Baptist House

IBTS Centre

Baptist House

Postjesweg 175

1062 JN

Amsterdam

Tel: 0031 2021 030 25

administrator @ibts.eu

Thank you for your interest in the IBTS Centre MA in Baptistic Histories and Theologies which we offer as an approved partner of the University of Manchester.

Attached is some detailed information about the programme. You may find this useful if you have not seen this already. On the other hand this information may be confusing. If so please contact us to ask any questions you may have.

As well as information about the programme there is an application form and two forms for you to pass on to referees.

Full time and part time study is possible though most of our students are part-time. The fees stated do not include the cost of travel or accommodation. If you wish to study full time or require particular visa help we may require more information than is requested here.

In order to fully process your information we will require all of the information requested. Again if you are not clear about anything please get in touch.

Regards

Rev Dr Stuart Blythe MA BD MTh

Course Description MA in Baptistic Histories and Theologies

Educational Aims of the Programme

The aims of the MA in Baptistic Histories and Theologies are to:

provide a comprehensive survey for students from diverse age, geographical and confessional backgrounds who have an interest in the histories and theologies of baptistic communities
offer students a range of learning experiences and teaching approaches inspired by the insights of baptistic theologies and the experiences of baptistic histories
integrate a knowledge of the particular histories of Baptists, Anabaptists and related baptistic groups with an understanding of the churches’ current commitment to central elements of baptistic life, including ethics and mission.
use the research interests of staff to inform and enhance the students’ learning experience
foster in students an ability to undertake study and research independently
enable students, where appropriate, to master necessary field skills
promote the development of key transferable skills that will assist students in their career development
equip students to undertake original research in the field of baptistic histories and theologies at doctoral level

Intended Learning Outcomes

Knowledge and Understanding

Upon completion of this programme, you should be able to:

Identify the main streams of baptistic theologies in their diversity and unity
Assess the contributions of different streams of baptistic histories to the life of the churches
Critically evaluate the key questions in contemporary baptistic theologies and their relations to the histories of the different churches
Appreciate better the sources available for the study of baptistic histories and theologies
demonstrate a detailed knowledge of at least one important baptistic theologian or one key aspect of baptistic histories
demonstrate awareness of the specifics of baptistic theologies in relationship to the life and practice of the churches

Subject Specific Skills, including practical and professional skills

Upon completion of this programme, students should be able to:

assess critically the most recent published research in baptistic histories and theologies
read and use key texts critically and empathetically
evaluate critically the different methodologies employed in examining baptistic histories
exercise leadership or other roles in churches with a greater awareness of the insights of baptistic histories and theologies

Generic Transferable Skills

Upon completion of this programme you should have developed the following skill areas in the ways outlined:

Communication: the ability to readilyidentify relevant sources of information, critically evaluate them and present their conclusions in a coherent way to specialist and non-specialist audiences
IT: skill in the use electronic databases and the internet efficiently to aid research, evaluation and selection of disparate information and present work using a format and style to suit the purpose, subject and audience.
Problem solving: the qualities necessary to enable self-direction and originality in tackling and solving problems, and to act autonomously in planning and implementing tasks at a high level.
Working with others:establish and effectively maintain co-operative working relationships and negotiate and develop effective ways of presenting outcomes.
Improving own learning: demonstrate the ability to advance your own knowledge and understanding and to develop new skills to a high level.

Learning, Teaching and Assessment Methods

The following steps will help you in achieving the desired outcomes:

Intensive residential courses comprising lectures, seminars and individual tutorial support. You will experience different teaching and learning approaches in order to develop skills such as critical analysis, synthesis and evaluation. Your tutors will use interactive teaching styles tailored to particular units. Because classes are small, there is plenty of time and room for discussion and sharing. If possible, students are also encouraged to take the lead in presenting work, either from their reading or from their experience.
Distance learning in which you will be offered access to material through Moodle and be supplied with readers and other requisite material. This kind of learning is supported by contact via Skype, e-mail, mail, phone and, as often as is feasible for you, face-to-face meetings.
Occasional conferences are organised to give you from the start of your postgraduate career the experience of a wider range of scholarship and the opportunity of entering into academic discussion
Supervision of dissertations involving regular contact with a supervisor, either by e-mail, or where feasible for you, face-to-face. You will receive intensive preparation for the writing of the dissertation by means of a residential seminar.

Assessment is offered by coursework and dissertation. Because most of our students do not have a background in writing academic English, we tend to encourage the majority of assessment in essay form in order to prepare students for writing their dissertations. However, where appropriate, students are offered the opportunity of presenting course work in other forms than traditional essays. These may be book reviews, case studies, portfolio work, journaling or other forms of appropriate assessment. The assessments are designed to help you to achieve a mixture of the outcomes listed above and are always open to negotiation to help you take the most out of the programme for your own needs and those of communities from whom you come.

Programme Structures and Requirements

The programme is one year full-time, or between two and five years part-time.

