Degree of Master of Theology

RESOLUTION

The Degree of Master of Theology is awarded under Resolution No. 578 of the University Court which came into effect on 1st September 2007. The relevant provisions of the Resolution are as follows:

1.    The Degree of Master of Theology (MTh) may be awarded by the Senate of the University of Glasgow in the College of Arts.

2.    The Senate may make regulations, which are subject to the approval of the University Court, governing the award of the Degree – these are set out in the section entitled ‘Regulations’. 

3.    Candidates for the Degree may undertake either research in accordance with the provisions of these Regulations in Schedule A, or a prescribed course of study in accordance with the provisions of Schedule B.

4.    Before being admitted to study qualifying for the Degree of Master of Theology a candidate must:

a)   have obtained the Degree of Bachelor of Divinity in the University of Glasgow or in another University recognised for this purpose by the University Court on the recommendation of the Senate, provided that the Senatemay, with the approval of the University Court, admit a candidate with such other qualifications as it may approve for this purpose; or,

b)   have satisfied the Senateof his or her fitness to undertake advanced study.

5.    Candidates may be permitted to pursue a course of prescribed study or research on either a full-time or a part-time basis. The minimum period of study for each candidate shall be one academic year of full-time study or two academic years of part-time study.

Candidates shall be subject to the same provisions regarding minimum periods of study as full-time candidates if they have pursued their studies while holding appointment as a member of the teaching staff of the University of Glasgow, or as a Research Assistant or Research Fellow of the University of Glasgow paid through the Finance Office or directly by a grant-awarding body approved by the University Court.

6.    The College shall designate for each candidate a supervisor who shall report at least once a year to the College on the progress of the candidate.

Schedule A - Master of Theology by Research

1.     On completion of the prescribed period of research each candidate shall present a thesis embodying the results of his work. The thesis must be in English and shall not exceed 40,000 words. The candidate may also be required to undergo oral examination.

2.     Except by special permission of the Senate, a thesis may not be presented later than four years from the date of the candidate’s admission.

3.     A candidate must submit two bound typewritten copies of the thesis. The thesis must be accompanied by a declaration by the candidate that the research has been carried out and the thesis composed by the candidate, and that the thesis has not been accepted in fulfilment of the requirements of any other degree or professional qualification. The submitted copies of the thesis may be soft-bound but otherwise should generally conform to the British Standard Institution’s Recommendations for the presentation of theses (BS4821:1990) which is available for consultation in the University Library or from the College Graduate School.

4.     The examiners for the Degree shall be such Professors and Lecturers in the University as the Senate shall designate, and such additional examiners as the University Court, on the recommendation of the Senate, shall appoint. The Examiners shall conduct such oral and written examinations as they may desire or as the Senate may prescribe. A candidate may be required to present himself or herself for an oral or other examination

5.     If the Examiners consider that the thesis, portfolio, or project work has not achieved the standard required for the award of the Degree, the candidate may be permitted to revise the theses, portfolio or project and resubmit it, on one occasion only, under such conditions as the Examiners may prescribe in each particular case. Normally, resubmission should be no later than 6 months after the date of the meeting of the Board of Examiners.

6.     If approved for the degree, one hard-bound copy of the thesis and one electronic copy shall be deposited with the University Library. The bound copy should normally be produced to the standard defined in BS4821:1990, and the electronic copy must conform to University Library specifications published at http://theses.gla.ac.uk/format.html. It is the University's normal practice to make the bound copy available for consultation in the Library, and to permit computer download of the electronic copy through its repository service, Enlighten. Such access may, however, be restricted under provisions of the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002 or the Environmental Information (Scotland) Regulations 2004.

Schedule B - Master of Theology by Prescribed Courses

1.     The Senate may on the recommendation of the College of Arts institute courses of study for the Degree of Master of Theology in any appropriate subjects in the College. Such courses may be made available on a full-time or on a part-time basis.

2.     The syllabus for the Degree shall comprise three courses of guided reading and a dissertation on a subject to be approved by the Course Director. Two of the three courses must be taken from the courses offered in Theology and Religious Studies and one may be any other such postgraduate level courses offered in the College of Arts or Social Sciences as shall from time to time be approved by the College. Any amendments to the list of courses shall be submitted by the College to the Senate for its approval. Each course and the dissertation shall be weighted equally.

3.     The examiners for the Degree shall be such Professors and Lecturers in the University as the Senate shall designate, and such additional examiners as the University Court, on the recommendation of the Senate, shall appoint. The Examiners shall conduct such oral and written examinations as they may desire or as the Senate may prescribe.  A candidate may be required to present himself or herself for an oral or other examination.

4.     Each course shall be assessed by 3 x 3000 word essays, the titles of which will be approved by the relevant Course Director, to be submitted no later than 31st May in the final year of the Degree. The dissertation, to be written in English and not exceeding 15,000 words, shall be submitted by 30th September of the final year of the Degree. The title of the dissertation must be approved by the Course Director. The Senate may, on special cause shown and after consideration of a stated case by the College Higher Degrees Committee (or equivalent), defer the submission dates for the essays (but to no later than 6 months after the 31st May deadline) or for the dissertation (but to no later than one year after the 30th September deadline).

5.     The Degree shall be awarded on the basis of an average of 60% over the four constituent elements. The Examiners may permit a candidate who does not achieve this level of performance in a particular course to submit one further essay but only one such re-submission shall be permitted in each course. In the case of a dissertation not achieving the minimum level of performance, the Examiners may permit re-submission in a revised form under such conditions as may be prescribed in each case.

6.     The Examiners shall have discretion to recommend that the degree be awarded with Distinction to a candidate whose overall performance has averaged at least 70% with no mark in any one component having fallen below 60%.