Department of Social and Religious Studies
Program Requirements
Programs Structure
The general aim of this program is to provide the academic foundation and formation necessary for pastoral workers to be able to sustain local churches. The program is also suitable for those involved in religious education, teachers in pastoral centres, or social and family welfare workers.
Our Purpose
The Christian Church has been solidly established in Papua New Guinea due to vigorous action on the part of many missionary groups, mainly of European origin. The move from expatriate direction in the churches to local leadership has underlined the pressing need for a well-educated body of indigenous people to assume control of their own destiny within the churches. With this in mind a Diploma in Religious Studies was introduced in 1983 and a Certificate of Christian Education in 1986. Changes were made to these programs and to the titles of the awards.
In the year 2000 a Certificate in Religious Studies was awarded for one year of religious studies and a Diploma in Arts (Religious Studies) for two years of studies. In 1999 a Graduate Diploma in Religious Education was introduced to cater for the needs of teachers. The general intention of the current Diploma in Arts (Religious Studies) is to equip students to cope with the changing situation through a presentation of the intellectual and cultural heritage of the Catholic (and other) Church with particular reference to the PNG context. The specific aim of this program is to provide the academic foundation and formation necessary for religious education co-ordinators, teachers, catechists, youth workers, formators in pastoral and religious centres, and workers engaged in social and family welfare service. The religious studies units are also suitable for those who wish to study for purposes of personal enrichment and renewal in their spiritual life.