Admission requirements are as follows:

Candidates should normally have the equivalent of a British Upper Second Class Honours degree in a related subject area and be able to demonstrate that they will be capable of successfully completing the programme.
Where necessary, prior experience germane to the programme or successful completion of an undergraduate degree in another discipline can be taken into account.
For information on language requirements, see the section on Language of Study below.

The programme offers three possible study tracks. All students will be required to take the joint introductory units:

Interpretations: Bible, Theology and Society (15 credits)

Critical Thinking and Research Methodologies (15 credits)

The programme then continues in the following distinct ways, depending on the particular track that you have opted to take:

Study Track /
Units
Total Credits / Applied Theology / Baptist and Anabaptist Studies / Contextual Missiology
Joint Core
Units
30 Credits / Interpretations: Bible, Theology and Society
Critical Thinking and Research Methodologies
Specific Core Units
15 Credits / Baptistic Theological Perspectives / The Origins and Early History of Anabaptism / Introduction to Contextual Missiology
Additional Core Unit
15 credits / You take a core unit from one of the two tracks in which you are not majoring:
Applied Theology: The Origins and Early History of Anabaptism OR Introduction to Contextual Missiology
Baptist and Anabaptist Studies: Baptistic Theological Perspectives OR Introduction to Contextual Missiology
Contextual Missiology: Baptistic Theological Perspectives OR The Origins and Early History of Anabaptism
Specific Electives
60 credits / 60 credits from list of Applied Theology courses below / 60 credits from list of BAS courses below / 60 credits from list of Contextual Missiology courses below

The units offered by IBTSC are:

Applied Theology

Baptistic Theological Perspectives (Required for AT track – 15 credits)

The following units are all for 30 credits:

Christian Learning and Leadership

Church and the Environment

Faith and Reason in Contemporary Society

Homiletics and Communication

Practical Ministry in the Church Today (Ministerial Formation)

Spiritual Formation

The Church and Social Ethics

Types of Systematic Theologies

Youth Ministry and Faith Development

Baptist and Anabaptist Studies

The Origins and Early History of Anabaptism (Required for BAS track – 15 credits)

The following units are all for 30 credits:

Anabaptist / Baptist Theology of the Church

Anabaptists, Authority and the Bible

Baptist Origins and Development in Europe

Contextual Missiology

Introduction to Contextual Missiology (Required for CM track – 15 credits)

The following units are all for 30 credits:

Christian Presence and Witness among Muslims

Churches Encountering in Mission

Practice of Mission & Evangelism

Theology of Mission

Successful completion of this first part of the degree allows you to proceed to Part 2, where you will write a dissertation of between 12000 and 15000 words, equivalent to 60 credits.

Mode of study

Part-Time (Distance and Intensive Residential). You will be expected to attend an intensive period of some one to two weeks at the beginning of your studies and then normally to attend for teaching of subsequent units, usually for one or two weeks at a time. You are also required to attend a dissertation writing seminar to prepare for the writing of your dissertation. Normally the maximum attendance requirement will be four weeks over the time of your study.

Language of study

The language of study is English

All candidates must, if required, provide proof of English language capability, having achieved the Advanced Cambridge Certificate, or appropriate IELTS results, (7.0 overall with writing at least 7.0) or have an official TOEFL score of internet-based minimum 100, computer-based minimum 250 or paper-based minimum 600.

Programme Specific Support for Students and Their Learning

Administration

IBTSC has a dedicated support staff, and relatively small student numbers mean that each student is known personally and individual administrative needs can be effectively and speedily responded to.

Induction Programme

As a student, you will receive information on the programme before coming for your first visit to IBTS, and in the course of your first intensive teaching period, the following will be dealt with:

Introduction to the course and the aims of the programme
Introduction to library resources, electronic resources, Moodle.
Individual meeting with the programme leader
Individual meetings with unit tutors who are present
Individual meetings with the Rector and administrative staff to deal with matriculation and similar issues

Other Help

Depending on units, students are given readers, handbooks and other material, or enabled to access them via Moodle.
All students are required to attend a dissertation writing seminar.

Guides available to students

Guide to Library

Guide to Dissertation Writing and Submission

Methods for Evaluating and Improving the Quality and Standards of Learning and Teaching

The Academic Affairs Committee of the IBTSC Board of Trustees has oversight over the programme. The Rector is the Programme Director working in co-operation with colleagues in the Academic Team of IBTSC. Under the Rector the Academic Team has responsibility for implementing change and responding to points raised by students and the External Examiner. The tutors on the programme meet, either face-to-face or electronically, to discuss issues relating to the programme and to evaluate its delivery. Student feedback is requested in the form of questionnaires at the end of units, and oral feedback sessions are also conducted at the end of each unit. In line with the insights of baptistic theologies and histories, the programme is designed deliberately to be flexible, to enable students to respond to the needs of the communities from which they come in appropriate ways whilst nevertheless remaining faithful to the demands of the academic community in terms of proper assessment.

