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TCA College is the first and only
Christian College in Singapore that offers a PhD Programme. This
part-time, research-based degree is jointly offered by TCA College
and the University of Wales, Bangor, U.K.
Brief History of the Two
Partnering Institutions
TCA College was founded in 1979 by Rev. Dr. Naomi
Dowdy, Chancellor of the College, and has grown into a multi-disciplinary
college offering certificate, diploma, degree and postgraduate
programmes in Counselling, Creative Arts, Divinity and Leadership.
The University of Wales,
Bangor, U.K. was established in 1884 and has a long tradition
of academic excellence that continues to this day. It was rated as a
top university for help and support provided to students in the
United Kingdom by The Times Higher Educational Supplement (June
17, 2005). As such, students stand to benefit both academically
and practically during the course of study.
“We have a very favourable
impression of TCA College. The new campus with its state-of -the-art
facilities will prove very attractive for future students. We feel
proud to be associated with this forward-looking institution and
have every confidence that the partnership will prove successful
and enjoyable.”
Dr Eryl W Davies,
Head of the
School of Theology and Religious Studies |
Overview
This is a 4-5 years part-time, research-based programme. TCA College
admits students as Research Students at the first instance during
the thesis proposal phase. Once the proposal is submitted and accepted
by University of Wales, Bangor, students enrol officially with University
of Wales as a PhD Candidate. Completion of the programme leads to
the award of the degree of Doctor of Philosophy by University of
Wales, Bangor, U.K.
Candidates pursue an independent
but supervised research in an approved field of study based on which
a thesis must be submitted. They will each be assigned two supervisors,
one from TCA College and the other from University of Wales to guide
them in their research. Candidates are required to keep in regular
contact with their local supervisors whom they may consult on any
matter relating to their research. They are also required to attend
an Annual Doctoral Seminar held at TCA College, Singapore where
they will meet representative professors from University of Wales,
Bangor, U.K. for progress advice.
On the completion of the research,
the candidate is required to submit a thesis on his/her research
for examination and attend a viva held at the University of Wales,
Bangor.
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Area of Study
Students may embark on research in any area of theology provided
this area is acceptable to the University of Wales (http://www.bangor.ac.uk/courses/postgrad/).
Duration and Fees
An applicant shall first enrol through TCA College as a Research Student.
The Research Student will have to submit a thesis proposal within
6 months of enrolment at a fee of S$500. An additional 3 months and a second 3 months
may be granted to the Research Student if needed at S$250 per
3 months. During the period, the supervisor will see that an adequate
proposal is drafted for submission to University of Wales, Bangor,
U.K.
Upon
acceptance of the Thesis Proposal by University of Wales, Bangor,
U.K., the Research Student will be accepted as a candidate of the
PhD programme with the University where he/she will be expected
to complete his/her research and thesis in 4 to 5 years.
The total tuition fee of £15,800 is to be paid in 4 years (£3,950
x 4yrs). If the candidate needs an extra year to complete the thesis,
the fifth year will be free of charge.
Residency Requirements
- Orientation Seminar
All candidates will be required to attend an Orientation Seminar
at TCA College at the start of their programme.
- Annual Doctoral Seminar
- Candidates will be required to attend a Doctoral Seminar held every year at TCA College.
- During these seminars candidates will present their research progress and interact with their supervisors.
- Doctoral Research Methodology Module
A research-writing module for doctoral students
will be offered at TCA College. Module fee applies accordingly.
Students with prior training may apply for exemption.
Thesis
The
thesis (written in English) consists of the candidate’s account of his/her own investigations.
This forms a significant contribution to knowledge and affords evidence
or originality by the discovery of new facts or theories and/or
by the exercise of independent critical power. The
length of the thesis should range from 80,000 – 100,000 words.
Upon acceptance by the University of Wales, Bangor, U.K. as a PhD
candidate, the candidate is expected to complete the thesis in 4
to 5 years.
Examination
The candidate is required to submit a thesis on his/her research for
examination and attend a viva held at the University of Wales, Bangor
upon completion of research. All costs incurred for this examination
and viva will be borne by the candidate.
Graduation
The candidate will take part in TCA College’s Graduation Exercise. He/she
may request to participate in University of Wales, Bangor’s Graduation
Exercise with the understanding that all costs will be borne by
the candidate.
Contact Person
Dr. Shelly Li
Director of PhD Programme
School of Divinity
Tel:
+ 65 6304 7658
Fax: + 65 6749 7197
Email: shellyli@tca.edu.sg
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