Ph.D in Holistic Child Development

Programs in HCD are being developed in seminaries around the world. The MA Program in Holistic Child Development, begun at the Malaysia Baptist Theological Seminary (MBTS) in Penang, Malaysia in 2001, was created in response to the Biblical mandate to care for children. To date, there are over 300 students who have taken courses in HCD from more than 20 countries around the world. HCD programs have also been established in seminaries in South America, such as Seminario Sudamericano (SEMISUD), and other Christian academic and theological institutions in Asia, Africa, and the Caribbean region. The expectation is that seminaries will include such programs in their curricula in order to ensure that future church leaders are equipped to become leaders in all aspects of HCD in church and para-church organizations.

On December 5-6, 2007, seminary key leaders and Compassion International (CI) met to develop an HCD program at APNTS. During the consultation done on the APNTS campus, the group formulated initial courses for the HCD program. The program began with the certificate level with modules in summer of 2008. The group commissioned Dr. Nativity A. Petallar to collaborate with Dr. Floyd T. Cunningham, Rev. Dan Balayo, and CI (represented by Menchit Wong and Dr. Dan Brewster) to work on courses that will be suitable for the MA in HCD as well as for the PhD in HCD. In November 2009, the first PhD in HCD class was held with five students: one Indian and four Filipinos. From then on, professors from various parts of the world came to teach at APNTS equipping students for holistic ministries with children. In January 24, 2012, the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) granted permit and recognition to the PhD in HCD. In 2018, the PhD in HCD was accredited by the Asia Theological Association (ATA). Then, in 2022, CHED granted the 45-unit curriculum design that APNTS proposed. The following is the program design for the PhD in HCD.

The PhD in HCD is a multi-year, inter-disciplinary, research-oriented degree that builds on an earned master’s degree. Graduates of the PhD in HCD will be prepared to teach, to lead specialized ministries for children, and to engage in intensive and original research. It is intended for those who are or will be high-level practitioners and for those who are leaders or administrators of ministries with children.

This program exists to equip leaders, teachers, child advocates, practitioners, and pastors who have the gifts, skill, and capacity to care holistically for children inside and outside the church.

The program envisions equipping leaders and churches with the ethos and mindset for holistic ministry with children

• Lead participants to engage in Christ-centered education. Students are challenged to  understand that in ministering to children, Jesus Christ reigns supreme and that every child will be led to a personal relationship of Jesus
• Gain a comprehensive understanding toward a holistic approach to ministering to, for, and with “the least of these” (Mark 9:37). A holistic approach treats the physical, emotional, and social needs of children as well as the spiritual. The curriculum will take into consideration various aspects of child development for holistic ministry.
• Seek to engage in intentional and strategic intervention for children in crisis and at risk. Program participants will be challenged to engage Bible-based, professional and relevant interventions that would enable children to grow up in the fear and knowledge of the Lord so they, too, can minister to others including their families, friends, and others around them.
• Equip students towards learning for life contexts. Classroom interactions are always culture sensitive and instruction, scholarly research, and major projects will always be geared towards various areas of ministries with children.
• Expose participants toward developmental orientation. Attention will be given to development theories and processes within a Biblical framework and their implications to ministry.  This is intrinsically related to the concept of the individual worth of each child and the value of giving every child respect and consideration.

Admission Prerequisites:

1. Master’s degree from an accredited institution with a Grade Point Average of B+

• • Three graduate units in research methods
  • Twelve graduate units of study in Biblical and theological subjects

2. Portfolio that includes:

• • Thesis or other evidence of substantial research;
  • Evidence of English abilities. A test of English is required. The student should have the equivalent of 575 (paper-based TOEFL). Students who do not get this score will not be allowed to take the advanced research courses; however, students who have been granted “Provisional Acceptance,” may begin taking PhD classes if their English score is at least 550;
  • A three-to-four-paged essay on prospective research topic for the PhD.

3. Evidence of or interest in vocations related to the PhD or at least 3-5 years of experience in any scope of Christian ministry

4. Completed an application form. This form can be downloaded from www.apnts.edu.ph

5. Completed a Housing Form if student wants to stay inside the

APNTS campus. Request for housing must be submitted in writing to the Coordinator of Campus Housing at the time of application. A one-month notice is needed in advance of arrival on campus. Open this link http://www.apnts.ph.edu.ph/admissions/online-housing-request-form/.

All decisions on admission will be made by the admissions committee. The admissions committee consists of the Director for Admissions, the Academic Dean, and the Program Director of the program the student applied for. If the admissions requirements noted above are not met, provisional acceptance may be offered when deemed appropriate while the student is meeting the unmet requirements.

