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Kanana Fou Theological Seminary
Bachelor of Divinity
Bachelor of Divinity
The Bachelor of Divinity (BD) is designed to offer academic instruction beyond the Diploma in Theology. The BD program seeks to accomplish the following goals:
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to develop detailed skills oriented towards a critical and scholarly interpretation of Scripture;
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to equip the student with a meticulous approach to theology and other related fields necessary for a successful vocation in teaching and ministry; and
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to academically equip the student to pursue further studies at the graduate and post-graduate levels.
The BD degree requires the completion of 32 courses (papers); an equivalent of 96 semester units. For those who wish to concurrently pursue the Diploma in Theology and the BD degree, the first two years of the diploma program is a prerequisite. Diploma candidates who have successfully completed the first two years of the diploma program with a 'B' grade average or above are accepted into the BD program, while at the same time pursuing the diploma. Thus, the first year of the BD program is also the 3rd year of the diploma program for qualified candidates. This prerequisite can also be met by prospective candidates who have already graduated with the Diploma in Theology, or hold a bachelor's degree from an accredited university.
Two other requirements are distinctive for the BD program: the completion of electives, and the approval of a submitted thesis project. While the Diploma in Theology is more general in outlook, the completion of electives and the approval of a thesis project allows the BD degree to be more explicit, particularly towards the candidate's area of concentration.
The BD offers an opportunity to undertake three years of theological studies (one concurrent year after the completion of the Diploma in Theology) in preparation for graduate studies and for a vocation in teaching or pastoral ministry. The format of the BD degree is as follows:
Core Area #1 Biblical Studies: Old Testament (4 courses = 12 units)
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Two level 300 courses (6 units)
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Two level 400 courses (6 units)
Core Area #2 Biblical Studies: New Testament (4 courses = 12 units)
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Two level 300 courses (6 units)
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Two level 400 courses (6 units)
Core Area #3 Church History (4 courses = 12 units)
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Two level 300 courses (6 units)
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Two level 400 courses (6 units)
Core Area #4 Theological Studies (4 courses = 12 units)
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Two level 300 courses (6 units)
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Two level 400 courses (6 units)
Core Area #5 Ministry Studies (6 courses = 18 units)
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Two level 300 courses (6 units)
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Two level 400 courses (6 units)
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Fieldwork (6 units)
Electives (6 courses = 18 units)
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Any two level 500 courses from Core Areas (6 units)
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Four level 500 courses in Area of Concentration (12 units)
Thesis Project (equivalent of 4 courses = 12 units)
Students in the 3rd or final year of the BD program must submit their thesis project to their supervisor no later than the 1st week of March to allow time for evaluation by external readers. For students in the second year of the BD program, thesis proposals must be submitted during the 2nd week of December. The thesis proposals will be assessed by the faculty, and advisors will be assigned accordingly.
Before the beginning of the 2nd semester of the final year of the BD program, students are required to complete and submit the first draft of their thesis project for assessment by the advisor/faculty. Students who fail to meet this requirement could be deferred from completing the BD program.
Any student(s) who is unable to complete the thesis project by the end of the final year of the BD program will be allowed an extension to complete the thesis project only during the subsequent school year. The student, however, will need to register and pay all related fees and dues as set forth by the seminary. If the student fails to register for an extension during the subsequent school year but hopes to return to complete the thesis project some other time, the student will need to re-apply into the program and all required coursework necessary for the successful completion of the BD program will need to be re-done.
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