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Ecclesiastical Bachelor of Divinity

The Ecclesiastical Bachelor of Divinity is a five-year part-time distance-learning degree programme in theology providing a comprehensive exposition and analysis of Christian doctrine based on the study of the sacred Scriptures, the works of the Fathers and Doctors of the Church, and the documents of the Magisterium. This degree is established by the Holy See (which is a signatory to the 1999 Bologna Declaration) according to the norms governing Higher Institutes of Religious Sciences (H.I.R.S.) and is conferred through Maryvale H.I.R.S. by La Faculté Nôtre-Dame in Paris under the authority of the Holy See .

Who is the programme aimed at?

Students are typically from all walks of life, aged 18–75, married, single, and religious. Some have strong academic backgrounds; others have done little academic work since leaving school. The Programme provides an academic formation specialising in Catholic theology and also develops the religious formation of the students so that they may participate more fully in the life and mission of the Church.

The programme has two pathways:

Pathway A

This pathway is ideally suited to any adult Catholic capable of studying at undergraduate degree level who wishes to develop his or her theological education.

Aims:

• To provide a comprehensive academic formation in Catholic theology.
• To develop a critical sense and academic judgement so as to evaluate different theological positions.
• To help those participating to discover and realise their vocation in the Church.
• To nourish each person's spiritual life through the enlightenment that comes from revelation.

Structure:

• Programmes commence in September consisting of two residential weekends and one residential midweek period per year. Between residential periods students work from home, writing eight essays per year. Academic grades are based on the essays and an examination at the end of each year.

Content:

Modules of study are taken on:

• History of Philosophy
• Systematic Philosophy
• Holy Scripture
• Fundamental Theology
• Dogmatic Theology
• Moral Theology
• Spiritual Theology
• Liturgical and Sacramental Theology
• Patrology and the History of the Church
• Canon Law

Assessment:

• Each module is assessed by the completion of one or more assignments and a written or oral examination.

Pathway B

This pathway is ideally suited for:

• Those people seeking to deepen their knowledge of the faith and serve the pastoral ministry of the Church.
• Those who are responding to the Church's call to become lay catechists in positions of responsibility and leadership.
• Candidates for the permanent diaconate who are sponsored by a diocese, and who may subsequently be ordained as permanent deacons, as well as those who have already been ordained as deacons.

Aims:

• To provide a comprehensive doctrinal and theological formation together with an understanding of methodologies appropriate to the communication of God's revelation in Jesus Christ.
• To help those participating to discover and realise their vocation in the Church.
• To nourish each person's spiritual life through the enlightenment that comes from revelation.

Structure:

• Programmes commence in September consisting of two residential weekends and one residential midweek period per year. Students also undertake parish-based work related to ministry in the Church. Between residential periods students work from home, writing essays for a designated academic tutor and producing a portfolio of resources for pastoral ministry or catechesis. Academic grades are based on the assignments, a portfolio of applied work, and an examination at the end of each year.

Content:

Modules of study are taken on:

• Fundamental Theology
• Dogmatic Theology
• Holy Scripture
• Spiritual Theology
• Liturgical and Sacramental Theology
• History of Philosophy
• Systematic Philosophy
• Moral Theology
• Patrology and the History of the Church
• Canon Law
• Transmission of the Faith

Assessment:

• Each module is assessed by the completion of one or more assignments and a written or oral examination.

What are the entry requirements?

In general, entry to this degree programme is ‘open’ in the sense that no specific previous qualifications are needed but evidence will be sought of ability for degree level work and the application will need to be supported by appropriate references. The Programme is delivered in English and evidence of competence in the language may be required of those for whom English is not their first language.

How long is the programme?

The Ecclesiastical Bachelor of Divinity is a five year , part-time, distance learning degree programme.

Those who exit after satisfactorily completing two years are eligible for a Maryvale Certificate . Those who exit after satisfactorily completing four years will gain a Maryvale Diploma .

When does the next course start?

A new programme begins each autumn.

How do I apply?

Applications are welcome any time up to the first week of September.

Accessibility

If you have a disability or any long-term condition that impacts on your day-to-day life, please download the Accessibility Form, open and edit it in Acrobat Reader, and email or post the completed document to the Accessibility Coordinator (address included on the form), to ensure we can give you the best possible support during your course of study. Disclosing a disability will not be a factor in the Institute’s decision as to whether or not to offer you a place on the course. However, it is important that the Institute knows if you have any special needs in order to provide you with appropriate support and facilities. This information will remain strictly confidential.

Student Feedback

What were the best aspects of the B.D.i.v. programme?

