Ph.D. in Transformational Development

The PhD in Transformational Development seeks to catalyze action among local churches, NGOs and systems in complex societies within Asia and beyond, working with all known resources (especially and including the identified poor) to improve the quality of life and to transform society’s structures and institutions in order to demonstrate God’s love to all.

In 2012, the Bresee Institute for Metro Ministries, located at the Nazarene Theological Seminary in Kansas City, and under the executive director, Dr. Fletcher Tink, proposed establishing an office for the purpose of initiating a PhD program in Transformational Development. It was felt that Manila, rather than Kansas City, was an ideal location to train students at this, the highest level of formal education in areas that combined “urban and compassionate ministries,” the two foci of Bresee Institute. A number of reasons were given:

1. Manila is a great urban center with complex social and spiritual needs, typical of emerging cities throughout the non-Western world.

2. The PhD program in Holistic Child Development had already opened the door to credible studies approved by CHED, the official body of the Philippine government that scrutinizes such programs.

3. The fact that the degree is awarded by the Asia Graduate School of Theology, a consortium of nine Christian organizations, brought into the mix a broad spectrum of academic support and resources.

4. The uniqueness of the program, not duplicated anywhere, within the evangelical context, would be attractive to students worldwide.

5. The international component of the seminary itself, would function as an excellent laboratory of multicultural living.

6. The reduced costs of the program compared with Western tuition requirements makes accessible the offerings to a much broader clientele of students and scholars.

7. The apparent seamlessness between the three PhD programs, i.e., Holistic Child Development, Transformational Learning and Transformational Development, allows for cross-fertilization of ideas both in core seminars, joint seminars and specialized degree seminars.

8. The use of the English language, a requirement in the Philippines for all graduate studies, makes library resources, professors, and research bodies available to the broadest constituency of scholars.

9. The context of seminars, in the midst of intense social worlds, allows for “hands-on” research that potentially impacts and improves community dynamics.

1. 10. The Christian orientation of the program, brings to it, theological and evangelical (Good News) integrity that transcends secular epistemology.

In March 2012, the office of the Bresee Institute was dedicated and the preparations of the program launched in tandem with the Transformational Learning degree. Government Recognition was granted in November of 2016. A start-up grant from Cornerstone was received in 2015 to outfit the offices of all three PhD programs, purchase books for the library, and the equipment for Video Conferencing. Scholarship funds have been requisitioned, specifically for this program, and will be available to students who have proven excellence and need for financial assistance after the initial seminar.

The program will:

• • Guide participants to reflect on their own experience, think critically and creatively, and act with empathy and passion;
  • Support students as they develop and embrace a philosophy of learning that facilitates transformation;
  • Assist a new generation of faculty and educational leaders to develop teaching, learning, and leading approaches which result in transformational learning in diverse individuals, institutions, and cultures;
  • Lead students to integrate spiritual, Biblical, theological dimensions of learning as the core of holistic transformation;
  • Prepare graduates who are well grounded in sound theory and practice, and will consistently reflect critically on their practices and theories, continually strengthening both.

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. 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. 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. 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)

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

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

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

1. 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.

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

1. 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.

1. 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.^[1]
• 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.”^[2]

PhD in TD 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).

Course Descriptions

PhD in Transformational Development

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:

TD911           The City in Theological Perspective

The purpose of this seminar is to explore Biblical and historical Christianity for themes which motivate and direct the mission of the Church in the city. Special emphasis will be placed on an examination of John Wesley’s mission to the urban centers of 18th century England and the origins of the modern holiness movement in the cities of late 19th and early 20th-century United States, along with an examination of contemporary models of ministry that show theological integrity to their mission.

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.

TD953            Confronting Poverty and the Culture of  Poverty

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

TD955            Conflict Management and Restorative Justice Conflict occurs in all types of contexts: personal, institutional and cultural, which can either lead to hostility and violence or to creative resolution. It is only through conflictual situations that advance and growth can occur, i.e. stress and “estress.” Conflict has to be either “issue-based conflict” or “identity-based conflict,” the latter being much more difficult to resolve. Restorative Justice is one aspect of conflict resolution especially worked out in some justice systems where the goal is not simply punitive, but the restoring of the offending person successfully in society. It follows that “penitentiary” involves penitence as both spiritual and social restoration that redeems both the penitent and the offended.

TD956            Theology of Work

It has become apparent that most efforts of organized Christianity have failed significantly to transform cities into “the city on a hill” that radiates its shalom to those around. Institutionalized Christians have often created barriers that have excluded people rather than ministering to them. “Professional” Christianity has created classes of Christians that, by default, have excluded secularizing masses. This seminar is an antidote to this thinking, by providing theological, historical and practical underpinnings that disarm this unfortunate bifurcation. It also offers ideas of the Church as job generator.

 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 One.

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 II

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 III 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 Transformational Learning or Holistic Child Development PhD programs)

List of Possible Courses in the Elective Field:

For PhD in Transformational Development

ID902            Transformational Learning in Practice

Helps learners become “critically reflective practitioners” uncovering assumptions guiding practice. They will examine transformational learning theories that support the vision and skill that participants will need to facilitate adult education and development in social institutions like schools, seminaries, ministry organizations and churches. As a result, they will better create learning communities that build more open collaborative relationships based on the strength of diverse knowledge, experience, abilities, and ways of acting that empower people, churches and communities.

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.

HCD 804        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.

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.

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.

TL914           Leading for Transformation in Diverse Contexts

 Learners will reflect on their leadership experiences and the issues they have faced as leaders. They will explore Biblical, theoretical, and cultural perspectives on leadership, and key leadership practices that increase the likelihood of team success in diverse contexts. Best practices in professional development will also be examined.

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.

PhD in HCD Summary of Units

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 not intended to be an exhaustive list but to provide initial guidance and stimulation for the novice dissertation researcher.

• • Reapplying the research of another dissertation with a different population or timeframe to see if previous results are applicable in the new context or using another research method.
  • Testing an instrument that has been developed by another researcher to test its reliability
  • Historical, experimental, ethnographic studies and other forms of methodologies
  • Inter-disciplinary studies
  • Project or Production-basis dissertation where a product is developed for use by an organization or institution