TENABLE AT ST. MARY’S NATIONAL SEMINARY GGABA AND ST. PAUL’S NATIONAL MAJOR SEMINARY KINYAMASIKA
We live in a diverse and pluralistic world where religious faiths exist not in isolation from one another, but in close proximity and contact. As such, any Christian who intends to make a meaningful existence seasoned by faith will need to be exposed to an understanding of other religions and what can be gained from them in their practice. Indeed, in agreement with Justice Clark, writing for the majority in a 1963 Supreme Court decision that encouraged the study of religion, “one’s education is not complete without a study of comparative religion or the history of religion and its relationship to the advancement of civilization.” Thus, the study of Religion and Theology leads to a deeper understanding and appreciation of the role and importance of religion in society. In this case, it will be particularly so from the point of view of Christians who are personally involved in the perennial human search for meaning and purpose in life through its critical exploration of the most enduring ways in which people from around the world have responded to the most crucial issues of life.
Secondly, at the end of the day, (human) self-transcendence guides all people towards personal concerns ranging from the material, via the socio-economic to the ulterior ones. This revolves around the question as to the ultimate meaning of life. Unfortunately, this otherwise all- consuming, life-long obligation to progressively answer that question in practice has been abandoned to the religious people where concentrated efforts can easily be identified. There is need, therefore, to provide an arena where people of all professions and walks of life come face- to-face with among the most crucial life and societal issues in an objective style yet with a personal touch (experience). This programme, for the most part, provides that missing link.
Thirdly, the spectrum of benefit from this programme is such that it provides an opportunity for Christian people of all walks of life to deepen and broaden their faith understandings, to reflect on the challenge of diversity in a dialogical setting, and to meaningfully relate religious theory and spiritual practice to the context in which faith communities exist in daily life, community, and the world at large. Moreover, it is based on the felt need for as comprehensive an academic training as possible for civil servants who choose to temper their earlier training with a spectrum that is centred on reflective religious reality and experience.
Lastly, despite the fact that by the time this programme was designed the current crucial strategies for national, continental and global initiatives for growth and sustainable development were not yet in place, this programme has a big potential to contribute towards their achievement. These include Agenda 2063 (2013-2063), the Sustainable Development Goals (2015-SDGs) and NDP III (2020/21-2024/5), among others. On addition to the critical thinking and creativity as well as pragmatism provoked by this progamme (see delivery methods), making orthopraxis possible, a number of important issues are covered which are crucial for growth and development. These include considerations of socio-economic development, research, dialogue, ethics, gender, African thought, science, and sociology, among others, as related to the programme outcomes (see section 1.5).
To equip graduate students with deep and comprehensive knowledge on the Christian religious and theological phenomenon in the particular contexts and experiences in a way that will make them competent analysts of the various situations in life and also be able to dispense counsel as will be needed. The programme will also contribute towards forming integral, critical and creative persons from among the students who will come from the various professions. In that way it will enrich all earlier knowledge acquired with complementarity, breadth, depth and religiosity.
The programme is so significant that it will create the following:
The programme provides a spectrum of competencies and career opportunities. Having attained knowledge about Religion and Theology as they mix with and influence human life in a complicated milieu, graduates of this programme will be well-equipped to handle issues both of the spirit, heart and of social nature, as well as managing their own lives. Thus, the graduates of this programme can work in the following departments: Church Ministry and any other Religious engagements, preachers, teachers, leaders, counsellors, Probation officers, Childcare, Embassies, Government Ministries and NGOs, among others.
Nature of the Programme: The programme shall be conducted on a full-time basis. When the need arises, adjustments will be made to accommodate part-time (Friday-Saturday) as well.
The first beneficiaries of this programme are the seminarians of Ggaba National Seminary and St. Paul’s National Major Seminary. However, teachers, social workers and people of all other professions are welcome to deepen their knowledge of religion and theology. Both men and women will be welcome.
In line with the stipulations of the NCHE for a Masters by Coursework and Research, this shall be a minimum of two years and a maximum of four years. The first year will be for course works and examinations while the second year will be for research leading to the submission of a dissertation.
Candidates who successfully complete the programme will be awarded a Master of Arts in Religious and Theological Studies of Makerere University.
2.3 Tuition Fees
The tuition for Masters programme for East Africans is two million four hundred thousand shillings (2,400,000/=) and four million two hundred forty-two thousand shillings (4,242,000/=) for international students. The functional fees will total to six hundred fifty-five thousand shillings (655,000/=) and will always be detailed in the admission letter.
3.1 Admission Requirements
Admission to the MRTS programme shall be for a holder of a Bachelor’s degree in Theology and Religious Studies from a recognised University.