Provisional acceptance may be granted when the following are submitted:

1. Completed an application form
2. List of four reference persons and their email addresses
3. Financial statement by sponsor
4. A non-refundable matriculation fee of $75
5. Transcript of Records for Bachelors, Master’s level
6. English score of at least 550
7. Portfolio on the following:

• • • Thesis or evidence of substantial research
    • three-to-four-page essay prospective research topic
    • Three to five years of experience in any scope of Christian ministry

Full acceptance may be granted upon completion of the ff:

1. Completed 18 doctoral units
2. 575 English score
3. All pre-requite courses are fulfilled (3 units of research and 12 units of Bible and Theology)

Application Procedure:

The application process should begin at least six months (or more) before students hope to begin classes. The following are the procedures that should be followed:

1. E-mail or write for an application packet:

APNTS Registrar registrar@apnts.edu.ph

Asia-Pacific Nazarene Theological Seminary

Ortigas Ave. Ext., Kaytikling, Taytay, 1920 Rizal, Philippines

Tel. 63-2-284-3741 (local 11108)

2. Provide a list of references with names and addresses to be contacted by the Registrar’s office of APNTS.

3. Ask all undergraduate and graduate institutions attended to send official transcripts of academic record to the above address.

4. Prepare a statement describing vocational objectives and explaining how a PhD degree is related to these.

5. Prepare a statement indicating how the studies will be financed, including specific commitments from any institutions or individuals that may be serving as sponsors.

6. Prepare a health certificate indicating physical fitness to pursue graduate studies.

7. Send completed application for admission, prospective research topic (a 3 to 4-paged essay), the description of vocational objectives, the financial statement, and the health certificate, along with the nonrefundable application fee of $75  or the peso equivalent, to the above address. Study the application form for more detailed instructions, which may be downloaded from www.apnts.edu.ph.

8. Wait until receiving the letter of acceptance before coming to Manila.

• Satisfactory completion of 45 credit hours of PhD-level coursework with a GPA of at least 3.0 (B).
• Satisfactory completion of a comprehensive examination.

• Completion and successful defense of a scholarly dissertation of 60,000-75,000 words that reflects original research
• Publication of an article in a journal title that is part of Scopus-indexed journals.
• Satisfactory completion of all other requirements specified in this Catalog and the APNTS Catalog, particularly on the desired outomes of “to be,” “to know,” and “to do.”

PhD in HCD Curriculum

After taking all course work (33 units), students will take the comprehensive examinations. Once the comprehensive exams are passed, upon the approval of the advisor, students can then defend their dissertation proposal. Students need to defend their proposal at least one year after successfully completing their Comprehensive Examinations. If after one year and the student is still unable to defend the proposal, he or she will pay $75/semester as residency fee. Right after the successful proposal defense, students enroll in RE934 Dissertation Writing (12 units).

PhD in HCD Course Descriptions

BASIC (CORE) COURSES (6 units)

ID903          Culture, Context and Worldviews

Examines cultural formation and the values, patterns of thinking, feeling, and responding that form in diverse cultural contexts with the goal of better understanding one’s own culture and the cultures of others. Learners will reflect on the cultural context that has formed them and the context in which they serve; identify the worldview in each context and examine them through the lens of a Biblical worldview. Learners will grow in their ability to appropriately contextualize teaching, leading and disciple making within their ministry context.

ID904          Transformation in Christian Thought and  Practice

Examines Christian understandings of transformation, and the transformational practices of Christians in different contexts. Discusses Christian views of the transformation of both persons and communities. Provides Christian foundations for assessing the goals and the methods of transformational development, transformational learning, and the holistic development of children. Offers examples of transformation in Christian practice.

MAJOR FIELD OF CONCENTRATION (15 units)

Students may choose five courses from the following:

HCD800         Learners with Special Needs

Surveys the information regarding learners with special needs including possible causes and characteristics of exceptionalities, educational intervention, available resources, referral processes, family involvement, modification of environment, curriculum, the advocacy role and legislative issues. Learner’s social, emotional, learning, and behavioral difficulties will be examined and treatment needs defined according to an ecological, multi-systems, developmental framework. Relationships of home, school and community contexts will be offered. Students create a resource to be used with learners with special needs. Actual and direct ministry with the community of learners with special needs is required.

