Certificate Programme (Level 5)

Information on the Certificate Programme (Level 5) Course Units

Theology

TH501 What Catholics Believe

Level 5, 10 Credits

Catholics hold certain beliefs which shape the way they think about themselves, God, other people and the world. Those beliefs are found in Scripture and Tradition, celebrated in the Liturgy, articulated by the Church teaching authority and witnessed to in the lives of Christians. This course explores the concepts and beliefs that have shaped the Catholic tradition and so provide a background to understanding Catholic identity.

TH502 What is Theology?

Level 5, 10 Credits

Theology is “faith seeking understanding”. This course will explore questions about God, Jesus Christ, creation and being human in light of scripture, tradition and experience. Students will be encouraged to explore the Christian theological Tradition and examine the contexts in which theology is done.

TH503 Church and Sacraments

Level 5, 10 Credits

This course will explore the major historical developments that have influenced the contemporary sacramental practice of the Catholic Church. It will examine some key cultural influences that have shaped and defined the Sacraments highlighting how the faith of the Church is expressed, nourished and strengthened in the celebration of sacramental rituals.

TH504 Catholic Social Teaching

Level 5, 10 Credits

Catholic Social Teaching outlines the moral teaching of the Church as it applies to public community issues. This course will give an introduction to the Church’s teaching on social, economic, political and cultural matters. Catholic Social Teaching assists the People of God to overcome the separation of Gospel from life and to integrate faith and life to help create a more just world.

TH505 Issues in Christian Ethics

Level 5, 10 Credits

Christian ethics seeks to respond to the often challenging human experiences and life choices and experiences from a faith-filled perspective. This course will examine the key principles underlying Christian ethics and morality. It will introduce the idea that the Christian perspective exists alongside other perspectives. It will also introduce students to some of the different approaches to moral decision-making.

TH506 He Timatanga – a Beginning

Level 5, 10 Credits

This course introduces students to fundamental Māori concepts and their application. It begins with the correct pronunciation and application of te reo Māori and the basic generic concepts found in tikanga Māori. This paper seeks to engage students in both the content and the process associated with learning te reo and tikanga Māori and assist them to listen with new ears and see with new eyes.

Sacred Scripture

SC501 Understanding the Old Testament

Level 5, 10 Credits

Written over a long period of time, the Old Testament describes God’s relationship with God’s chosen people. Who were these people?  What was this relationship about? When did this happen? This course will introduce participants to the key events, dates, places, motifs and personalities of the Old Testament within a theological framework.

SC502 Interpreting the New Testament

Level 5, 10 Credits

The New Testament witnesses to the life and teaching of Jesus of Nazareth and the beginnings of the Christian church. It was written (in the light of faith in the Resurrection) by a number of people using a variety of literary forms.  This course is designed to familiarise participants with the content and world of the New Testament.

Pastoral Studies

PM501 Prayer and Liturgy

Level 5, 10 Credits
Using experiential teaching methods, the aim of this course is to look at the theory and principles of liturgy and how these can be adapted to practical situations that relate to the everyday liturgical practice of the Church

PM502 Spirituality for Ministry

Level 5 course, 10 credits
This course will provide an opportunity for participants to explore the meaning of spirituality and ways of nourishing it in their own lives. It will also provide participants with practical suggestions for appropriate prayer with individuals and groups in ministry.

PM503 Mission and Ministry

Level 5, 10 Credits
This course examines different understandings of the Church, with special emphasis on the “Community of Disciples” or ‘Communio”model. The significance of liturgy, the meaning of mission and ecumenism, and the role of ministers, ordained and lay, are some of the issues explored.

PM504 Pastoral Ministry in Praxis

Level 5, 10 Credits
This course provides participants with an understanding of the basic principles and skills of pastoral ministry in the Catholic tradition, and to give them an opportunity to reflect on how these apply in a specific pastoral context by undertaking a supervised pastoral ministry project.

PM505 Catholic Youth Ministry

Level 5, 10 Credits
Through an examination of A Framework for Catholic Ministry with Young People in Aotearoa New Zealand, this course will introduce participants to the goals, themes and components of Catholic Youth Ministry.

PM506 Youth Ministry Practice

Level 5, 10 Credits
The Youth Ministry Practice is an opportunity to experience the life of the Catholic faith community and to actively participate as a leader in ministry with young people. It is a chance to further explore the role of the youth minister.

Religious Education

RE501 Religious Education Today

Level 5, 10 Credits

This course will enable students to explore and deepen their knowledge and understanding of the language, effective teaching and assessment of Religious Education within Catholic schools in Aotearoa New Zealand. The exploration will take in the context of the primary and secondary Religious Education curriculum statements prescribed by the New Zealand Catholic Bishops’ Conference (NZCBC).

RE502 Spirituality for Teachers

Level 5, 10 Credits

This course will provide students with the opportunity to explore the meaning of Christian spirituality; practical suggestions to enhance the place of prayer and liturgy in the life of a Catholic school community; and the opportunity to examine the impact of faith development on the growth and development of the spirituality of children and/or adolescents in the context of a Catholic School in Aotearoa New Zealand.

RE503 Teaching Practice (Pre-service)

Level 5, 20 Credits

A teaching practicum in a Catholic School is an opportunity to experience the life of a Catholic Community, to participate in the role of teacher of Religious Education and leader of class prayer, and to model gospel values to students, staff, parents and the wider community of the school. This paper is a capstone paper where students will integrate, synthesise, and apply the knowledge and skills achieved throughout the qualification.

RE504 Teaching in a Catholic School (In service)

Level 5, 20 Credits

This course draws on Church documents, other current writings and the experience of the participants to examine the life of a Catholic school community. It is a capstone paper where students will integrate, synthesise, and apply their knowledge and skills to examine the identity and mission of Catholic Schools; explore teaching and leadership roles in Catholic Schools; reflect on how Catholic Schools can model gospel values to the wider school community and examine the meaning of Special Character as it is lived out in their own Catholic school setting.

Te Kupenga - Catholic Leadership Institute

Enrolment for all programmes in 2025 is open. Enrolment for Bachelor of Divinity and Graduate Diploma in Theology is extended until 13th December 2024.
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