FAQs: General
Some people think theological study is only for those wanting to go into full time church or mission work. However, at MST we believe that all Christians will benefit from theological study. We have students from all walks of life, ages and cultural backgrounds studying at MST. While theological education may be a requirement full full time professional ministry, many students come simply out of interest, because they have questions about their faith they want answered, or as a first step in seeing what opportunities for service may be available for them. With this in mind we offer different levels of study for people with different needs and interests.
If you are interested in theological study we encourage you to check out the different courses. Each of the awards we offer is listed can be found on this site and there are also explanations of what is involved in the course and who it is most suited for. We are also more than happy to discuss with you the particular areas of interest you have and help ascertain what sort of study would be most beneficial for you.
The Australian College of Theology is a national, co-operative institution working to prepare students enrolled in approved academic awards for Christian ministry, and to promote the study of theology to the wider community.
Both MST and the ACT are committed to offering a quality and equitable program in all awards. The primary means by which this quality assurance is achieved is through the process of moderation. More information on moderation can be found in the Academic Manual (coming soon) or from the Australian College of Theology.
Students studying at MST will need either their own computer, or need to have access to a computer. Assignments at all levels are generally required to be typed. Many students find it helpful to have their own laptop but this is not essential. Students are welcome to bring laptops to class for note taking etc. Depending on the subject, class notes, handouts and other resources may be provided via our e-campus. As the college generally communicates with students via email, access to the internet is also important. For those without internet access at home, this is available to all students in the library for study purposes only.
MST material provided online (or on CD in the case of some Distance students) will need software that will allow you to open and read Portable Document Format (PDF) files, Rich Text Format (RTF) files, and HyperText Markup Language (HTML) files (otherwise known as web pages).
A web browser such as Mozilla Firefox can be downloaded freely from the internet.
Adobe Reader (for reading pdf files) can be downloaded from the internet for free.
Word processing software (such as Microsoft Word and WordPerfect) is available from commercial vendors, but the LibreOffice Suite does just about anything the commercial packages do, and can be downloaded from the internet for free.
You will also need to be able to interact with other students and MST by email. This requires you to be signed up with a commercial Internet Service Provider (ISP) and to have an email client (software) installed locally on your PC and access to either webmail or downloadable email such as Thunderbird (and is free and open source software).
Distance specific requirementsThe distance materials you will use throughout the subjects you enrol in are generally provided online. For those who cannot access the internet easily, it may be possible to get your course materials on a CD. You will find everything you need on the CD.
The current Fee Schedule can be found here.
Most subjects also require students to purchase one or two additional textbooks. There are a number of additional administration costs that may be incurred if you enrol late etc.
If you have already completed some course subjects with other colleges or have relevant experience that means you would not be gaining anything new from sitting a particular subject, you may apply for advanced standing (sometimes known as credit transfer or recognition of prior learning). At the commencement of your course you must complete the credit application form and submit it to the MST Board of Studies along with any supporting documentation such as transcripts, outlines of subjects completed, etc. Details of how to do this can be found on the form itself.
We recommend www.koorong.com.au as a great place to purchase your textbooks. Alternatively, if you do not have a theological bookshop nearby, you might consider an online bookshop such as amazon.com or barnesandnoble.com.
If you are unable to sit an exam during the specified period due to illness or another compassionate/compelling reason you may apply to sit a supplementary exam. You should apply in writing to the dean of studies before or as soon as possible after the exam period with evidence to support your reason.
At the end of each semester students are issued with a transcript of their results indicating both the grade they have achieved and the status of their enrollment. Students are not normally provided with final results prior to the sending of the transcripts. Results are published (by student id to preserve anonymity) on campus notice boards and the MST web site as soon as marking is completed.
Naturally we want to ensure all our records are up to date. Please complete the course adjustment form to let us know of any changes in your circumstances. We especially need to know of any changes to your contact details (email address, mailing address, telephone contacts etc) as these are the main means by which the College will seek to communicate with you during the year.
The course adjustment form should be used to notify us of your withdrawal. In order to be eligible to withdraw without a failing grade being attached to the transcript distance students must return the subject CD to the distance office.
ADDITION OR WITHDRAWAL BEFORE THE CENSUS DATE:
Semester Length & Annual SubjectsA student may add or withdraw a unit up to 5pm of the Friday of the second week of lectures (Administrative Date) without financial or academic penalty. If a student withdraws after week two of lectures but before the census date the student is required to pay a Variation of Enrolment fee for that unit. A student may only add a unit within this period of time with special permission from the Dean of Studies. If permission is granted the Variation of Enrolment Fee will apply in addition to the tuition fee for the unit.
