PTC offers most of its units online to enable students from all over Australia and overseas to study with us. There are various ways in which these units are delivered.
Online units can be taken in any of PTC’s coursework awards. Longer awards that may be able to be completed entirely online are as follows, but note that for an adequate student experience, PTC requires the language units (Greek and Hebrew) to be either taken on-campus or live via video conference and recordings may not be relied upon:
Shorter awards that can be completed entirely online include:
For more information, see the list of available courses: Courses.
Live option: PTC’s on-campus units are usually also made available by video conference. Online students join the live class by Microsoft Teams. This provides the most realistic and engaging form of online unit, maximising the feeling of being part of a community and allowing for genuine interaction and discussion with lecturers and students.
Recorded option: video-conferenced lectures are also recorded, so that live participation via video conferences is not compulsory. Students can watch the recordings of the lectures at whatever time is suitable. Online students always have the option of joining the live lectures at any time if that ever becomes suitable. The exception is that the Greek and Hebrew language units need to be taken on-campus or live via video conference and recordings may not be relied upon. Please note that taking a unit by relying on recordings only can be an isolating experience, so students are encouraged to join classes live whenever they can. See below on ‘community’.
Available units: Most on-campus units are also available by video conference and recordings, including some of the most popular and foundational on-campus units: the introductory units in Old Testament, New Testament, and Church History, four theology units, and two counselling units. These are not available online every semester, but in the semester in which the on-campus unit is offered. Check the semester timetable to confirm that a unit is offered and the mode in which it is offered.
Some online units only have pre-recorded lectures with no video-conferencing option. These have the advantage of being available in any semester. They include all the online certificate-level units. See cert.ptc.edu.au. Please note that these units often have a small number of enrolments and should be seen as being individual or private studies.
PTC’s August intensives, typically with visiting lecturers from overseas, are often recorded and made available online. These are especially suitable for higher level studies (levels 8-9) in the Master of Theological Studies (MTS). For example:
If you need further flexible study options, see: Tailored study options. We are usually able to make arrangements to meet particular circumstances.
Apart from video conference participation, online students are encouraged to attend College community events if at all feasible, such as: Open Day, end of year dinner, graduation, new student welcome afternoon tea/BBQ, ministry conference (free for full-time students), the August guest-lecturer intensive (payment required). A personal tour and meeting with staff can be arranged. Of course, for all units, students always have access to the lecturer overseeing the unit and contact details are provided within the units themselves.
Training for the Kingdom of Heaven
