research Folio units.

 

Ministry Research Thesis

Students will be expected to complete a ministry research thesis of 54,000 words (equivalent to 54 credit points).

 

The Ministry Research Thesis will be made up of either: a thesis on an area of ministry practice; OR a creative project (eg a change management plan and report of its execution, all to a professional standard) approved by the postgraduate committee and an exegetical essay totalling no less than 60% of the whole (ie approx. 32,000 words); OR a collation of three or four articles and/or book chapters all submitted and accepted for publication by a peer- reviewed journal or a reputable and approved publisher during the period of enrolment in the degree, accompanied by an exegetical essay totalling no less than 40% of the whole (ie approx. 22,000 words).

 

Goals for each part of the Ministry Research Thesis will be set with the student’s supervisors,

two of whom will be appointed at the commencement of the Thesis.

 

Students are required, in order to satisfactorily pass Ministry Research Thesis II to submit a Research Proposal to a committee made up of the student’s supervisors, the course coordinator or a person they nominate from the postgraduate committee, and an outside expert in the field. The focus will be on the student’s chosen methodological approach. The committee may recommend that as part of Ministry Research Thesis III the student be required to do focused work on developing their methodology further, via reading or attending training in the chosen method(s).

 

The thesis must embody a piece of original research that makes a substantial contribution to the theological and practical understanding of Ministry practice. The thesis will be examined in accordance with the ACD Policy Research in Postgraduate Courses.

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Pathway

Required Units

MINS8557 - Reflecting on Best Practice in Ministry

MINS8558 - Introduction to Community Research

MINS8559 - Theology for Ministry Practice

MINS8201 - Guided Study A

MINS8202 - Guided Study B

MINS8203 - Guided Study C

MINS8204 - Guided Study D

MINS8205 - Guided Study E

MINS9032 - Research Methods

MINS9201 - Community Research Folio 1

MINS9202 - Community Research Folio 2

MINS9501 - Ministry Research Thesis I

MINS9502 - Ministry Research Thesis II

MINS9503 - Ministry Research Thesis III

MINS9504 - Ministry Research Thesis IV

MINS9505 - Ministry Research Thesis V

MINS9506 - Ministry Research Thesis VI

MINS9507 - Ministry Research Thesis VII

MINS9508 - Ministry Research Thesis VIII

MINS9509 - Ministry Research Thesis IX

MINS9510 - Ministry Research Thesis X

MINS9511 - Ministry Research Thesis XI

MINS9512 - Ministry Research Thesis XII

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