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Australian College of Theology
 
 
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The Australian College of Theology (ACT) is a national provider of theological education. The College was one of the first Australian non university providers to offer an accredited bachelors degree and a research doctorate. The number of graduates since the foundation of the College stands at 14,200. One-third of these have graduated in the last decade.

The College has a developing research profile.






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The Australian College of Theology (ACT) is a national provider of theological education. The College was one of the first Australian non university providers to offer an accredited bachelors degree and a research doctorate. The number of graduates since the foundation of the College stands at 14,200. One-third of these have graduated in the last decade.

The College has a developing research profile. The College became a company limited by guarantee in September 2007. It's Australian Company Number
Australian Company Number

An Australian Company Number is a unique nine-digit number issued by the Australian Securities and Investments Commission to every company registered under the Commonwealth Corporations Act 2001 as an identifier....
 is 127 429 083.

The College was established by a Determination of the 1891 General Synod
General Synod

The General Synod is the title of the governing body of some church organizations....
 of the Church of England
Church of England

The Church of England is the State religion Christianity Ecclesia in England, the Mother Church of the worldwide Anglican Communion and the oldest among the communion's thirty-eight independent national and regional churches....
 in Australia and Tasmania. The College was founded in order to provide for the “systematic study of divinity” especially among the clergy and ordination candidates, there being no chance for them at that time to avail themselves realistically of the opportunities for earning the Bachelor of Divinity (BD) degree at English universities.

Since its establishment, the College has remained under the control of the General Synod
General Synod

The General Synod is the title of the governing body of some church organizations....
 of the Church of England
Church of England

The Church of England is the State religion Christianity Ecclesia in England, the Mother Church of the worldwide Anglican Communion and the oldest among the communion's thirty-eight independent national and regional churches....
 in Australia and Tasmania up to 1 January 1962 and since that date the General Synod of the Anglican Church of Australia
Anglican Church of Australia

The Anglican Church of Australia, a member church of the Anglican Communion, was previously officially known as the Church of England in Australia and Tasmania ....
 (ACA). On 1 January 1962 the ACA (then known as the Church of England in Australia) was formed pursuant to enabling legislation in each of the States and Territories: see, for example, the Anglican Church of Australia Act 1961 (NSW).

The General Synod legislation under which the College is currently constituted is the Australian College of Theology Canon 2007. The Constitution of Australian College of Theology Limited is set out in the Schedule of the Canon.

The Constitution includes the following provisions:

2. Objects 2.1 The objects of the College shall be to foster and direct the systematic study of theology and other disciplines related to Christian ministry by teaching and research in a manner and at a level commensurate with the practices of Australian universities by: (a) awarding higher education qualifications in theology and other disciplines related to Christian ministry equivalent to awards offered in Australian universities, and delivering the related courses in a variety of modes; and (b) engaging in student-centred teaching and learning, through each affiliated college, that advances knowledge, encourages free and open enquiry, and enhances the pursuit of vocational excellence ; and (c) facilitating each affiliated college’s realisation of the full potential of its formational, educative and scholarly endeavour; and (d) fostering and enhancing a culture of research and scholarship across the College that leads to new knowledge and original creative endeavour; and (e) promoting the study of theology and other disciplines related to Christian ministry in the wider community; and (f) enhancing the higher education status of the College; and (g) underpinning these objects through governance, procedural rules, policies, financial arrangements and planning, and quality assurance processes which are sufficient to ensure the academic integrity of the College’s academic programs.

The Primate
Primate

A primate is a member of the biological order Primates , the group that contains lemurs, the Aye-aye, Lorisidaes, galagos, tarsiers, monkeys, and apes, with the last category including humans....
 of the ACA, the Most Rev Dr Phillip Aspinall
Phillip Aspinall

Phillip Aspinall has been the Anglican Church of Australia Archbishop of Brisbane, Queensland, Australia since February 2002, and Primate of the Anglican Church of Australia since July 2005....
, Archbishop of Brisbane, presides as chairman at a general meeting of Australian College of Theology Limited. The Most Rev Dr Philip Freier
Philip Freier

Philip Leslie Freier is the 13th Anglican Archbishop of Melbourne,a position he has held since 16 December 2006.Freier was born on 9 February 1955 in Brisbane and raised as a Roman Catholic....
, Anglican Archbishop of Melbourne, served as the chair of the Directors from 2002 until May 2008. His successor is Professor Emeritus David Barr, AM.

