Bachelor of Arts | Theology

(Minimum 3 years, 384 credits)

Time Commitment

• Three years full-time • Up to six years part-time • No evening classes On-campus and Online January and July intakes

Accreditation

Registered as Cornerstone Institute (RF) NPC with the Department of Higher Education and Training as a private higher education institution under the Higher Education Act, 1997, Registration Certificate No 2001/HE08/006; NQF 7; SAQA ID 57225.

Aim

The aim of this programme is to equip students with a Christian, interdisciplinary approach to engaging real-world crises and opportunities. With an emphasis on skillful biblical interpretation and theological understanding, students engage a broad set of contextual issues facing South Africa today, and develop an integrative response (drawing from psychological, theological and sociological perspectives). A sense of personal vocation is therefore nurtured, with an emphasis on practical application.

Modes of delivery

Contact and distance

Important links

YEARBOOK

FEE STRUCTURE

admission requirements

  • National Senior Certificate (NSC) with a bachelor’s pass or equivalent
  • A Matriculation Certificate (with university exemption) or equivalent
  • A Higher Certificate or Advanced Certificate or Diploma in a cognate field
  • Matriculation Certificate (with university exemption) or equivalent 
  • National Benchmark Test (NBT) results
  • A National Senior Certificate or National Certificate Vocational with a diploma pass (or equivalent) combined with the NBT results 
  • Mature age of 23 and over during the first year of studies and a National Senior Certificate (or equivalent). The conditions of the Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) Policy for access and the results of the NBT are determining factors for admission. Contact the admissions office regarding RPL
  • Mature age of 45 years can be admitted, determined by the RPL conditions and the results of the NBT

Applicants in the first category under Alternative Admission Requirements must register for the Extended Programme for Academic Development. The Programme extends the completion of the prescribed subjects over a minimum of four years.

Students who are admitted based on prior learning and who want to complete the degree in three years, but who fail more than 20% of modules taken during the first semester, are required to take the first year over two years. 

The BA aims to provide access for those who have completed Grade 12 to a degree programme equipping them with skills to be more effective leaders in the community in the areas of Psychology, Theology, Media Studies, Alternative Education and Sociology and Community Development.  In addition to a career path for sociologists, psychologists, and media specialists. The programme is also intended to provide students who are considering a career as teachers to advance to a Post-Graduate Certificate in Education with the required teaching subjects at an undergraduate level.

BA students must choose between a major in Psychology, Sociology, Theology, Alternative Education or Media Studies. Each focus has its own specified core and elective modules from the curriculum below. Outcomes are set for each area of focus, as outlined below. Each module within the curriculum also has its own set of outcomes.

Theology students who have completed the qualification must be able to:

  • Demonstrate an ability to engage with theological lenses and techniques in addressing real world questions and crises
  • Understand the principles, concepts, history and major approaches to the study of theology
  • Demonstrate skill in interpreting the Bible and showing its relevance to all of life, including pastoral needs in churches and communities, especially in an African context 
  • Understand how people’s worldview influences their concept of God and practice of spirituality and be able to minister to and serve people in different cultural contexts 
  • Articulate a personal sense of vocation, meaning and purpose in life, largely through engagement in theory that has a practical outworking
  • Demonstrate the necessary skills for understanding and engaging with a diverse and complex society 
  • Understand a broad set of the contextual issues facing South Africa today and develop an integrative response (employing psychological, theological, sociological and/or other theories of practise) for engaging these challenges 

Bachelor of Arts (NQF 7, 384 credits)

Option 3: Theology

Basic level

(first year; 136 credits)

  • Academic Development I GenEd (16 credits)
  • Citizenship I, GenEd, consisting of four required and two elective modules (48 credits)
  • Biblical Studies I (24 credits)
  • Theology I (24 credits)
  • Sociology I (major) or Psychology I (major) (24 credits)
  • Media Studies I and TESOL I (24 credits) can be taken as extra subjects only

Intermediate level

(second year; 128 credits)

  • Biblical Studies II (32 credits)
  • Theology II (32 credits)
  • Choose Counselling II and Psychology II (major – 2x 32 credits)
  • Community Development II and Sociology II (major – 2x 32 credits)

Advanced level

(third year, 120 credits)

  • Choose Biblical Studies III OR Theology III (48 credits)
  • Continue with Sociology III (major) OR Psychology III (major 48 credits)
  • Practical (24 credits)

For a description of each module, see ‘Module descriptions’ towards the end of this document.

Subjects

Work-Integrated Learning

Cornerstone Institute
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