Australian College of Theology
Encyclopedia
The Australian College of Theology (ACT) is an Australian theological education provider. The college was one of the first Australian non-university providers to offer an accredited bachelor's degree and a research doctorate. Over 15,000 people have graduated since the foundation of the college, one-third of these in the last decade. It is a company limited by guarantee (as of September 2007).
The Primate
of the Anglican Church of Australia
, the Most Reverend Phillip Aspinall
, the Archbishop of Brisbane, presides as chairman at a general meeting of the Australian College of Theology Limited. The Most Reverend Philip Freier
, the Anglican Archbishop of Melbourne, served as the chair of the directors from 2002 until May 2008. His successor is Emeritus Professor David Barr AM.
of the Church of England in Australia and Tasmania. The college was founded in order to provide for the "systematic study of divinity", especially among clergy and ordination candidates, there being no realistic opportunities for them to earn a Bachelor of Divinity (BD) degree at English universities.
The ACT is a national consortium of affiliated colleges with 19 theological and Bible colleges approved to deliver its accredited courses. About 1200 equivalent full-time students (including 90 international students), or 2500 individual students and research candidates are enrolled in courses.
On 12 November 2004 the delegate of the Minister for Education, Science and Training approved the college as a higher education provider (HEP) under the Higher Education Support Act 2003 (Cth). This approval took effect in March 2005. As a HEP, the ACT administers the FEE-HELP programme, by which students enrolled in accredited higher education courses of the ACT may receive an income contingent loan for their tuition fees.
In addition, as a HEP under the Higher Education Support Act, the ACT was required to undergo a quality audit conducted by the Australian Universities Quality Agency (AUQA). In November 2006 the college was the first non self-accrediting HEP to be so audited. The AUQA Audit Report was completed in January 2007 and publicly released on the AUQA website in February 2007.
In July 2010 the college received self-accrediting authority under the terms of the National Protocols for Higher Education Approval Processes. This authority must be reviewed by 30 April 2015. The college is the first institution to be awarded self-accrediting status under the protocols. This means that the college can accredit its own courses in theology and ministry within the scope of the self-accrediting authority specified by the Department of Education and Training in New South Wales.
(MTh) in 1976. The Master of Arts (Theology) (MA[Th]) degree was added in 1988. 1992 saw the accreditation of the Bachelor of Ministry (BMin) degree — the first of several coursework degrees in theology with a ministry major. The Doctor of Ministry
(DMin), a doctorate modelled on Australian university professional doctorates and North American Doctor of Ministry degrees, was first accredited in 1998.
The courses of the college are accredited by the Director-General of the New South Wales Department of Education and Training
under the Higher Education Act 2001 (NSW). These courses are mutually recognised by all the other states under the terms of an agreement of the Ministerial Council on Education, Employment, Training and Youth Affairs (MCEETYA
) to recognise higher education courses accredited in the provider’s host state, which in the college’s case is New South Wales.
The Primate
Primate
A primate is a mammal of the order Primates , which contains prosimians and simians. Primates arose from ancestors that lived in the trees of tropical forests; many primate characteristics represent adaptations to life in this challenging three-dimensional environment...
of the Anglican Church of Australia
Anglican Church of Australia
The Anglican Church of Australia is a member church of the Anglican Communion. It was previously officially known as the Church of England in Australia and Tasmania...
, the Most Reverend Phillip Aspinall
Phillip Aspinall
Phillip Aspinall has been the Anglican Archbishop of Brisbane, Queensland, Australia since February 2002 and Primate of the Anglican Church of Australia since July 2005. He succeeded Peter Hollingworth as Archbishop of Brisbane....
, the Archbishop of Brisbane, presides as chairman at a general meeting of the Australian College of Theology Limited. The Most Reverend Philip Freier
Philip Freier
-External links:*...
, the Anglican Archbishop of Melbourne, served as the chair of the directors from 2002 until May 2008. His successor is Emeritus Professor David Barr AM.
