Bachelor Of Theology :: Undergraduate :: Courses
Bachelor of Theology
The three-year BTh is for those who wish to study the theological disciplines for either personal interest or as a preparation for postgraduate study and a possible academic career in theology: it does not provide a recognised pathway into the employed ministry of the Seventh-day Adventist church.
Course code: 4871
Course coordinator: Dr Ray C W Roennfeldt
Duration
Three years full-time or equivalent part-time
Credit points
144 credit points
Mode of delivery
On campus. A small number of first-level subjects are available in distance education mode.
Abbreviation of course title
BTh
Accreditation
The degree is accredited by the NSW Department of Education and Training.
Entry requirements
The general entry requirements for Avondale College degree courses are stated in the Academic Policies section of the Handbook.
The following entry requirements are specific to the Bachelor of Theology Ministry course:
- Recommendation from, and telephone interview with, pastor of church currently attended by applicant.
- Optional telephone interview of applicant by faculty.
- At least two years must have elapsed since the applicant’s baptism, during which time the applicant must have been active in a local church.
Field education requirements
There is an intentional placement of and mentoring of students in a local church during the initial phases of their enrolment in the BTh degree. A number of specific requirements attached to several of the church ministry subjects need to be fulfilled in a local church. In order to be placed in a local church, students are required to sign a self-disclosure form (Prohibited Persons Declaration) and consent to a criminal records check. Further information is available in the Field Education Handbook.
Course structure
The BTh is a three-year degree consists of a minimum of 24 x 6-credit point subjects (144 credit points) over six semesters. All subjects are worth six credit points (unless otherwise specified) with a notional semester workload of 150 hours, averaging 10–12 hours per week (including contact hours). The course is comprised of Biblical-theological formation, pastoral formation and general education.
Summary of the minimum requirements in the BTh degree
| Components of course |
Subjects |
Credit Points |
| Spiritual-Pastoral Formation |
| Church MInistry |
4 |
24 |
| Applied Psychology |
1 |
6 |
| Theological-Historical Formation |
| Theology |
5 |
30 |
| History/Church History |
2 |
12 |
| Biblical Formation |
| Biblical Studies |
6 |
36 |
| Biblical Languages |
3 |
18 |
| General Education |
| Electives |
3 |
18 |
| TOTAL |
24 |
144 |
Required subjects
Biblical Studies
NT160 :: Gospels A
NT170 :: New Testament Epistles A
NT351 :: Gospels B
NT361 :: New Testament Epistles B
OT262 :: Pentateuch
OT265 :: Old Testament Prophets
Biblical Languages
BL160 :: New Testament Greek IA
BL161 :: New Testament Greek IB
BL170 :: Hebrew A
Theology and History
CY165 :: SDA History and Ministry of Ellen White
CY265 :: Early and Medieval Church
TH161 :: Introduction to Theology
TH270 :: Ethics, Philosophy & Science in Theological Context
TH360 :: Systematic Theology A
TH361 :: Systematic Theology B
TH371 :: Historical Theology (Modern Period)
Spirituality and Ministry
CM160 :: Spiritual Formation for Pastoral Ministry
CM161 :: Communication and Worship
CM265 :: Homiletics
CM282 :: Australian and New Zealand Religions
Psychology
PS160 :: Developmental and Pastoral Psychology
General Education
Three Electives
Course assurance
Details of course assurance arrangements are shown on the Avondale website. For the Bachelor of Theology the “Second Providers” are:
- Christian Heritage College
- Tabor College
- Australian Catholic University
- Sydney College of Divinity
- Australian College of Theology
Degree structure
The standard structure for the BTh degree is shown on the following page.
| Sem |
|
| 1 |
NT160 :: Gospels A
|
CY165 :: SDA History and Ministry of Ellen White
|
TH161 :: Introduction to Theology
|
CM160 :: Spiritual Formation for Pastoral Ministry
|
| 2 |
NT170 :: New Testament Epistles A
|
BL170 :: Hebrew A
|
PS160 :: Developmental and Pastoral Psychology
|
CM161 :: Communication and Worship
|
| 3 |
Elective (NT, OT, CY, HI, BL or TH subject taken at 200-level) |
BL160 :: New Testament Greek IA
|
CY265 :: Early and Medieval Church
|
CM265 :: Homiletics
|
| 4 |
OT262 :: Pentateuch
|
BL161 :: New Testament Greek IB
|
TH270 :: Ethics, Philosophy & Science in Theological Context
|
CM282 :: Australian and New Zealand Religions
|
| 5 |
NT351 :: Gospels B
|
OT265 :: Old Testament Prophets
|
TH260 :: ETHICS AND PHILOSOPHY OF RELIGION
|
Elective (NT, OT, CY, BL or TH subject taken at 300-level) |
| 6 |
NT361 :: New Testament Epistles B
|
TH361 :: Systematic Theology B
|
TH371 :: Historical Theology (Modern Period)
|
Elective (NT, OT, CY, BL or TH subject taken at 300-level) |
NOTE: Field placement is required throughout the course. The assessed field education components are incorporated into most of the CM (Church Ministry) subjects.