Diploma in Theology

Accreditation status

Auckland Park Theological Seminary’s Diploma in Theology is accredited by the Council on Higher Education (CHE) and South African Qualifications Authority (SAQA), and registered with the Department of Higher Education and Training (DHET).

SAQA registration number: 110817
HEQSF Aligned, NQF Level 6, 360-Credits: Distance Mode
Entry level NQF4 Level 6 and exit level NQF Level 7

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Overview of the Diploma in Theology

The diploma comprises of the six theological disciplines:

• Church history
• Dogmatics and Ethics
• Missiology
• New Testament
• Old Testament
• Practical Theology

Each discipline is divided into first and second semester modules and from 1st to 3rd year for a total of 36 modules.

Listen or read how ATS has compiled its Diploma curriculum in order to best equip people for God’s calling for their lives.

ATS enrols new students bi-annual, in January and in June.

The course is presented as a distance learning programme, supported by printed study material and online virtual classes.

Students who enrol for the first time in January will start with first semester modules. Students who enrol for the first time in June will start with second semester modules (refer to module codes).

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Minimum admission requirements

The minimum admission requirement is at least one of the following:

• A National Senior Certificate (NSC) as certified by Umalusi with an achievement rating of 3 (Moderate Achievement, 40-49%) or better in four recognised NSC 20-credit subjects.
• A tertiary qualification on NQF 5 (Higher Certificate).
• A theological related Higher Certificate (RPL for credits may apply)
• If the applicant is older than 23 years and have matriculation exemption from the Matriculation Board.
• If applicant is older than 45 years.

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Recognition of prior learning (RPL)

RPL is the process through which the prior knowledge, skills and experience of an applicant/student are made visible and assessed for the purposes of gaining access to a qualification programme, or exemption from modules of a particular qualification.

In order for the Academic Board to assess an applicant’s application for RPL, you’ll need to upload a portfolio of evidence in the form of supporting documentation. The more complete your documentation, the better your RPL application can be assessed by ATS.

For previous studies, you’ll need to provide:

• certified copies of transcripts or academic results (for foreign qualifications upload SAQA evaluation certificate), and
• documentation stating the objectives, learning outcomes, content and credits of the completed modules (The training institution should be able to provide you with such).

For knowledge and skills gained in practices (e.g. having been an ordained pastor for 15 years) outside Higher Education in terms of their value for the envisaged course of study, you’ll need to provide:

• your comprehensive curriculum vitae (CV),
• certified certificate of ordination (if applicable), and
• reference letters detailing the work you have been involved with.
• a short motivation letter describing:
  • why you are applying for RPL, and
  • what you value about your learning, work experience and your specific competencies.

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Credits

A academic qualification is awarded certain minimum credits. The Diploma in Theology is made up of a total of 360 credits. Each subject in the diploma carries a specific amount of credits. Credits are, in accordance with the DHET (Department: Higher Education and Training) calculated according to the following formula: 1 credit equals 10 study hours.

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International Students

The minimum requirements for international students will be a final school year certificate bearing the same value as the South African National Senior Certificate.

This qualification of the applicant must be assessed by SAQA and the original SAQA assessment certificate as well as the SAQA Evaluation Certificate must be submitted to ATS. Review detailed information for international students.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Learn more about how your studies will work.

Here we explain among other things how the Application and Registration processes work, ATS’ Online Learning system, how to submit your assignments, and the requirements for your invigilator for tests and exams.

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Study fees for the Diploma in Theology (2026)

R1,915 per module (which includes deposit fee).

The deposit fee per module is R670.25 (35%) and is payable on the date of registration.

The remaining amount needs to be paid in 3 equal installments by latest end of April (1st semester) or September (2nd semester).

Unlike other institutions, Auckland Park Theological Seminary does NOT charge extra fees for your Application or Registration every semester.

This qualification is priced 15-24% lower than comparable programmes, and 85% of the prescribed study materials are included in the module fees and provided to the student, making Auckland Park Theological Seminary’s Bachelor of Theology even more affordable. Students have a minimal number of additional prescribed books to purchase during their years of study.

A handling and dispatching fee for additional prescribed books and study material is payable if you do not collect your material from ATS. Estimated R200.

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Further study opportunities

Successful completion of this Diploma in Theology will allow the student access into a Bachelor degree at NQF Level 7.

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BTh Bridge

Once you have successfully completed this Diploma at ATS, you can “upgrade” to the Bachelor of Theology (BTh) degree by enrolling and completing the BTh Bridge course.

The BTh Bridge is a minimum one-year course and consists of 1 biblical language (Hebrew or Greek) on first year level (2 modules) and 7 assignments (an assignment in each of the 6 different theological disciplines plus 1 additional assignment).