History
The college was established by the 1891 General SynodGeneral Synod
-Church of England:In the Church of England, the General Synod, which was established in 1970 , is the legislative body of the Church.-Episcopal Church of the United States:...
of the Church of England in Australia and Tasmania. The college was founded in order to provide for the "systematic study of divinity", especially among clergy and ordination candidates, there being no realistic opportunities for them to earn a Bachelor of Divinity (BD) degree at English universities.
The ACT is a national consortium of affiliated colleges with 19 theological and Bible colleges approved to deliver its accredited courses. About 1200 equivalent full-time students (including 90 international students), or 2500 individual students and research candidates are enrolled in courses.
On 12 November 2004 the delegate of the Minister for Education, Science and Training approved the college as a higher education provider (HEP) under the Higher Education Support Act 2003 (Cth). This approval took effect in March 2005. As a HEP, the ACT administers the FEE-HELP programme, by which students enrolled in accredited higher education courses of the ACT may receive an income contingent loan for their tuition fees.
In addition, as a HEP under the Higher Education Support Act, the ACT was required to undergo a quality audit conducted by the Australian Universities Quality Agency (AUQA). In November 2006 the college was the first non self-accrediting HEP to be so audited. The AUQA Audit Report was completed in January 2007 and publicly released on the AUQA website in February 2007.
In July 2010 the college received self-accrediting authority under the terms of the National Protocols for Higher Education Approval Processes. This authority must be reviewed by 30 April 2015. The college is the first institution to be awarded self-accrediting status under the protocols. This means that the college can accredit its own courses in theology and ministry within the scope of the self-accrediting authority specified by the Department of Education and Training in New South Wales.
Affiliated colleges
- Anglican YouthworksAnglican YouthworksAnglican Youthworks, otherwise known simply as Youthworks, is the youth and education department of the Anglican Diocese of Sydney, Australia. It exists to preach the Gospel of Jesus Christ to the young people of Sydney and beyond in partnership with the churches and schools of the diocese.It is...
, New South Wales - Bible College of South AustraliaBible College of South AustraliaThe Bible College of South Australia, formerly known as the Adelaide Bible Institute, is an interdenominational and evangelical Bible College in Adelaide, South Australia.-History:...
, South Australia - Crossway CollegeCrossway CollegeCrossway College is a Bible college in Toowong and Rothwell in Queensland. The Head of College is currently Johan Ferreira. Crossway College offers degrees through the Australian College of Theology.-External links:*...
, Queensland - Laidlaw College, Auckland, New Zealand
- Malyon College, Queensland
- Mary Andrews College, New South Wales
- Melbourne School of TheologyMelbourne School of TheologyThe Melbourne School of Theology is an evangelical Christian theological college with its main campus in Wantirna, a suburb of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. People from all over Australia and the world travel to study there...
, Victoria - Morling CollegeMorling CollegeMorling College is a Baptist theological college in Macquarie Park, New South Wales. It is an approved teaching institution of the Australian College of Theology and is a member of the South Pacific Association of Bible Colleges. It was established in 1916, and moved to its present location in 1961...
, New South Wales - Presbyterian Theological CentrePresbyterian Theological CentreThe Presbyterian Theological Centre is the theological college of the Presbyterian Church of Australia in New South Wales. It provides theological education for candidates of the ministry and members of the laity, and is an approved teaching institution of the Australian College of Theology.The...
, New South Wales - Presbyterian Theological CollegePresbyterian Theological CollegeThe Presbyterian Theological College is the theological college of the Presbyterian Church of Victoria. It provides theological education for candidates for the ministry of the Presbyterian Church of Australia, as well as for members of all Christian churches...
, Victoria - Queensland Theological CollegeQueensland Theological CollegeQueensland Theological College is a theological college in Queensland, Australia. Based in Brisbane, it is the training college of the Presbyterian Church of Queensland and takes a Reformed Evangelical or Reformed Protestant stance...
, Queensland - Reformed Theological CollegeReformed Theological CollegeThe Reformed Theological College is the theological college supported by the Christian Reformed Churches of Australia, the Reformed Churches of New Zealand and the Reformed Presbyterian Church of Australia...
