PIULA THEOLOGICAL COLLEGE

The Masters in Theology (MTheo) Programme is an initiative put forth by the General Conference of the Methodist Church in Samoa in 2014. This initiative called for Piula Theological College to offer a post-graduate degree for potential candidates with the aim of providing a platform for Faifeau to acquire higher education toward focused and intensive leadership skills in specialised fields of study, as well as providing a cost-effective option for staff development of the College.
After much research, deliberation and prayer, the General Conference of the MCS accepted a proposal put forth by the Principal and Staff of the College that a Bachelor of Divinity with Honours Programme (BD Hons.) was the logical step forward, making a Master’s Programme a more viable future endeavour. The MTheo degree is a level IX research programme that acts as a pathway for further academic studies at PhD level, and aims at enabling students to apply an advanced body of knowledge in theology and its associated disciplines.

Candidates broaden their knowledge and skills and deepen their engagement with select areas of study to prepare them for professional practice in the various Departments of the church, such as the A’oa’oga Kerisiano (Christian Education Dpt.) and the Tulitulimatāgau (Continuing Christian Education Dpt.), and to open the door for further learning.
To this end, the courses offered in the MTheo Programme are coloured with academic creativity and originality, with particular relevance to the issues and context of Samoa and the Pacific in today’s contemporary world. Thus, the MTheo Programme is both globally relevant, yet uniquely Samoan. This is the mantra that has guided the development of the MTheo Programme at Piula Theological College. Such a learning experience at an advanced level provides a local environment to equip the Faifeau for unlimited opportunities both academically and spiritually.