On successful completion of the BTh Bridge you will be required to submit your original certificate obtained for your ATS Diploma. It will be replaced with a BTh certificate.

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Student loans

These financial institutions in South Africa offer student loans.

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Diploma in Theology Module Content

Module codes

• The module codes are descriptive of the discipline, year and semester, for example: CH612
• CH - Church History
  
• 612 - the second number represents the year, in this case the first year;
• the third number indicates the semester, in this case the second semester.
• The code CH612 therefore refers to the module Church History, first year second semester.

The module content for each subject in the Diploma in Theology is as follows:

CHURCH HISTORY (48 credits)

CH611 (8 credits)

A survey of the history of the Church during the first 500 years regarding:

• Teaching about the person of Jesus Christ, his life and death
• The origin and meaning of Church

CH612 (8 credits)

A survey of the history of the Church during the first 500 years regarding:

• The doctrine concerning the Holy Spirit
• Doctrine concerning the sacraments

CH621 (8 credits)

The development of the doctrine of divine healing and exorcism in the early Church:

• The theological grounding of healing in the Old and New Testaments
• Healing and the doctrine of the atonement
• The theological diagnosis of illness
• Why people are not healed
• The Church’s attitude towards medical sciences - Healing, spiritual gifts and prayer

CH622 (8 credits)

The history of the Christian Church during the mediaeval period until the Reformation and the rise of the Renaissance

• The Mediaeval Period up to the Reformation
• The Protestant Reformation, Martin Luther and John Calvin
• The Anabaptist tradition
• The Reformation in England
• The Roman Catholic renewal in response to the Reformation
• The transition from the Mediaeval Period to the modern world
• Changes in the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries
• The Protestant reaction to the Renaissance
• The history of the South African Church from 1652 to 1948

CH631 (8 credits)

A study of doctrinal developments within the Pentecostal movement:

• The Holiness movement
• The Healing movement
• Zionism
• The Holiness Pentecostal movement in the United States of America - The development of doctrine within the Pentecostal movement

CH632 (8 credits)

The history of the Church in the Modern period:

• The Holiness schism
• The development of the Pentecostal movement
• The modern, international Church
• The modern Church in South Africa from 1948 onwards - The history of the modern Pentecostal movement

DOGMATICS AND ETHICS (56 credits)

DG611 (8 credits)

Essential theological principles The Bible and I The biblical concept of God Relationships

DG612 (8 credits)

The doctrine about Christ The doctrine about man The law of God and man Divorce and remarriage

DG621 (8 credits)

The doctrine of Sin God’s Covenant The election Love as fruit of the Spirit

DG622 (8 credits)

Man and salvation The Kingdom of God Doctrine concerning the Church The sacraments

DG631 (12 credits)

Doctrine on creation The spiritual beings Baptism in the Holy Spirit Ethical perspectives on marriage

DG632 (12 credits)

God’s miraculous deeds Ministries within the Church The end times Ethical themes

MISSIOLOGY (48 credits)

MS611 (8 credits)

A biblical foundation for missions A theological foundation for missions Missions in a contemporary world society A Third World understanding of missions

MS612 (8 credits)

The Evangelical and Ecumenical understanding of missions Missions in Pentecostal perspective Missions in context: African Churches

MS621 (8 credits)

Outstanding personalities within the following historical periods:

• The Early Church history
• South African Pentecostal history
• Women in missions

MS622 (8 credits)

The emergence of various local and contextual theologies in :

• Third World Theologies: African, Liberation and Contextual theologies - African Independent Churches
• Pentecostal and Charismatic missions praxis

MS631 (8 credits)

Different mission practices Dimensions in Missions Missions and evangelism Various forms of Evangelism

MS632 (8 credits)

Important basic concepts in missions:

• The Triune basis of missions
• The Holy Spirit in missions
• Divine healing in missions

NEW TESTAMENT THEOLOGY (54 credits)

NT611 (8 credits)

Introduction to the New Testament New Testament theology 1A New Testament interpretation 1A Critical issues in the New Testament

NT612 (8 credits)

New Testament theology 1B New Testament interpretation 1B Critical issues in the New Testament 1B

NT621 (8 credits)

Introduction to the New Testament New Testament theology 2A New Testament interpretation 2A Critical issues in the New Testament 2A

NT622 (8 credits)

New Testament theology 2B New Testament interpretation 2B Critical issues in the New Testament 2B

NT631 (11 credits)

New Testament Theology 3A New Testament interpretation 3A Critical issues in the New Testament 3A