The activities of the College

The College’s original awards were four in number—the Associate in Theology (ThA), the Licentiate in Theology (ThL), the Scholar in Theology (ThSchol) and the Fellow of the College (ThSoc). All were conferred by successful examination only. The ThSoc has long been superseded by the research degree of Doctor of Theology
Doctor of Theology

Doctor of Theology is a terminal academic degree in theology. It is a research degree, involving the publication of an original contribution to scholarship in the form of a dissertation, that is for most purposes the equivalent of a Doctor of Philosophy in Theology or a similar discipline....
 (ThD).

The current suite of accredited higher education courses has grown from the Bachelor of Theology (BTh) degree, first accredited by the then New South Wales
New South Wales

New South Wales is Australia's oldest and most populous States and territories of Australia, located in the south-east of the country, north of Victoria and south of Queensland....
 Higher Education Board in 1975, and the research degree of Master of Theology
Master of Theology

A Master of Theology is an academic degree offered by many university divinity schools and seminaries worldwide....
 (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 psychology of religion, church growth, church...
 (DMin), a doctorate modelled on Australian university professional doctorates and the North American Doctor of Ministry degree, 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 Training is a department of the Government of New South Wales with responsibility 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.

The courses of the College, all accredited for the period 2007–2011 are:

  • 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


The College now operates as a national consortium of affiliated colleges. The consortium originated in 1974 when several colleges—Ridley College (Melbourne) and Moore Theological College
Moore Theological College

Moore Theological College, otherwise known simply as Moore College, is the theological training seminary of the Anglican Diocese of Sydney of the Anglican Church of Australia....
 (Sydney), (both Anglican), and two interdenominational Bible Colleges, the Bible College of Victoria
Bible College of Victoria

The Bible College of Victoria, commonly known as BCV is a Christianity Bible college with its main campus in Lilydale, Victoria, a suburb of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia....
 and the Bible College of New Zealand
Bible College of New Zealand

Laidlaw College, formerly known as Bible College of New Zealand , is an evangelicalism Bible college in New Zealand. BCNZ offers tertiary courses in biblical studies, theology, history and pastoral studies....
—sought approval from the Board of Delegates to deliver the newly proposed BTh degree. From these beginnings there are now 19 mostly non-Anglican theological and Bible colleges situated in each mainland State that have been approved to deliver the accredited courses of the College on its behalf. These colleges currently enrol just over 1,200 equivalent full-time students (including 90 international students), or 2,500 individual students and research candidates, in the degrees of the College.

The relationship between each affiliated college and the Board of Directors is articulated and regulated in an agreement that takes the form of a Memorandum of Understanding. The Board recognises that each affiliated college is an independent entity in its own right. There is a high value placed on collaboration and cooperation across the consortium.

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 College administers the FEE-HELP programme, whereby students enrolled in accredited higher education courses of the College may receive an income contingent loan for their tuition fees.

In addition, as a HEP under the Higher Education Support Act, the College 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. The report is available at . An account of the College’s moderation process, a major focus of its Quality Management Sydtem, has been included on the AUQA Good Practice Database and can be accessed at .

Affiliated Colleges

  • Anglican Youthworks
    Anglican Youthworks

    Anglican 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....
    , New South Wales
    New South Wales

    New South Wales is Australia's oldest and most populous States and territories of Australia, located in the south-east of the country, north of Victoria and south of Queensland....
  • Bible College of Queensland, Queensland
    Queensland

    Queensland is a States and territories of Australia of Australia, occupying the north-eastern section of the mainland continent. It is bordered by the Northern Territory to the west, South Australia to the south-west and New South Wales to the south....
  • Bible College of South Australia
    Bible College of South Australia

    The Bible College of South Australia, formerly known as the Adelaide Bible Institute, is an interdenominational and evangelicalism Bible College in Adelaide, South Australia....
    , South Australia
    South Australia

    South Australia is a States and territories of Australia of Australia in the southern central part of the country. It covers some of the most arid parts of the continent; with a total land area of , it is the fourth largest of Australia's six states and two territories....
  • Bible College of Victoria
    Bible College of Victoria

    The Bible College of Victoria, commonly known as BCV is a Christianity Bible college with its main campus in Lilydale, Victoria, a suburb of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia....
    , Victoria
    Victoria (Australia)

    File:Map Victoria Aboriginal tribes .jpgVictoria is a States and territories of Australia located in the southeastern corner of Australia. It is the smallest mainland state in area but the most Population density and urbanised....
  • Laidlaw College, Auckland
    Auckland

