POSTGRADUATE DIPLOMA IN THEOLOGY

General Regulations

1. 1. It shall be lawful for the Board of the Faculty of Theology to grant Postgraduate Diplomas in Theology to candidates who have satisfied the conditions prescribed in this Section. 2. The examination shall be under the supervision of the Board of the Faculty of Theology. 3. Subject to the provisions of this Section, any member of the University who has obtained the leave of the Board of the Faculty of Theology [Until 1 October 2013: and has kept statutory residence for at least three terms] [From 1 October 2013: normally] may be admitted to the examination for the Postgraduate Diploma in Theology provided that [Until 1 October 2013: :
   1. (a)] he or she has passed all the examinations required for the Degree of Bachelor of Arts and [Until 1 October 2013: has obtained First or good Second Class Honours in the Second Public Examination] [From 1 October 2013: has obtained First or upper Second Class Honours in the Second Public Examination], or has attained such honours in a degree examination of another university, such university having been approved by Council for the purposes of Senior Status; [Until 1 October 2013: or
   2. (b) he or she is, in the opinion of the board, otherwise adequately qualified to undertake the course.]
   Time spent outside Oxford during term as part of an academic programme approved by Council shall count towards residence for the purpose of this clause. 4. Applications for leave under cl. 3 shall be sent to the Registrar, through the Head or tutor of the society to which the applicant belongs or desires to belong. The board shall have power to determine the character and length of a course of study in Theology to be followed by the applicant before he or she may be admitted to the examination. 5. The examiners may award a distinction in any subject in the examination. 6. A student reading for the diploma who is not a graduate of the University shall wear the same gown as that worn by Students for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy.

Special Regulations

All candidates will be required to offer not less than three papers (and not more than five) [From 1 October 2013: from those specified below in the Schedule of Papers], of which at least one must normally be either (1) or (2) and another must be either (3), (4) or (5).

[From 1 October 2013: Regulations concerning essays

In the Michaelmas Term of each year, the Board of the Faculty of Theology and Religion will publish a list of topics, from which candidates may choose to write either two short essays or one long essay in place of one of their chosen papers. The topics offered may vary from year to year and will be related to the research interests of the teachers concerned.

The candidate is advised to have an initial discussion with his or her supervisor regarding the proposed field of study, the sources available, and the method of presentation. He or she should have further discussions with his or her supervisor during the preparation of the essay. His or her supervisor may read and comment on drafts of the essay.

Every candidate shall sign a letter declaring the essay to be his or her own work. This letter, which can be found in the Handbook for Graduate Studies or collected from the Theology Faculty Office, 34 St Giles', Oxford OX1 3LD, shall be presented together with the essay, in a separate sealed envelope.

The candidate must submit two typed copies of the essay (bound or held firmly in a stiff cover), addressed to the Chairman of the Examiners, Postgraduate Diploma in Theology, Examination Schools, High Street, Oxford not later than noon on the Friday of the eighth week of Hilary Term. Candidates must not put their names on the examination paper or on any pre-submitted work.

Schedule of Papers]

1. (1) The Four Gospels. Candidates will be expected to answer questions on the literature and the religion of the gospels, with portions of the text in either Greek or English. The prescribed portions of the Greek text1 are: Matthew 3-17 with synoptic parallels (text of Huck-Lietzmann, Synopsis of the first Three Gospels). The prescribed portions of the English text2 are: Matthew 5-7; Mark; John. (2) The New Testament Epistles with special reference to St Paul. Candidates will be expected to answer questions on the theology of these epistles, with portions of the text in either Greek or English. The prescribed portions of the Greek text1 are: Romans 1-8. The prescribed portions of the English text2 are: Romans; 1 Corinthians (edition of text as for paper 1). (3) Old Testament: The Pentateuch and Historical Books. Candidates must demonstrate in essay questions knowledge of the broad range of the syllabus and also of the issues of method involved. They must also show a detailed knowledge of the texts in either Hebrew or English. The prescribed portions of the Hebrew text3 are: Genesis 1-4. The prescribed portions of the English text2 are: either Genesis 1-11 or Exodus 1-15; and either 2 Samuel 1-12 or 2 Kings 18-25. (4) Old Testament: Prophets, Psalms, and Wisdom. Candidates must demonstrate in essay questions knowledge of the broad range of the syllabus and also of the issues of method involved. They must also show a detailed knowledge of texts in either Hebrew or English. The prescribed portions of the Hebrew texts2 are: Isaiah 1, 6, and 7. The prescribed portions of the English text3 are: either Isaiah 1-12 or Zechariah 1-14; and either Psalms 73-89 or Proverbs 1-12. (5) God, Christ, and Salvation. As specified for paper (5) in the Honour School of Theology. (6) Christian Life and Thought in Europe and the English-Speaking World, 1789-1921. As specified for paper (9)A in the Honour School of Theology. (7) Christian Moral Reasoning. As specified for paper (12) in the Honour School of Theology. (8) World Religions. Candidates will be expected to make a study of one of the following religions:
   1. (a) Islam;
   2. (b) Buddhism;
   3. (c) Hinduism.
   The syllabuses will be as prescribed for papers (16), (18), and (20) in the Honour School of Theology. (9) Philosophy of Religion. The subject will include an examination of claims about the existence of God, and God's relation to the world: their meaning, the possibility of their truth, and the kind of justification which can or needs to be provided for them, and the philosophical problems raised by the existence of different religions. One or two questions may also be set on central claims peculiar to Christianity, such as the doctrines of the Trinity, Incarnation, and Atonement. (10) The Development of Doctrine in the Early Church to ad 451 as specified for paper (4) in the Honour School of Theology.

Every candidate is required to follow for at least three terms a course of instruction in Theology, and he or she will, when he or she enters his or her name for the examination, be required to produce from his or her society a certificate that he or she is following a course of instruction in Theology for at least three terms.

[Until 1 October 2013: 4From candidates who wish to be admitted to the examination under cl. 3 (b) of the Decree, the Board of the Faculty of Theology will require evidence that they have followed, or have arranged to follow, for three terms a course of instruction in Theology in Oxford to the satisfaction of the board. Application for the board's approval of the course of instruction should be sent to the Registrar, through the Head or a tutor of the candidate's society or prospective society, at the same time as the application for permission to be admitted to the examination.

Before admission to the examination every candidate must have kept at least three terms by residence as a matriculated member of the University. Terms kept prior to admission as a student for the diploma may be reckoned for this purpose.]

The Nomination of Examiners shall be made as early as may be in Michaelmas Term.

[Until 1 October 2013: Except as may be determined by the board from time to time the examination for the diploma will begin at 9.30 a.m. on the Tuesday in the eleventh week from the beginning of Trinity Full Term.] [From 1 October 2013: Except as may be determined by the board from time to time the examination for the diploma will take place in Trinity Term.]