Preliminary Considerations on Theological Doctoral Program Design in an African Context
Within the milieu of theological education in Africa there is a great demand for highly educated nationals to staff an ever-growing number of postsecondary schools of theology. At present there are no programs at independent institutions on the African continent for students desiring to pursue docto...
| Authors: | ; |
|---|---|
| Format: | Electronic Article |
| Language: | English |
| Check availability: | HBZ Gateway |
| Journals Online & Print: | Drawer...
|
| Fernleihe: | Fernleihe für die Fachinformationsdienste |
| Published: |
Taylor & Francis
2003
|
| In: |
Christian higher education
Year: 2003, Volume: 2, Issue: 2, Pages: 97-123 |
| Online Access: |
Volltext (lizenzpflichtig) |
| Summary: | Within the milieu of theological education in Africa there is a great demand for highly educated nationals to staff an ever-growing number of postsecondary schools of theology. At present there are no programs at independent institutions on the African continent for students desiring to pursue doctoral studies in evangelical theology. To help meet this need the Nairobi Evangelical School of Theology (NEGST) has been encouraged by Kenya s Council for Higher Education, as well as by numerous theological educators, to begin offering doctoral programs. NEGST has published plans to launch doctoral level programs in evangelical training. The objective is to support those interested in either the academic or professional fields of ministry. To these ends, a three-track system is being pursued: a purely academic doctorate (Ph.D.), a professional doctorate, and a combination of the two (NEGST Prospectus, 2000-2002). The makeup of this third doctorate (the combination) is puzzling because of unknown market demand. As an increasing number of graduate schools of theology in non-Western settings begin offering doctoral programs, institutional leaders must make important decisions concerning program design. The trend has been to design programs after the pattern of one found in Europe or North America. The adoption of Western models raises questions of contextual fit. What should a doctoral program in theology built from scratch for Africans in the African context look like? What is the program s targeted graduate profile? Which model(s) should inform program design (e.g., American, British, continental European)? What should be the content and orientation of the program? What should the degree be called? What design elements will ensure quality? |
|---|---|
| ISSN: | 1539-4107 |
| Contains: | Enthalten in: Christian higher education
|
| Persistent identifiers: | DOI: 10.1080/15363750302200 |