Course details

Summary

The Master of Theology (MTheol) degree requires a minimum of one year's full-time or its equivalent part-time study. MTheol students may follow research interests in Church History, New Testament, Old Testament, Pastoral Theology, or Systematic Theology.

Candidates are required to treat a particular research topic comprehensively, demonstrating the comprehension of major issues involved in their topic, sustaining an argument at length and presenting a thesis according to the conventions and professional standards required for publication. The degree is awarded after the satisfactory completion of a thesis of approximately 40,000 words.

The degree prepares graduates for employment in education, local and national government agencies and counseling. It also enables students to gain the research experience and communication skills necessary for an advanced professional career in Theology or for further academic study at PhD level.

Structure of the Programme

The programme of study shall consist of the preparation and submission of a thesis embodying the results of supervised research. In some cases, a candidate may also be required to take and pass approved papers, normally at 400-level, in addition to completing a thesis.

The candidate shall, before commencing the investigation to be described in the thesis, secure the approval of the Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Humanities) for the topic, the supervisor(s) and the proposed course of the investigation.

A candidate may not present a thesis which has previously been accepted for another degree.

The research should be of a kind that a diligent and competent student should complete within one year of full-time study.

Entry criteria

Admission to the programme shall be subject to the approval of the Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Humanities).
Every applicant must either

• be a graduate, normally with qualifications requiring a total of at least four years of tertiary study, or
• have alternative qualifications or experience acceptable to the Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Humanities).

English Language Requirements: IELTS - Score of 6.5 in the academic module (with no individual band below 6.0); Internet-based TOEFL Score of 95 with a minimum writing score of 22.; Paper-based TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language) score of 587 (TWE 4.5); Cambridge Certificate of Proficiency in English (CPE) – Overall score of 176 (with no individual band below 169); Cambridge Certificate in Advanced English (CAE) – Overall score of 176 (with no individual band below 169); APIEL Advanced Placement International English Language Examination - Grade 4 or higher; Pearson Test of English (PTE) Academic - Overall score of 64 with no communicative skills score below 57; University of Otago Foundation Studies Ltd: Completion of 'English for Postgraduate Academic Purposes' with a grade of C or higher.