ALPHA

MTh in Theology conducted by Alpha Institute of Theology and Science provides the students with opportunities to specialize in the various branches of theology. The course is intended to train the students for scientific research and prepares them to teach theology, with the specialization in their respective branch of Theology, in seminaries, in institutions of higher learning and Alpha Institute of Theology and Science comprises 2 years of rigorous research and study. The course, which is conducted on a cyclical basis, consists of lectures, tutorial, seminars, field work, learning of foreign languages and the furnishing of a scientific dissertation, which is to be defended at the end of the course. It offers opportunities to the students for personal study and research under the guidance of competent professors. The degrees offered by the institute at the completion of the course qualify candidates for admission to the Doctoral Study in any ecclesiastical faculty
of Theology in Indian and abroad.

Requirements and Conditions

1. Eligibility

Admission to the MTh course is open to those who already possess a degree in BTh with at least second class or its equivalent degree in Theology, the eligibility of which will be adjudged by the competent authorities of the Institute. In the latter case, the candidate should pass a qualifying examination conducted by the institute.

2. Registration

•  To be registered to Master's Degree programme in Spiritual Theology, the candidate has to duly fill-in the application form provide by the Institute. 
• The duly filled- in application form, affixed with a passport- size photo has to reach the institute latest by 15th May.
• Along with the filled-in application form, five more copies of passport size photos are to be included for the office purposes.
• In case of the priests and religious, each filled- in application form has to be accompanied by the approval/no-objection letter of the Bishop or the Provincial Superior or the Superior-in-charge.
• Photo-copies of all the relevant certificates and mark lists and documents of other studies accomplished have to be submitted at time the of registration.
• The registration fee has to be paid at the time of the registration. If it is paid by DD or Cheque, it has to be drawn in favour of Alpha Institute of Theology and Science.
• If the registration is done through E-mail or post it has to be addressed to the Director/ Alpha Institute ofTheology and Science.

3. Attendance

Students must attend all lectures without neglect, carry out all prescribed academic assignments and participate in the regular activities of the institute. For any period of absence, the Director/Dean of studies is to be informed before-hand. Applications for longer periods of leave duly countersigned by the respective authority is to be made in writing to the Director/Dean of Studies at least 3 days in advance.

4. Seminars

In addition to the above- mentioned courses students are expected to present two scientific papers as part of seminars during the course of their research. The seminars are conducted on relevant topics that are not included in the regular academic programme. Experts on the theme will be invited to give input talks and orientation. The topic would be suggested to the students by the academic board after sufficient consultations and study. Each seminar would be equal to a two credit course.

5. Foreign Languages

Every MTh student is expected to have the basic knowledge in at least two of the classic languages of Hebrew, Greek, Syriac and Latin and one of the modern languages, such as, German , Spanish, Italian or French . Mastery of these languages is expected to enable students to have a direct access to the sources and to help them widen the horizon of their original thinking. Alpha Institute of
Theology and Science provides the opportunity for learning the foreign languages.

6. Evaluation of the Course

i. Examinations will be held for every course taught. Normally examinations are held at the end of each semester. If circumstances require, at the discretion of the Director and Dean of the institute, examinations may also take place at other periods.

ii. Examinations may be oral or written, with or without a certain percentage of marks allotted to a written assignment or an internal assessment (at the discretion of the individual professor). For any change in the schedule of the exams, the permission of the director and dean of Studies have to be sought.

iii. No student will be allowed to repeat an examination if he/she has passed with low marks in a subject. The students who fail in one or
more subjects are to repeat the same in the second session of examination sat the beginning of the following semester.The dates of the
second session of examinations will be intimated by the Dean. Maximum of only 69% can be awarded in the second session.

7. Comprehensive Examination

Masters Degree in Theology (MTh) comprises of Specialized studies and research work in various branches of theology and allied sciences. Its duration is of four semesters (2 Years) at the end of which there will be comprehensive examination leading to MTh degree.

8. Dissertation

a. The Dissertation or the Scientific Research Pa performs a major scheme of the Master's Degree in Theology. Through the Scientific Research paper the student is not only introduced into the art of scientific presentation of a theme, but also helped to specialize in a field of interest within the scope of the specific branch of Theology. The research will be done under the guidance of a qualified professor, who would constantly accompany the student through his/her expertise, timely evaluations and corrections.

b. The candidate has to register his topic of dissertation by submitting to the Dean/Registrar the duly filled-in form of registration after having obtained the signature of his/her moderator.

c. Dissertation should be typed in white paper of good quality and sufficient opacity. All sheets of paper used should be of the same quality. Manifold paper should not be used.

d. An "A4" size paper should be used for dissertation. The text of the dissertation should be typed with 1.5" line spacing, except in the case where quotations are given in indent. A space of 1.5" on the left margin and a space of 1" on the right margin should be kept. A space of 1" should be kept on the top and the bottom of the page. Dissertation should be typed only on one side of the paper.

e. The dissertation should be of minimum 100 pages and maximum 140 pages. The above- mentioned page limit includes the bibliography and the appendices.

f. students have to submit 3 copies of the dissertation to the Dean one month prior to the defense (one month of Institute working days).

g. The cover page shall have the format approved by the Institute.

h.   A dissertation submitted without observing the above-mentioned requirements will not be accepted.

9. The public defense

Upon submission of the dissertation, the Head of the department (Director)/ Dean of studies shall fix the moderators and finalise the date of defense after consulting the Registrar. The public defense of the dissertation, lasting an hour, will take place before a board of two examiners, who will be the first and the second moderators. The defense can take place only when all the other requirements for the respective degree have been fulfilled.

10. Grading System

40%	Pass Mark
41%-50%	Third Class
51%-69%	Second Class
70%-84%	First Class
85%  and above	Distinction

This marking system corresponds to the traditional Roman system: Pass-6; second class 7; first class 8; distinction 9-10.
In global evaluation the mark is the quotient obtained by dividing the sum total of individual marks by the number of the examinations.

MTh - Biblical Theology (Syllabus)

Specialization Courses

• Social Justice in Bible
• Gospel of John: Thematic Study
• Apocryphal Books: Historical - Critical Analysis
• Paul as a Pastoral Theologian in Corinthian Correspondences
• Patristic Exegesis
• Hebrew Poetry- Psalms
• Book of Revelation: Hermeneutical Issues
• Concept of God in Wisdom Literature
• Understanding OT as a Prophetic Literature
• Ecclesiology of the Universal Letters
• Historical Approaches in the Bible
• New Trends in Hermeneutics

General Courses

• Philosophy and Theology
• Spiritual Theology
• Uniqueness of Christ in the Theology of Other Religion
• Modern Trends in the Morality of Life
• Historical Evolution and Trends of Modern Missiology
• Special Questions in Christology
• Modern Trends in Theological Anthropology

Language Courses

• Biblical Greek II
• Biblical Hebrew II - Readings
• Syriac Language: A window to Eastern Churches
• Latin

Assignments & Dissertation

• Passover and Paschal Lamb Imagery in the Gospel of John
• An Exegetical Analysis of a Psalm
• Salient Features of Verbum Domini
• Dei Verbum
• MTh Dissertation