Bachelor of Arts in Ministerial Studies

Description of Programme

The University of the West Indies (UWI), Mona Campus, in association with the United Theological College of the West Indies (UTCWI), offers a special degree, Bachelor of Arts in Ministerial Studies. This degree has more practical orientation than the Bachelor of Arts in Theology and is geared towards persons being prepared for parish/congregational ministry, institutional chaplaincy and international mission engagement. The BA in Ministerial Studies targets candidates from the participating denominations whose ministers are trained at the College. The participating denominations of the UTCWI are Anglican, Moravian, United Church in Jamaica and Grand Cayman, Jamaica Baptist Union, Lutheran Church of Guyana, and Methodist Church in the Caribbean. In addition, a number of students from non-participating denominations are trained at the College.

Entry Requirements

The programme can be entered through the normal matriculation requirements for the Faculty of Humanities and Education at the UWI. That is five (5) CSEC subjects and two (2) CAPE subjects or its equivalent.

• Diploma from an approved tertiary institution.
• Licentiate in Theology from the UWI

  The regulation also states that candidates can be accepted on lower level matriculation. That is persons not having the required CAPE, Licentiate or diploma but possess the five (5) CSEC subjects. Such persons can be accepted to UWI but must register as a part-time student. Part-time students are required to complete level 1 courses over two (2) years or 4 semesters.

  Full-time students can only register for 15 credits or five (5)courses in each semester. Part-time students can only register for 9 credits or three courses in each semester.

  Full-time students, with the permission of the Dean of Humanities and Education can register for more than 18 credits in the final year of the programme.

  Applicants may be required to attend an interview.

Duration of Programme

The programme is normally completed in a minimum of three (3) years of full-time study or four (4) years part-time study.

The configuration of the BA in Ministerial Studies is as follows:

The core courses for this degree are broken down as follows:

Level 1… 24 core credits, 8 courses, 2 electives

Level 2… 24 core credits, 8 courses, 2 electives

Level 3… 6 core credits, 2 courses, 9 electives.

NB:It must be noted that students are expected to complete at least 30 credits at each level. The assignment of only 2 core courses at Level 3 is designed to allow the student greater flexibility in selecting electives and thus will be able to pursue areas of interest.

Aims

The aims of the programme of study and ministerial formation are:

• To promote a community of learning that is conducive to theological reflection and learning and the nurturing of persons for ministry as lay or ordained persons within the denominational traditions from which they come;
• To create a learning environment in which the pursuit of truth is undertaken with academic rigour, faith is related to reason, worship is related to study, and the integration of knowledge is promoted through interdisciplinary dialogue;
• To promote a community of living, learning and worship in which ecumenical engagement is fostered and narrow sectarianism is challenged;
• To create a community of learning which is informed by sensitivity to the Caribbean context within which the institution is located, so that this Caribbean reality is reflected in all areas of the institution’s life; and
• To develop close relations with The University of the West Indies and St. Michael’s Theological College as a vehicle for interdisciplinary and ecumenical dialogue in a context of academic rigor.