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Objectives
- to initiate the students into serious theological research;
- to broaden and deepen their knowledge of theology;
- to prepare them for future roles of pastoral leadership in the Church and society; particularly in India as thinkers, teachers, writers and animators.
Nature
This programme of studies consists of four semesters in which the students follow courses, participate in seminars and finally present and defend a dissertation.
Since it is a period of intense study, research and reflection, the programme is residential in nature. The students are required to stay in the seminary or in the city inclusive of its suburbs.
Students may not follow any other programme of studies, including any correspondence course, during the two years of M.Th. studies.
Admission Policy
Admission is open to all Catholics who have a bachelor’s degree in theology or its equivalent with at least a second-class pass (cum laude). The candidate must be however recommended by his bishop or his/her religious superior.
Courses and Seminars
During the two years of the programme students have to successfully complete 120 ECTS credits of courses. One ECTS credit (European Credit Transfer System) is equivalent to 24 hours of comprehensive study, 8 of which are class hours.
Each semester will have seven courses, one course with five ECTS and six courses with four ECTS. Besides, there will be one seminar with five ECTS. This will go for three semesters. And in the fourth semester the students will complete the dissertation.
Attendance
Attendance at lectures and seminars is obligatory. Any student foreseeing absence at them will inform ahead of time the professor concerned and the director of M.Th. studies. Absence at more than 20% of the sessions would result in the forfeiture of the credits for that course or seminar.
Evaluation
The performance of the student in every course or seminar will be evaluated in the form of either an oral/written examination or writting a scientific work or a presentation in the class.
The decision with regard to any one of the above modes of evaluation is totally left to the discretion of the concerned professor.
Grading System
40 - Pass (probatus)
41 - 59 Third Class (bene probatus)
60 - 69 Second Class (cum laude probatus)
70 - 79 First Class (magna cum laude probatus)
80 & above Distinction (summa cum laude probatus)
Academic Year
The academic year starts in the second week of June and gets over in the fourth week of March. The M.Th. students are expected to be present at the inaugural mass on the opening day of the institute.
The academic year is divided into two semesters with an inter- semester break usually during the second week of October.
Dissertation Requirements
Before leaving for summer vacation in the first year, the students have to submit in writing to the director of M.Th. the theme, the name of the moderator they have chosen for their dissertation, the schema of their dissertation along with a brief description of the method proposed to be followed and a bibliographical list.
At the end of the second year the students have to present a dissertation on a theological theme. It will be about 80 to 100 pages. The final choice of theme and the guide as well as the schema and method are to have the approval of the academic council.
The guide will be one of the resident or visiting professors of the institute. In case of any other guide the permission of the academic council is required. The dissertation will be in A4 size paper and should be computer printed in 1.5 space.
Four copies of the dissertation should be submitted to the director of studies (2 for the examiners and one to be sent to the aggregating institute and one to be kept in the archives of the Institute of Theology of St. Paul’s Seminary). The dissertation will be accepted only if all the other academic requirements of the M.Th. programme have been successfully completed.
Comprehensive Examination (Defence)
The director of studies will fix the date of the defence in consultation with the academic council. There will be an interval of at least one full month between the dates of the presentation and its defence. At least 3 days before the date fixed for the defence the student will give the director of studies four copies of the summary he/ she will be presenting at the defence.
The defence will take place before a board of two examiners of whom the moderator of the dissertation will be the first examiner. One of these two above-mentioned examiners will be from outside the institute. An observer, from St. Peter’s Pontifical Institute, Bengaluru, to which our institute is aggregated, will also be present during the defence.
The staff and students of the institute will also be invited to the defence. The time allotted for presentation by the student will be 20 minutes. After that he/she will answer for another 40 minutes the questions raised by the moderator and the other examiner. They may ask questions on the subject matter of the dissertation or on the M.Th.courses. The evaluation of the board will be on the written dissertation as well as the viva voce presentation and the defence. In case the members are unable to unanimously agree on a mark, the M.Th. Director will collect their individual marks and their average will be considered as the mark awarded to the student.
Students who have not presented their dissertation at the end of the second year of their M.Th. studies may do so any time in the following year. Another year of extension is possible only on a written request by the student concerned stating reasons and giving a report of his/her research with the recommendation of the moderator and the approval of the academic council. In case of priests and religious a letter of recommendation is required from the bishop (local ordinary) or religious superior.
Credits Required
Basic Courses = 75 ECTS Credits
Three Seminars = 15 ECTS Credits
Dissertation = 20 ECTS Credits
Defence = 10 ECTS Credits
Class, Date, and Time
There will be lectures or reading and writing assignments on all class days. Wednesdays are usually study days. There will be no lectures on holidays indicated in the institute’s annual academic calendar. There will be a minimum of 3 lectures per day from 09.30 a.m. to 12.30 p.m. and from 02.30 p.m. to 03.45 p.m. The dates of each course will be indicated in the schedule of classes that will be given to the students at the beginning of every academic year.
Language
The students need to produce the certificate of completing basic Latin Course. They also need to produce the certificate of completing basic German or French or Italian Course. They could do such courses in language institutes during the summer holidays after the first year.
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