Programs Offered
In line with the university's mission and strategic priorities, Open Christian University train ministers through its two main schools: [1] The School of Ministry whose programs aims to respond to the current needs and questions of today's world by equipping church leaders with interdisciplinary knowledge, professional field skills, and meaningful spiritual frames; and [2] The School of Business Theology specializing in preparing Christians for business and professional work. It offers programs that aim to integrate the Christian faith in a secular environment. Besides these Open Christian University collaborate with secular institutions to deliver deliver secular programs based on identified knowledge gaps and student leadership needs through its [3] School of Interdisciplinary Studies. Click on each school [on the left] to explore available programs.
Learning Structure and Expected Learning Outcomes at Open Christian University
Undergraduate
Your academic path at OCU comprises a four year-long undergraduate degree programme, depending on the length of your chosen major. This offering is delivered through a learning progression that blends online instruction with real-world application and includes a mandatory internship.
Year 1: Learn about the foundation of faith to understand the core Christian belief, the meaning and purpose of life and identify individual missions. This is a year-long programme (30 credits) that all students must take, regardless of your selected major of study. Students wishing to exit the institution at this level are allowed a graduate certificate in ministry.
Year 2: Acquire fundamental knowledge and tools to reason critically and creatively in an often uncertain and ambiguous life direction.Students select their major of choice and begin studying in their designated field their second year at OCU . This is another 30 credits study track with fundamental modules relevant to the student’s degree program. Students wishing to exit at the end of their second year, i.e. with 60 semester credits, are allowed to obtain an Associate Degree.
Year 3: Understand one’s uniqueness in the context of their own missional calling in contributing to a real-world challenge(s). This goes through another 30-semester credit track relevant to the student's area of specialization in their degree programs. Students wishing to exit at the end of year 3, i.e. at the end of 90 semester credits, are authorized to obtain an ordinary degree.
Year 4: Identify one’s missional pathway and apply the learning and interpersonal influence and team collaboration skills needed to be an effective marketplace minister and a high-performing team member in a diverse global workforce. This 30-credit track requires students to complete an internship and capstone projects in preparation for their off-campus contributions in their missionary field. Students who complete all 120 credits are eligible to graduate with a Bachelor’s Degree with Honors.
Masters
The OCU graduate programmes help students who typically have a few years of professional experience acquire broad and deep knowledge and strong market leadership skills that position them for mid-senior level management positions in fast-moving Christian organizations. A master's degree program at the Open Christian University is a 45-credit undertaking completed over an estimated duration of 1.5 years according to the following structure.
Semester 1: Acquire fundamental knowledge and tools to reason critically and creatively in an often uncertain and ambiguous life direction.Students immediately select their major of choice and complete 15-semeser credits fundamental courses towards their master program. Students who leave the university at the end of their 15 credit core modules are entitled to obtain a postgraduate certificate in their field of study.
Semester 2: The middle section of a master's program at OCU consists of a specialization track, made of 15-credit modules within the student's area of specialization. Upon completion of these credits, the student can be awarded a postgraduate diploma, if they wish to exist with these 30 postgraduate credits.
Semester 3: The final section of an OCU Masters program is a research pathway where a student enhances their research skills and is required to write a publishable research paper to contribute to the body of knowledge in their missional field.
Doctorate
All Open Christian University Doctoral programs are research undertakings requiring the student to conduct and publish research outputs that contribute to the body of knowledge in their mission areas. While professional doctorates at OCU consist of 60 credits, with an estimated competition period of 2 years, doctorates of philosophy (PhDs) consist of 90 research credits with an estimated completion period of 3 years. The difference between the two endovours lies in the number of publications required. Professional doctorates require students to submit two papers and a thesis, while doctorates require one additional paper. However, students pursuing professional doctorates are encouraged to replace research requirements with real-world projects and innovations to contribute to ministry practices in their areas of practice.