Intensive UnitsA student may add or withdraw a unit up to 5pm of the second day of lectures (Administrative Date) without financial or academic penalty.
If a student withdraws after day two of lectures but before the census date the student is required to pay a Variation of Enrolment fee for that unit. For units taught in intensive mode, the Census Date is approximately 40% of the period from commencement of the unit to the final date for completion of assessment tasks.
No penalty will be incurred when the variation of enrolment is an action to correct an administrative error. In a case of withdrawal from a unit before the Administrative Date the unit will not be included on their transcript. If the student withdraws after the Administrative Date but before the Census Date ‘AW’ for Administrative Withdrawal will be recorded on their transcript. A student applying for a variation of enrolment must lodge a course adjustment form with the Dean of Studies or Director of Professional Ministries. If a Variation of Enrolment Fee applies that must accompany the form, else the form will not be processed.
WITHDRAWAL AFTER THE CENSUS DATE:
Non Fee-HELP StudentsOrdinarily there is no refund of tuition fees if a student withdraws after the Census date. If a non Fee-Help student wishes to claim for a refund of any up-front monies received before or after the census date and they have withdrawn after the census date, they need to apply in writing to the Principal of MST. A pro rata rebate may be offered to non FEE-HELP students in the event that a student is unable to complete their studies due to special circumstances. A student has up to 3 months from the time of lodgment of their variation of withdrawal to apply for a refund. If a student fails to lodge a variation form they may apply for a refund up to 3 months after the end of the presentation of the unit.
FEE-HELP students:If a FEE-HELP student withdraws after the census date, they will still have incurred a debt for those units for which they were still enrolled at the time of the census date. If the student has paid any up-front payments before the census date but withdraws after the census date, the ACT and MST are not required to return those up-front payments. The Variation of Enrolment fee shall not apply.
If a student wishes to claim a refund for their FEE-HELP assistance they need to apply in writing to the ACT Academic Administrator through the MST Dean of Studies. If the student wishes to claim for a refund of any up-front monies paid before the census date and they have withdrawn after the census date, they need to apply in writing to the Dean of Studies of MST. Refund is only possible in special circumstances where the situation is unusual, uncommon or abnormal and are:
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Beyond the student’s control
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Do not make their full impact on the student until, on, or after, the census date; and
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Make it impracticable for the student to complete the requirements for the unit during the period in which the student undertook, or was to undertake, the unit.
A FEE-Help student has up to 12 months from the time of lodgment of their variation of withdrawal to apply for a refund. If a student fails to lodge a variation form they may apply for a refund up to 12 months after the end of the presentation of the unit.
Life is not always easy and from time to time emergencies arise (such as the death of a loved one, a serious illness, or the loss of a job). We will be happy to accommodate you in the case of a serious emergency by delaying assessment or making special arrangements but you must notify us in writing before the due date. Please contact us as soon as you are aware of something happening that will affect your study. When requesting an extension please complete the Extension Application Form.
Nobody's perfect and from time to time mistakes are made. We encourage students to contact the college and make complaints where they feel they have been disadvantaged or mistreated. Please contact the Distance Learning Centre in the first instance and we will do our best to help. If an issue cannot be resolved then all students have the right to make a complaint directly to the Dean of Studies who will initiate appropriate action including organizing a remark by an alternative faculty person or taking the issue to an Academic Appeals Committee. If you are not satisfied with that decision or process you have the right to lodge a grievance with the Dean of the ACT. The Dean's decision is final.. Further details can be found in our Academic Guidelines.
Congratulations. If you are eligible to graduate you need only complete the Request to Graduate Form in order to get the process underway. Once the form has been processed you will be notified about the details of the ceremony. Alternatively, if you are unable to attend then your testamur can be mailed to you at an address you nominate.
The College Mission is a one week ministry immersion as part of a team supervised by one of the college faculty. Generally speaking, this ministry immersion involves partnering with a local church in reaching out to their community. These churches may be local to the college, in country Victoria, or even interstate. Opportunities to work in a cross-cultural situation are also sometimes available with previous trips including a visit to the Christian Leaders Training College in Papua New Guinea.
Full-time MST students undertake a College Mission each year. Part-time students with the flexibility to have a full week available can also participate if they choose.
The College Mission generally takes place just prior to the Mid-Semester break in Semester 2 (September) although depending on the team and the location, this may vary.