HCD802          Child, Church and Mission

Provides an overview of holistic child development, the Biblical foundations for children’s ministries, the roles and responsibilities of the church in caring for children, and the place of children’s ministries as strategies and resources for missions. This course develops awareness of contemporary church and mission issues and strategies in order to understand how ministries with children fit into this broader picture, and helps the students grasp the global and eternal significance of their ministries.

HCD804          Approaches to Holistic Ministries with Children

Examines the various approaches to holistic ministries of children. Includes perspectives on developmental, psychological, physical, cognitive, socio-emotional, moral, and spiritual aspects of growth. Examines specific settings for ministry and provides a broad framework for assessing, identifying and applying various types of micro to macro-level intervention strategies with children including the home, church, and Christian schools and the impact these settings have on the lives of children.

HCD805         Physical Development of Children and Public Health

This course discusses core processes of growth and development of children from fertilization to adolescence. This course also considers developmental theories, current issues in public health that differentially impact children. Focus on this part of the course is on how the students who are working with the children study health issues impacting children and families in order to strategize not only survival but also quality of life.

HCD912         The Child in Christian Thought

Surveys the historical contexts through which children have been perceived and discusses how worldviews affect the lives of children. The course ooks at perceptions of children in the Christian tradition.

HCD917         Intervention Strategies for Children in Crisis

Covers the impact of trauma on children and provides holistic interventions that bring them healing and restored hope. The course also focuses on planning care for the children’s caregivers who often experience secondary traumatization.

ADVANCED RESEARCH METHODOLOGY (9 units)

RE931          Comparative Research Methodologies

A review of research methodologies both quantitative and qualitative, with special attention to various research methods common in the fields of

transformational learning, holistic child development, and transformational development. The final assignment in the course will be writing the first draft of Proposal Chapter I.

RE932           Critical Analysis of Precedent Literature

A dissertation research project must be based on and guided by a study of existing literature. This course guides students into the review of the literature pertinent to their topic of study. The final assignment in the course will be the first draft of Proposal Chapter Two, the Review of Literature. During the course students will just begin the literature review. Following the course, in consultation with their adviser, students will continue the review of literature, the refinement and writing of Chapter Two.

RE933          Dissertation Proposal Seminar

This course provides continued study of research methodology and research analysis. In consultation with their advisers, students will refine the design of their research project and write the first draft of Chapter Three of the proposal. They will also refine earlier chapters of the proposal in light of any changes in research design and submit the first draft of the full proposal as their final project. Students, in consultation with their adviser will continue to refine the Proposal, so that they will be ready to defend the Proposal soon after successfully completing their Comprehensive Examinations.

Prerequisites: 575 (paper based TOEFL score), RE931 Comparative Research Methods, and RE932 Critical Analysis and Review of Precedent Literature.

DISSERTATION (12 Units)

RE940          Dissertation Writing

The Dissertation Writing course will focus on the completion of the remainder of the dissertation as independent study with the adviser. Once a dissertation proposal is approved, the process of actually writing a dissertation under the direction of an approved adviser begins. Advisers will guide PhD students as they draft their final dissertation which is the demonstration of their ability to conduct scholarly original research. Advisers will coach students in the process of writing, defense, and the presentation of the final written copy of the dissertation. Students will be working with an adviser throughout this procedure.  

ELECTIVE (UNREGULATED) (3 units)

(Students may take 3 units from the PhD in TD or TL)

List of Possible Courses in the Unregulated Elective Field

For PhD In Holistic Child Development

HCD951         Practicum                               

Practicum allows students to link practice with sound theology of children. Students shall participate in an average of 150 hours of ministry for a period of one year of concrete encounters and acts of service or trainings with children, parents, teachers, and other groups of people working with children from a theological perspective. During the practicum, students demonstrate skills to show their competence based on God’s mission for children, their understanding, and personal goals in ministering with children.

Other courses from TD and TL Concentration

TD Concentration Subjects

TD912         Community Development Principles

This course is designed to expose a learner to key concepts in secular and faith-based community development. The material in this course reflects on various issues related to community development and includes, community organizing, economic development, sustainable practice models, government policy, and environmental impact. Learners will also understand movements within the global church that are both helpful   and hurtful to community health and transformation.

TD915         Psychology of Attitude Formation and Change

This seminar researches human attitudes, their process of formation, the consequences of various attitudinal positions both pathological and healthy, and the influences that create positive attitudinal change. Attention will be given to Christian formation of personal attitudes, as well as collective transformational attitudes towards oneself, one’s religious entity, and the community at large.

