Applicants should have a university entrance standard. It takes normally 5 years to complete this full-time programme, but 3 years for graduates with a college degree (including B.Th.) and 4 years for form six graduates with a professional training not less than two years. Full time church or Christian organization workers, and Christian with a doctorate in other subjects, could apply for part-time study. Length of study varies according to individual merit. The programme of study includes basic theological studies plus other subjects as needed or desired to prepare for a vocation of ministry.

1. Entrance Requirements:

Candidates should have successfully completed matriculation in Hong Kong, or the equivalent, plus one year of working experience. For candidates over 25 years old, the minimum requirement is the Certificate of Education or equivalent, plus five years of working experience. All candidates accepted must have acquired an academic standing at least equivalent to the minimum entrance requirement for University students. Candidates are normally required to have church backing, and must provide the names of three referees who are willing to write confidential recommendation; and among them, one of whom must be a church minister.

2. Procedure of Studying:

Students should study the basic courses in area (1) to (3), then study the more advanced area (4) to (6). Except upon exemption, Intro. to NT/OT, Biblical Language, Systematic Theology I & II and Local Church Studies must be taken in 1st year.

3. Requirements for Graduation:

(1) Completed the required courses.

(2) Comprehensive Examination:

(i) Date: The third Tuesday and Wednesday of May. (Thursday is Term End Commencement)

(ii) Examination after 2 years of study for the 3-year programme.
Examination after 3 years of study for the 5-year programme.
Examination after 2 or 3 years of study for the 4-year programme.

(iii) Examination Courses:
Bible - at least 4 courses completed
Theology - at least 3 courses completed
History of Christianity - at least 2 courses completed
Altogether at least 11 courses completed

(iv) 2 Examination Papers:
Paper I: Choose 2 questions and answer in 3 hours. (Closed book)
Paper II: Answer 1 question in 4 hours. (Open book)

(v) Supplementary Examination:
Supplementary examination will be held not later than the end of August of the same year. A candidate who fails in the Supplementary Examination should repeat one year, and sit again for the Examination in next May. The candidate who fails in the retrial should withdraw himself/herself from the programme.

(3) Graduation Thesis:

(i) Area: Missiology or other related topics. Topics approved by the instructor should be submitted during the first two months of the first semester in the final academic year, or according to the requirement of the supervisor of thesis writing.

(ii) Length: within 25,000 words.

(iii) Date of Submission: May 31

4. Programme of Study:

The programme of study is 5 years full-time. In general, the requirements for the B.D. degree are parallel to the core curriculum for the Bachelor of Arts (Theology major) degree. Candidates for the B.D. degree must fulfill the same requirements in English and Chinese, Physical Education, General Education and Intensive Programme in Putonghua, Cantonese and English as matriculated students in the University. They are encouraged to choose a wide range of elective subjects especially in Social Science and Philosophy. They are also required to study at least one year of a Biblical Language. The required minimum number of units for the five-year programme is 159. (1 unit = 1 hour for 1 semester of 13/14 weeks.)

(1) B. D. 5-Year Programme
*For F. 6 or equivalent student*

(2) B.D. 4-Year Programme
*For graduate with F. 6 plus at least two-year post secondary study*

(3.1) B.D. 3-Year Programme
*For degree holders or equivalent*

☆ Studied before admission is acceptable.

(Note 1)
Four Compulsory courses (Church History):
Early and Medieval Church
The Reformation Era
Modern European and American Christianity
Christianity in China/Christianity in Hong Kong

(Note 2)
Compulsory courses:
Systematic Theology I & II

AND two courses related to this area, e. g.:
Humanity and Salvation
God, Creation & Eschatology
Christ, Church & Spirit
Contextual Theology/Modern Theologies related courses

(Note 3)
One course (3 credits) from each area of Mission and Ethics are compulsory.

(Note 4)
Field Education is not an elective; it must be taken during term time or summer holidays. For students of B.D. 5-year Programme, Field Education should be arranged in the 2nd term of fourth year, usually from January to August on a full-time basis. Other students can take Field Education either by full-time or part-time. Refer to the Field Education - Basic Information from Divinity School of Chung Chi College.

The year by which students can take Field Education:
B.D. 3-year programme: In the summer after completion of 1st year studies.
B.D. 4-year programme: In the summer after completion of 2nd year studies.
B.D. 5-year programme: In the summer after completion of 3rd year studies.

(3.2) B.D. 3-Year Programme
*For B.Th. degree holder*

☆ Studied before admission is acceptable.

(Note 1) One course (3 units) from each area of Mission and Ethics is compulsory.

(Note 2) 3 years/full-time church work experience or above can have 4 units exempted, 5 year experience can have 8 units exempted.

(Note 3) Students should take Non-religious and theology courses as many as possible.

(Note 4) Maximum units to be exempted for individual students needs to be approved by our School.

The structure of this programme is basically the same as that of "3- year Programme (for degree holders or equivalent)". However, with the approval of our School, students who are B.Th. degree holders may change the study plan as follows:
1. Unit exemption: Only limited to Biblical Language (maximum 6 units) and Field Education (maximum 8 units) courses.
2. Reallocation of units in study areas: According individual needs, students may apply to respective lecturers to re-allocate the unit requirements of Area (1) to (4) to other study areas. (e.g. to change the requirement of 12 units to 9 units in Theology Area and relocate this 3 units to be Electives) However, the student must fulfill the minimum required units in each area after reallocation.

Students should apply for changes in study plan to Programme Director within the second term of the first year of study.

Updated at: 30/3/2013