THE BUILDING BLOCKS OF THE COURSE If you are a candidate for ordination in the Church of England, your programme of training will probably cover three years, and will include the following elements... The classwork programme – reading, study, classwork and assessment in connection with regular Tuesday evening (London) or Thursday evening (Chelmsford) teaching and learning sessions and residential weekends. For more on these modules, click here. Personal development – self-awareness, spiritual formation, prayer and reflection (based on the keeping of a private learning journal), use of annual personal development questionnaires, retreats and regular meetings with a personal tutor. For more on these modules, click here. Models of ministry – assessed projects and placements in your workplace, home church and elsewhere, with development of ministerial competencies. For more on these modules, click here. Bible in depth – assessed work on the text of selected books from the Old and New Testaments. For more on these modules, click here. Residential weeks – annual weeks of intensive residential study covering a variety of practical subjects, including hermeneutics, theological reflection, worship, preaching, adult education, spirituality, and ministry with young people. For more on these modules, click here. Assessment There are no exams in the NTMTC programme of study. Assessment is continuous and takes a variety of forms: essays, individual and group projects, presentations and other kinds of written work. In the classwork programme, there are two assignments for assessment purposes each term. There are six other assessed assignments during the three-year course, making 24 in all. There is also a formational assessment, which takes the form of a detailed report to each student's sponsoring bishop, at the end of the second and third years. Previous qualifications If you already have a degree or diploma in theology, you may only be required to train for ordination for two years, taking the second and third year programme. Decisions about the length of training are made by the bishop, on the advice of the selectors, and usually require the support of the Candidates' Panel of the Ministry Division. > Back to ordination training index     Copyright © 2007 North Thames Ministerial Training Course Registered Charity No. 1094157