TD951         Urban Anthropology for Transformational Development

 This seminar utilizes the methodologies and insights of Anthropology, but especially focused on the urban context. It looks at subcultures formed in the City, how they are organized, perpetuated and relate to other groupings in the City. It discusses how the City molds and changes culture at the levels of sociology, psychology, one’s sense of place and time, the displacement of genealogy and geography as primary family relationships by interest groupings, professional associations and power constellations. Special attention will be given to the role of churches and non-profit organizations as catalysts in urban change consistent with the insights of urban anthropology

TD953         Confronting Poverty and the Culture of Poverty

This seminar seeks to understand the conditions that create poverty, the resilience of the “culture of poverty,” and Biblical responses to effect a more just and fair society.

TL Concentration Subjects 

TL912            Critical Pedagogy

Explores teaching methodologies that tend to encourage critical reflection and transfer from thought to life and the characteristics of learning environments that facilitate those processes. Students will grow in their understanding of the teacher’s role as coach and facilitator of critical thinking, reflection, and creative problem solving and in their ability to consistently reflect critically on their practices and theories, continually strengthening both.

TL913            Curriculum Development, Contextualization, and Assessment  

Learners will reflect on their philosophy of transformational learning developed in previous courses and its implications for curriculum building. They will explore models for curriculum design and assessment then evaluate sample curriculum resources in light of those models and their personal philosophy of transformational learning. Emphasis will be given to the development of a coherent curriculum plan contextualized for the setting in which they serve. Development of curriculum and curriculum resources for both academic and non formal learning settings, such as the church, will be considered.

TL915             Transformational Learning Across the Lifespan 

Examines understandings of human development and the formational- transformational opportunities and challenges in each phase of life. Learners will reflect on their contexts of ministry and identify ways of enhancing the formational/transformational learning of persons of all ages.

TL916            Spirituality and Transformational Learning

Students will reflect on their spiritual journey and the impact of their context and culture on that journey. They will examine understandings of spirituality within the Christian Church across history in various contexts and the views of spirituality in the contexts where they serve. Based on the exploration of spiritually formative practices and disciplines, the learners will identify practices they could integrate into their educational settings that are likely to foster spiritual growth.

Courses will be offered in 2-week modules, scheduled in two blocks during each school year, normally January through May, and then May through July. Sometimes, to accommodate the schedule of the professor or a special learning opportunity, courses may be scheduled at other times. These variations will be announced well in advance.

Guidelines in Comprehensive Exams, Publication, and Dissertation

The comprehensive exams, publication in an internationally or nationally indexed journals, and dissertation are the final requirements for graduation. Announcement of advancement to PhD Candidacy will be made when all coursework is complete and comprehensives are successfully completed. This is done prior to defending the dissertation proposal.

Comprehensive Exams

The comprehensive examination process includes written and oral components. Comprehensive examinations are designed to allow students to review and integrate the learning that has taken place across their PhD degree program and reflect on the application of that learning to their vocational contexts. The examinations also allow students to demonstrate the breadth and depth of their learning and their ability to connect theory to practice. These papers are to draw from different courses, integrate the ideas and indicate how the student will use this understanding to enhance their ministry.

The procedures for the comprehensive exams include (1) question generation; (2) question refinement; (3) writing answers; and (4) oral examination. Guidelines on taking the comprehensive exams can be found in the Student Handbook below.

Publication

Another major requirement for graduation is publication of abstracts, articles, notices, or portions of the dissertation in indexed journals. The CMO No. 15, Series of 2019 writes students may publish their research in peer-reviewed academic journals to demonstrate contribution to advanced scholarship. Students may fulfil this requirement for publication any time between the start of course work and the actual dissertation defense. Students need to be able to publish an article in a journal title that is part of Scopus-indexed journals.

The Dissertation

After students successfully pass both the written and oral comprehensive exams, they can go ahead and defend their dissertation proposals. The dissertation is the culminating project of the student’s academic program. It represents an opportunity for the student to be involved in original research which demonstrates scholarly theological reflection, thoughtful contextual analysis and relevance to the discipline under study. Early in their program, students should focus their studies in the general area of their dissertation topic.

The dissertation research should develop from course work in the student’s program of study. The reading and projects done in one’s program of study provide the basis for the literature, theoretical framework and techniques for the dissertation research. The student will need to become more knowledgeable in the research topic and so additional reading will be necessary to supplement the study that has already been done in one’s courses.

The dissertation can take many forms based upon the interest and creative studies of the student. APNTS seeks to allow dissertation students to express their God-given creativity while accomplishing valuable research for the church and society of today. We encourage our students to pursue studies relevant to their particular ministry context. Besides the traditional dissertation topics, the following types of dissertation are also possible at APNTS. This list is