• "The comprehensive nature of the degree has given me a solid overview of the Catholic faith and strengthened me in my own spiritual development."
• "Its rich comprehensive presentation of the Church’s teaching-learning scripture, tradition, magisterial teaching, along with the tools and skills needed for a sound transmission of the Faith – the course has been an invaluable opportunity to truly learn what the Church teaches!"
• "Contact with lecturers whom you would not normally meet and getting their views on various aspects of theology."
• "The way, order, methodology of the module coursebooks and order of learning. The synthesis of learning really worked."
• "Meeting other students who provide support."
• "Lecturers' input and course materials."
• "The excellent hospitality and peace."
• "Time for prayer together and social time."
• "I feel truly welcomed by all (parts of the Maryvale family)."

How will you use your Degree in the future?

• "My priest would like me to help with baptism by speaking with families and for funerals."
• "Music ministry and liturgy combination, possibly chaplaincy, youth ministry and Church events."
• "I would like, in the future, to do a Masters in Marriage and Family, and work within the diocese along the lines of marriage guidance."
• "To enable me to proclaim the gospel and explain Church teaching in light of scripture and tradition in an engaging and accessible manner for our young people (youth work)."
• "Pastorally, sacramentally and personally."
• "Diaconal ministry."
• "In a pastoral ministry."
• "Not only will I use the degree for whatever ministry the Lord calls me too – but for my life as a whole – how I understand the world etc and also the benefits of the degree for my personal relationship with the Lord. Having the core teachings, the foundational truths of the Faith and skills for its transmission engrained in my heart and mind!"

Can you sum up your B.D.i.v. and Maryvale experience in a few words?

• "Overall, the degree programme has been a gift. From a young age, I have been eager to know what the Church teaches in all its richness and to be able to defend the Faith. Every single module/essay (even the tough ones!) has not only enriched my knowledge and understanding but has contributed to my personal and spiritual growth beyond words. It has been an experience of God’s Love that has also given me friends for life – who made the journey fun and enjoyable!"
• "A solid foundation of learning and teaching that formed a thorough understanding of Church teaching and provided assistance in my day to day faith and work."
• "It has been pleasurable and greatly informative and has given me the tools to transmit the faith in a holistic manner. The course has also enriched my own faith development."
• "It has been an integral formation, in that all the knowledge on the faith informs all areas of my life: my spiritual life, my human relationships, my work and my pastoral ministry."
• "This has been a fantastic journey and I have deepened my Faith beyond my expectation. Studying with Maryvale has given me confidence and the tools to faithfully echo the teachings of the Church and the experience."
• "Support from other students is extremely valuable and the tutors' guidance is excellent."
• "A wonderful experience."
• "The experience provided is very good."

B.D.i.v. Students - July 2018

• "This has been a fantastic journey and I have deepened my Faith beyond my expectation. Studying with Maryvale has given me confidence and the tools to faithfully echo the teachings of the Church and the experience. Spread the word, etc."

B.D.i.v. Student - May 2018

About Maryvale.

Maryvale lies at the centre of the ancient settlement of Oscott, about five miles from Birmingham City Centre. With its charming buildings, in which Christian values and prayer are almost tangible, its long and interesting history and peaceful grounds, Maryvale is spiritual ‘home’ to many.

It has been the aim of the Maryvale Institute from its inception to provide opportunities for lay people, clergy and religious to achieve a deeper understanding of the faith and to appreciate more clearly its joyful message for the lives of individuals and communities. Maryvale stands within the Catholic theological tradition, whose riches it seeks to explore, and draws from that tradition an insistence, not only on the foundational importance of faith for theological reasoning, but also on the place of reason in the response of faith. In pursuance of this, the Institute provides opportunities for Catholic formation and education through courses across a wide range of subjects and levels.

Maryvale has a well-equipped library, where internet access and computers are available to students, together with multi-media and audio-visual resources. The House can accommodate up to 150 people on a daily basis in its lecture, conference and seminar rooms, and has study bedrooms to accommodate 40 students. The Bridgettine Sisters welcome guests and maintain a regular cycle of prayer in the Chapel. The Shrine to the Sacred Heart of Jesus is a popular place of pilgrimage. The grounds include a Rosary walk with Stations of the Cross, ample car parking, and easy access to numerous sites of historic interest, Oscott College, the Birmingham Oratory and Birmingham City Centre.

A Historic Spiritual Environment for Academic Work

Maryvale occupies a unique place in the history of the Catholic Church in England. Catholic worship has been celebrated continuously on the site for over 1000 years. The oldest part of the present building, originally called Oscott House, was the home of the Bromwich family, and the base for the local Catholic mission during the 17th and 18th centuries. Andrew Bromwich was one of the last priests to be imprisoned towards the end of the penal period, and when he inherited the family house he gave it over for the use of the Church as the English mission emerged from the shadows with the gradual relaxation of the anti-Catholic laws.