, Victoria - Ridley Melbourne – Mission & Ministry College, Victoria
- School of Christian Studies, New South Wales (associated with Macquarie UniversityMacquarie UniversityMacquarie University is an Australian public teaching and research university located in Sydney, with its main campus situated in Macquarie Park. Founded in 1964 by the New South Wales Government, it was the third university to be established in the metropolitan area of Sydney...
) - South Australian Graduate School of Theology, South Australia (an independent, post-graduate ministry of Bible College SA)
- Sydney Missionary and Bible CollegeSydney Missionary and Bible CollegeSydney Missionary and Bible College is an independent, evangelical interdenominational Bible college in Sydney, Australia.The college was formed in 1916 by Rev. C. Benson Barnett. Its goal is to train people for ministry in Australia and abroad...
, New South Wales - Trinity Theological College, Western Australia
- Vose SeminaryVose SeminaryVose Seminary, formerly the Baptist Theological College of Western Australia, is a Christian educational institution located in Perth, Western Australia.-Founding:...
, Western Australia
Courses
The accredited higher education courses have grown from the Bachelor of Theology (BTh) degree, first accredited in 1975 and the research degree of Master of TheologyMaster of Theology
A Master of Theology is an advanced theological research degree offered by universities, divinity schools, and seminaries.-North America:In North America, the Master of Theology is considered by the Association of Theological Schools to be the minimum educational credential for teaching...
(MTh) in 1976. The Master of Arts (Theology) (MA[Th]) degree was added in 1988. 1992 saw the accreditation of the Bachelor of Ministry (BMin) degree — the first of several coursework degrees in theology with a ministry major. The Doctor of Ministry
Doctor of Ministry
The Doctor of Ministry degree is, according to The Association of Theological Schools in the United States and Canada , a doctoral level degree oriented toward ministerial leadership often in an area of applied theology, such as missions, evangelism, church leadership, pastoral psychology or the...
(DMin), a doctorate modelled on Australian university professional doctorates and North American Doctor of Ministry degrees, was first accredited in 1998.
The courses of the college are accredited by the Director-General of the New South Wales Department of Education and Training
New South Wales Department of Education and Training
The New South Wales Department of Education and Communities, a department of the Government of New South Wales, is responsibile for primary schools, secondary schools and Technical and Further Education colleges...
under the Higher Education Act 2001 (NSW). These courses are mutually recognised by all the other states under the terms of an agreement of the Ministerial Council on Education, Employment, Training and Youth Affairs (MCEETYA
MCEETYA
The Ministerial Council on Education, Employment, Training and Youth Affairs was formed in June 1993, when the Council of Australian Governments amalgamated with a number of ministerial councils to optimse the co-ordination of policy making across related portfolies...
) to recognise higher education courses accredited in the provider’s host state, which in the college’s case is New South Wales.
- Diploma of Theology
- Advanced Diploma of Theology
- Diploma of Ministry
- Advanced Diploma of Ministry
- Associate Degree of Theology
- Bachelor of Theology
- Bachelor of Theology Honours
- Bachelor of Ministry
- Bachelor of Ministry Honours
- Bachelor of Christian Studies
- Graduate Diploma of Divinity
- Master of Divinity
- Graduate Diploma of Theology
- Master of Arts (Theology)
- Graduate Diploma of Ministry
- Master of Arts (Ministry)
- Graduate Diploma of Christian Studies
- Master of Arts (Christian Studies)
- Master of Theology
- Doctor of Ministry
- Doctor of Theology
Notable alumni
- Philip Edgecumbe HughesPhilip Edgecumbe HughesPhilip Edgcumbe Hughes was an Anglican clergyman and New Testament scholar.Dr. Hughes was born in Australia and received his B.A., M.A., and D.L.H. from the University of Cape Town, B.D. from the University of London, and Th.D. from the Australian College of Theology. From 1947 to 1953 Hughes...
, New Testament scholar, Professor at Westminster Theological SeminaryWestminster Theological SeminaryWestminster Theological Seminary is a Presbyterian and Reformed Christian graduate educational institution located in Glenside, Pennsylvania, with a satellite location in London.-History:...