Master of Theology (in Applied Theology) and Postgraduate Diploma in Applied Theology

There shall be a Committee for the supervision of arrangements for the Degree of Master of Theology and for the Postgraduate Diploma in Applied Theology which shall be called the Master of Theology Steering Committee.

Postgraduate Diploma

A candidate may complete the course either in ONE year full-time (residential) or TWO years part-time (non-residential).

Candidates who have successfully completed the PG Diploma at an appropriate level may subsequently proceed to Part II of the MTh on the recommendation of the MTh Steering Committee. At the discretion of the Committee, transfer of PG Diploma candidates to Part II of the MTh course may be allowed to those candidates who have reached the required standard in the four papers submitted by the end of their first year.

In the event that a student has not received all their marks for Part I by the time they need to begin Part II of the MTh, they may be provisionally accepted onto Part II of the MTh course by the MTh Steering Committee. When the students’ marks for Part I are released, if the student has successfully completed the PG Diploma at an appropriate level, the MTh Steering Committee may confirm the student’s place on Part II of the MTh course. When the marks are released, if the student has not successfully completed the PG Diploma at an appropriate level, the MTh Steering Committee may not confirm the student’s place on Part II of the MTh course.

MTh

Full-time residential candidates will complete Part I of the course in one year and one additional residential year for Part II [dissertation]. Submission of Unit 2 (Experiential Project with Theological Reflection) may be delayed until the April submission after the first year of the course.

MTh part-time non-residential candidates will complete Part I of the course in two years part-time and two additional years for Part II [dissertation]. For part-time students there shall be no residential requirement for Part II.

MTh candidates may change from full-time to part-time after the first year of study.

Candidates who fail the MTh but have fulfilled the requirements for Part I shall be given the option of re-submitting the MTh dissertation once under the appropriate regulation or of being granted permission to supplicate for the PG Diploma in Applied Theology.

Candidates who fail a second dissertation submission or who withdraw from the MTh having fulfilled the requirements for Part I shall be granted permission to supplicate for the PG Diploma in Applied Theology.

Assessment

It is the student’s responsibility to ensure that research is carried out according to good research ethics practice, and that CUREC clearance has been received, where needed, before any research has taken place. For information please see the student pamphlet.

In the PG Diploma and in Part I of the MTh and all PG Diploma candidates will take the first two units and any two others. All units in the PG Diploma and in Part I of the MTh are examined by extended essays of not more than 7,000 words.

A request for approval for the specific titles of the extended essays submitted in Part I, written on the appropriate form, must reach the Course Director by Monday 6th week Hilary Term in order for it to reach the MTh Steering Committee by the Friday week 6 Hilary Term (for essays to be submitted in the following Trinity Term). For essays to be submitted in the following Long Vacation, titles must reach the Course Director by Monday week 6 Trinity Term in order for it to reach the MTh Steering Committee by the Friday week 6 Trinity Term.

In Part I of the MTh, a candidate whose extended essay fails to reach the level which the examiners have determined to be the pass mark may be allowed at the discretion of the examiners to resubmit the same title on one further occasion only, within the next two examination periods, provided that no extended essay is submitted later than the submission of the dissertation. Permission to resubmit the same titles as the failed extended essay must be sought in writing from the Chair of Examiners by Friday week 6 Hilary Term (for essays to be submitted in the following Trinity Term), and by the Friday in week 6 Trinity Term (for essays to be submitted in the following Long Vacation).

Part II of the MTh will consist of a dissertation of between 15,000 and 20,000 words on an aspect of applied theology. All Candidates for Part II are required to present themselves for a viva voce examination unless individually dispensed by the examiners.

Proposed titles for Part II MTh dissertations may be submitted to the MTh Steering Committee before the completion of Part 1, and must normally be submitted at least a full term before planned submission.

In Part II, if the dissertation fails to reach the required level, a candidate may revise and resubmit a dissertation at one further examination period, not later than three terms after the first submission.

Any PG Diploma or MTh candidates who have initially failed any element of assessment shall not normally be eligible for the award of merit or distinction.

Assessed work must be uploaded by Friday 0th week Trinity Term and/or Friday 0th week Michaelmas Term. All submitted work must be double-spaced, font size 12.

Candidates must not put their names on their submitted assessments. All submitted work must be uploaded to the Assignment section of the MTh or PG Diploma in Applied Theology WebLearn site. Each submission will require the candidate to make a declaration indicating that this is his or her own work. 

Full-time students for the MTh must submit their dissertation within six terms of beginning the course; part-time students must submit their dissertation within twelve terms of beginning the course; students who change from full-time to part-time status after three terms must submit their dissertation within nine terms of beginning the course. This regulation is not affected by a student's need to resubmit a Part I Unit, except in the event of a full-time student needing to resubmit Unit 2 in the Trinity Term of the student's second year of study. At its absolute discretion, the MTh Steering Committee may grant permission, either for the resubmission to occur after the submission of the dissertation or for the submission of the dissertation to be delayed until the Trinity Term examination in the following academic year.