From 1794 to 1838 it became the first seminary established in England and, being placed under the patronage of Our Blessed Lady, became known as St Mary’s College, Oscott. When the seminary was relocated to a new and larger building in 1838 (in the area of Birmingham that is still called New Oscott) it was used as a school until in 1846 it became the home of Blessed John Henry Newman and his community of fellow converts. Following ordination in Rome, he established the first English Oratory there and renamed the house Maryvale.

After the Oratory moved to central Birmingham, Maryvale briefly became the novitiate for the Oblates of Mary Immaculate and was visited by their founder, St Eugene de Mazenod. Then for nearly 130 years, it housed an orphanage run by the Sisters of Mercy until they left in 1980 when it assumed its present role as an institute for adult faith formation.

Maryvale also contains Britain’s first public shrine to the Sacred Heart of Jesus, established by Bishop Milner in 1814, who built a small chapel to house an image of the Sacred Heart painted in glass as described by Saint Gertrude. The monthly first Friday devotions are held in the Institute chapel, and there is an annual novena leading up to the Solemnity of the Sacred Heart and culminating with a pilgrimage mass on the Sunday following.

Maryvale Chapel remained as the parish church and the centre of the local Catholic community until the new church of Our Lady of the Assumption was opened in the 1950s to accommodate the needs of the expanding Maryvale parish.

So as well as being a specialist educational centre, Maryvale is a place of worship, a place of pilgrimage and a spiritual community of prayer and mission. In 1999 sisters of the Order of the Most Holy Saviour of St Bridget - the Bridgettines - came to live at Maryvale in a new convent financed by Saint John Paul II. In addition to a deep devotion to our Lord’s sufferings and to the Blessed Sacrament, which is regularly exposed for adoration in the chapel, the sisters’ special charisms are contemplation, hospitality and prayer to foster unity among Christians.

The integration of study and prayer is a feature of all Maryvale courses and students participating in the day or short residential programmes at the Institute enjoy teaching and learning opportunities united to a cycle of prayer and worship, including Mass and the Divine Office.

A Place of Study

A Unique Academic Environment

Maryvale is committed to the highest academic and professional standards and is recognised internationally for these standards and its unique opportunities for distance learning based upon the Catholic philosophy of learning for life.

Whether you are training for a special ministry in the Church, looking for professional development, or seeking personal growth, Maryvale offers courses for all. It can help whether you are faced with the challenge of assisting in the parish, instructing a parish Confirmation group, or if you hope to stretch your academic capacity at masters or doctoral level.

All of Maryvale's courses can be audited

If you would like to follow one of Maryvale's courses without presenting work or seeking a qualification you are welcome to do so. All of the courses can be followed simply for one's personal interest and development. Students taking a course in this way receive the modules and follow the course without being eligible for a qualification.

Individual Needs

Many Further Education courses allow for the study of individual modules for those wishing to study a particular area; read the individual course pages for further information.

Special rates and arrangements are available for those wishing to use the Certificate in Studies of the Catechism in Formation Programmes for Religious and Pre-Seminarians (formerly Course for Religious).

Maryvale Institute's Vision and Mission

Vision

The vision for Maryvale Institute, as per the Trust Deed, is to be a diocesan, national and international college which:

• Lives and presents the Catholic faith, morality and its contribution to contemporary religious, moral and ethical issues;
• Provides a range of formation courses offered primarily, but not exclusively, to lay and consecrated religious members of the Church, especially those involved in catechesis or other lay apostolates;
• Takes a self-critical stance as an academic community in monitoring and evaluating its own courses and methods in the light of evidence gathered internally and that provided by external agencies to ensure the highest possible standards and relevance of its academic activities;
• Develops its courses and other activities according to the findings of ongoing evaluation procedures and in response to changing needs in the wider community, as advised by the Board of Trustees;
• Develops collaborative partnerships with other centres of Catholic theological education in the UK and elsewhere, and other UK higher education providers;

Mission Statement

• The Mission of Maryvale Institute is to be a leader in the provision of lifelong learning for all, and research opportunities, in Catholic Evangelisation, Catechetics, Theology, Philosophy and Religious Education in order to serve Christ’s mandate and his Church’s mission of evangelisation in contemporary society. This provision is a distinctive combination of the methodology of distance learning and critical engagement with the Word of God in Scripture and Tradition, guided by the Church’s Magisterium. This work is carried out within an environment of Christian Faith, of academic and administrative quality, of open dialogue and the mutual valuing of the work, gifts and the personal and professional development of every member of the Institute.