NT632 (11 credits)

New Testament Theology 3B New Testament interpretation 3B Issues in the New Testament 3B

OLD TESTAMENT THEOLOGY (54 credits)

OT611 (8 credits)

The Narrative literature of the Old Testament The Wisdom literature of the Old Testament

OT612 (8 credits)

Poetic literature of the Old Testament Prophetic literature of the Old Testament Apocalyptic literature of the Old Testament

OT621 (8 credits)

The socio-cultural context of the Old Testament

OT622 (8 credits)

The Old Testament and Missions

OT631 (12 credits)

Hermeneutics of the Old Testament Exegesis of the Old Testament

OT632 (11 credits)

The Old Testament and preaching Preaching from Narratives texts Preaching from prophetic texts Preaching from Poetic texts

PRACTICAL THEOLOGY (106 credits)

PRACTICAL THEOLOGY 611 (15 credits)

EN611 ENTREPRENEURSHIP (6 credits)

The person of the entrepreneur Christian entrepreneurship principles Values for Christian entrepreneurship

HL611 HOMILETICS & LITURGY (6 credits)

Introduction to preaching Introduction to worship

SD611 SPIRITUAL DISCIPLINES (3 credits)

Spiritual Disciplines Developing spiritual disciplines

PRACTICAL THEOLOGY 612 (17 credits)

CL612 CHURCH LEADERSHIP (5 credits)

Spiritual growth Practical spiritual disciplines

PC612 PASTORAL CARE AND COUNSELLING (6 credits)

Introduction to Pastoral Counselling

• Introduction
• Defining pastoral counselling
• Counselling
  • The counsellor
  • The counselee
  • The counselling process n Counselling principles
• Christian counselling and psychology
• Communication and counselling
• Ethics and pastoral counselling

YW612 YOUTH WORK (6 credits)

Developing a youth ministry Applying social principles in youth work Developing spiritual principles in youth work

PRACTICAL THEOLOGY 621 (18 credits)

CM621 CHILDREN MINISTRY (4 credits)

Orphans and vulnerable children Supporting older caregivers Education Health and nutrition Psychological support Social inclusion Economic strengthening The church and HIV/AIDS

FM621 FAMILY MINISTRY (4 credits)

Various Family Care aspects and principles Building faith at home Defining perspectives Innovative ways to build an effective family Supporting and encouraging parents

EN621 Entrepreneurship (5 credits)

The entrepreneur’s environment The social needs of the environment A social development plan

HL621 Homiletics and Liturgy (8 credits)

Compiling a sermon The practise of Christian prayer Understanding various Church services

PRACTICAL THEOLOGY 622 (17 credits)

CG622 CHURCH GOVERNANCE (4 credits)

Non Profit Organisations and the law SARS Legislation regarding NPO’s NP- and Employment Privacy of Information Act Organisational responsibilities

CL622 CHURCH LEADERSHIP (4 credits)

Practical leadership perspectives Leadership principles Applying management principles Practising ethical leadership 31

CL722 Church Leadership (4 credits)

Leadership principles Management principles

PC622 Pastoral Care and Counselling (5 credits)

Family and Marital Counselling

• Marital Counselling
• Family Counselling
• Hope Therapy

YW622 Youth Work (4 credits)

Discern psychological development stages How to unlock a community Relating - the church as community Relating to the broader community Co-operating community based organisations

PRACTICAL THEOLOGY 631 (22 credits)

CP631 CHURCH PLANTING (5 credits)

Introduction to church planting How to plan and do research Develop a vision, mission and values Implementing operational planning Develop an appropriate church model Dealing with administrative issues Handling financial issues Implement operational planning How to do church plant marketing

PT732-M13D: Entrepreneurship (6 credits)

Identify innovative new business opportunities Translate an opportunity into a business plan

SM631 SOCIAL MEDIA IN CHURCH DEVELOPMENT (5 credits)

Applying social media in the church Social media and caring programmes Social media and sharing The digital divide Applying ethical standards in social media

YW631 YOUTH WORK (6 credits)

Build an advanced youth ministry Assisting youth in crisis How to develop successful youth leaders How to develop a local youth ministry

PRACTICAL THEOLOGY 632 (17 credits)

CL632 CHURCH LEADERSHIP (5 credits)

Servanthood leadership People orientated management Church planting Church and public governance

HL632 HOMILETICS AND LITURGY (6 credits)

Compiling an advanced Bible based relevant sermon Different forms of Christian worship

PC632 PASTORAL COUNSELLING (6 credits)

Counselling children and teenagers

• Children counselling
• Adolescent counselling
• Child abuse counselling