    The Auckland metropolitan area or Greater Auckland, in the North Island of New Zealand, is the largest and most populous urban areas of New Zealand with over 1.3 million residents, percent of the country's population....
  • Malyon College, Queensland
    Queensland

    Queensland is a States and territories of Australia of Australia, occupying the north-eastern section of the mainland continent. It is bordered by the Northern Territory to the west, South Australia to the south-west and New South Wales to the south....
  • Mary Andrews College, New South Wales
    New South Wales

    New South Wales is Australia's oldest and most populous States and territories of Australia, located in the south-east of the country, north of Victoria and south of Queensland....
  • Morling College, New South Wales
    New South Wales

    New South Wales is Australia's oldest and most populous States and territories of Australia, located in the south-east of the country, north of Victoria and south of Queensland....
  • Mueller College of Ministries, Queensland
    Queensland

    Queensland is a States and territories of Australia of Australia, occupying the north-eastern section of the mainland continent. It is bordered by the Northern Territory to the west, South Australia to the south-west and New South Wales to the south....
  • Presbyterian Theological Centre
    Presbyterian Theological Centre

    The Presbyterian Theological Centre is the Seminary of the Presbyterian Church of Australia in New South Wales. It provides theological education for candidates of the Religious ministry and members of the laity, and is an approved teaching institution of the Australian College of Theology....
    , New South Wales
    New South Wales

    New South Wales is Australia's oldest and most populous States and territories of Australia, located in the south-east of the country, north of Victoria and south of Queensland....
  • Presbyterian Theological College
    Presbyterian Theological College

    The Presbyterian Theological College is the Seminary of the Presbyterian Church of Victoria. It provides theological education for candidates for the Religious ministry of the Presbyterian Church of Australia, as well as for members of all Christian churches....
    , Victoria
    Victoria (Australia)

    File:Map Victoria Aboriginal tribes .jpgVictoria is a States and territories of Australia located in the southeastern corner of Australia. It is the smallest mainland state in area but the most Population density and urbanised....
  • Queensland Theological College, Queensland
    Queensland

    Queensland is a States and territories of Australia of Australia, occupying the north-eastern section of the mainland continent. It is bordered by the Northern Territory to the west, South Australia to the south-west and New South Wales to the south....
  • Reformed Theological College
    Reformed Theological College

    The 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
    Victoria (Australia)

    File:Map Victoria Aboriginal tribes .jpgVictoria is a States and territories of Australia located in the southeastern corner of Australia. It is the smallest mainland state in area but the most Population density and urbanised....
  • Ridley Melbourne - Mission & Ministry College, Victoria
    Victoria (Australia)

    File:Map Victoria Aboriginal tribes .jpgVictoria is a States and territories of Australia located in the southeastern corner of Australia. It is the smallest mainland state in area but the most Population density and urbanised....
  • School of Christian Studies, New South Wales
    New South Wales

    New South Wales is Australia's oldest and most populous States and territories of Australia, located in the south-east of the country, north of Victoria and south of Queensland....
     (associated with Macquarie University
    Macquarie University

    Macquarie University is an Australian public research university located in Sydney. Its main campus is in Macquarie Park and also has overseas campuses in Hong Kong and Singapore....
    )
  • South Australian Graduate School of Theology, South Australia
    South Australia

    South Australia is a States and territories of Australia of Australia in the southern central part of the country. It covers some of the most arid parts of the continent; with a total land area of , it is the fourth largest of Australia's six states and two territories....
  • Sydney Missionary and Bible College
    Sydney Missionary and Bible College

    Sydney Missionary and Bible College is an independent, Evangelicalism interdenominational Bible college in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia....
    , New South Wales
    New South Wales

    New South Wales is Australia's oldest and most populous States and territories of Australia, located in the south-east of the country, north of Victoria and south of Queensland....
  • Trinity Theological College
    Trinity Theological College

    Trinity Theological College , located in Singapore, was founded in 1948 to provide balanced and holistic theological training to equip men and women for Christian ministry....
    , Western Australia
    Western Australia

    Western Australia is a States and territories of Australia occupying the entire western third of the Australia . The nation's largest state and the second largest subnational entity in the world, it has 2.1 million inhabitants , 85% of whom live in the south-west corner of the state....
  • Vose Seminary, Western Australia
    Western Australia

    Western Australia is a States and territories of Australia occupying the entire western third of the Australia . The nation's largest state and the second largest subnational entity in the world, it has 2.1 million inhabitants , 85% of whom live in the south-west corner of the state....


External links