Programme Specific Regulations for Assessment

For the units in Part 1, assessment for a 15 credit unit normally consists of written work of 3000 words. The written work will usually be in the form of an essay based on one of the questions listed in the Programme Handbook. Prior to each academic year the Rector and unit lecturers will discuss with the External Examiner and agree what forms of assessment might be used in addition to or in place of essays: for example, a presentation, a research report, an examination (oral or written) a detailed critical book review or a critically argued response to a journal article. Evidence of how such forms enable outcomes to be tested and of their equivalence to an essay will be provided.

For 30 credit units, there will be a written assignment of 6000 words. This may be one essay, or a shorter essay and one of the alternative forms of assessment mentioned at the end of the previous paragraph. In some cases, field work may be undertaken and presented in fulfilment of part of the assessment of the unit.

All written work for Part 1 is double marked internally and sent for moderation to the External Examiner, to the extent that he or she requests this.
Part 2 is assessed by a dissertation of between 12000 and 15000 words, which is double marked internally and also marked by the External Examiner.
No student may pass to Part 2 without having successfully met the requirements of Part 1
The pass grade for the MA is 50%
A Merit grade is achieved with a final average mark for Parts I and II of between 60 and 69.9%
A Distinction in the MA may be awarded if the candidate averages at least 70% for both Parts I and II, and the average mark is at least 68% for one part and over 70% for the other. Details can be found in the University of Manchester regulations, as detailed in the Postgraduate Degree Regulations, found on the following site: see especially pages 7 and 8.
When a candidate cannot, through disability, be fairly assessed by the methods prescribed for the course concerned, the IBTSC Academic Team in consultation with the External Examiner may decide to vary the assessment method, bearing in mind the aims and learning outcomes of the programme and unit and the need to assess all candidates on equal terms.

APPLICATION INSTRUCTION

Application/Registration Fee: €200 Payable at the point of your acceptance letter.

Bank Account: IBTSC, (IBAN) NL43 RABO 0181 6602 02 (Swift: RABO NL2U)

Tuition Fees: €7500: You will be expected to pay €1500 when you begin your first unit and the rest can be paid in instalments over the course of your study. A payment plan will be agreed when you begin. Failure to maintain agreed payments can lead to an increase in fees or expulsion from the programme. No one will be able to complete the course until all fees are paid.

Attached are the documents required for application and information about ouracademic programmes. All application documents listed below must be completely filled out and received by us by 1 June, if you wish to begin your studies in September. This is to enable where required Visa procedures to be put in place.

Application Form

Two Reference Letters

One of these should be from a church leader either your minister or representative of your Union or Denomination and another from a teacher. Forms are provided for each.

Official Transcripts

Of all previous academic work, including post-secondary school, university and seminary studies. If your programme of studies is in progress, a transcript should be sent at this time and a final transcript sent following the completion of the programme.

Evidence of English Competence

ALL applicants except native English speakers must provide evidence of their English competence: 1) submit proof of the achieved Advanced Cambridge Certificate or, 2) submit the IELTS results or, 3) have an official Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) score sent to us directly by the TOEFL organisation. (For your reference, the Seminary’s code number is 9574 for the TOEFL exam.) Non-native English speaking students who have completed their prior theological or other studies at an English speaking institution may be exempted from the English language test score requirement.

The required TOEFL score is either 550 or 270 according to the scales used.

It may take several months from the time you first write to the TOEFL organisation until you (and we) receive your test score. Provisional admission may be possible for those not completing this examination on time if the written work submitted with this application demonstrates a high standard of the applicant’s English.

Please send all application documents to:

IBTS Centre

Baptist House

Postjesweg 175

1062 JN

Amsterdam

or or

APPLICATION FOR ADMISSION

Please use a typewriter if possible; otherwise print clearly in block letters. If questions do not pertain to your situation, please write “N/A” (not applicable) in the space provided.

Personal Information

Surname: / First name:
Address:
Telephone: / Fax:
E-mail:
Date of Birth (dd/mm/yyyy): / Gender: / MaleFemale
Place of Birth:
Present Citizenship: / Occupation:
Place of Employment: / How long?
Driving Licence: Yes No / Country of Issue:
Married Yes/No:
Date of Marriage:

Church Information

Church Name:
Street: / Number:
City/Town: / Postal Code:
Country: / Pastor’s Name:
Does your Union/Convention/Denomination have a partner Union/Convention/Mission
Agency? yesno
Which is it?

Module Information

I am applying for the following units of study:
I am taking the following required units:

Interpretations: Bible, Theology, Society
Critical Thinking, and Research Methodologies (no-credit unit)

I am interested in the following units:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
If approved by course leaders, I am interested to attend or consider substituting for the following units:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
I wish to study Residentially/Full Time Non-residentially/Part Time
My major area of interest is in the field of (please indicate briefly your study plans):
My minor area of interest is in the field of (please indicate briefly):

Educational History