Timothy Partnership Certificate
About Timothy Partnership Certificate
Timothy Partnership Certificate is committed to equipping every Christian, everywhere.
Offering online, distance education to study the Australian College of Theology Certificate in Theology or Academic Studies in Theology Certificate (ASTC), our aim is to make learning available to anyone, anywhere.
We believe that practical and theological training shouldn’t be limited only to those who are able to study full-time and on campus. Every Christian should have access to learning that can equip them to serve God in their local church and community.
Our dream is to see every Christian everywhere in some form of ministry, confident and equipped in bringing others closer to Jesus.
Timothy Partnership Certificate is a collaboration between Presbyterian Youth and Christ College, an affiliated college of the Australian College of Theology.
Certificates
Certificate of Theology
The Certificate of Theology is a course that enables every Christian everywhere to be better equipped to read & understand the Bible. It’s practical, accessible and flexibly delivered to your computer through audio recordings, readings and forum participation. Like a first aid certificate, it is important training, equipping all Christians wherever they are, and can be completed in as little as 12 months.
How the Certificate of Theology Works
The three core units in the Certificate in Theology are New Testament, Old Testament and Christian Belief. The elective units (ie you only need to choose three) are Religious Education, Teaching Faith in the Classroom, Christian Leadership & Management, Lay Ministry Field Education, Introducing Pastoral Care and Advanced Pastoral Care. The last two units are the Pastoral Care units needed to become a School Chaplain.
The Academic Studies in Theology Certificate (ASTC)
(ASTC) is a course that enables every Christian everywhere to be better equipped to read and understand the Bible. You’ll cover the material through a combination of audio panel discussions, accessible study guides and engagement in an online learning community. The ASTC combines the flexibility of distance learning with the quality of an award that is issued by the Australian College of Theology. It is important training, equipping all Christians wherever they are, and can be completed in as little as 12 months.
The Academic Studies in Theology Certificate is also approved by Centrelink for AUSTUDY/Youth Allowance, as a foundational and preparatory course for further theological study. In order to be eligible for AUSTUDY/Youth Allowance, a student must undertake at least 75% of a full time load to qualify, and these allowances are means-tested. The ASTC is being used for example, by MTS for their scholarship program.
How the ASTC Works
The course will take you through eight units; five are core units (Old Testament, New Testament, Christian Belief, Introducing Study Skills and Developing Study Skills), and the remaining three units are electives of your choice. If two of these electives include the Pastoral Care units, your Academic Studies in Theology Certificate could help qualify you to work as a chaplain in schools.
Each unit only requires 35 hours of your time over a whole semester (two to three hours per week), so it’s easy to fit your study in around other commitments. The ASTC is carefully designed to be as manageable, interesting and as helpful as possible, so it’s a great option for anyone looking for a flexible, practical and engaging way to study the Bible and prepare themselves for further theological study at diploma and/or degree level.
- Award of the Academic Studies in Theology Certificate requires the completion of 8 units
- To be qualified as a school chaplain, you need to take the 2 pastoral care units as part of your elective choices
- Units require approximately 35 hours of work – or 2-3 hours a week – per unit
The online, flexible delivery means no wasted travel time and you can study when and where it suits you. The full Academic Studies in Theology Certificate can also be credited as two units towards a Diploma of Theology or Diploma of Ministry if you choose to continue your studies.
Comparison
Difference Between Certificate of Theology and ASTC
Certificate of Theology
- NT (core)
- OT (core)
- CB (core)
- ISS (core)
- DSS (core)
- Elective 1
- Elective 2
- Elective 3
ASTC
- NT (core)
- OT (core)
- CB (core)
- ISS (core)
- DSS (core)
- Elective 1
- Elective 2
- Elective 3
Certificate-Level Units
- New Testament – a study of New Testament writings in their original context with a view to discovering their meaning in the life of today’s Church. The unit includes a review of New Testament geo-political history, an overview of the gospel of Mark and a consideration of the emerging church.
- Old Testament – introducing students to Old Testament literature, deepening your understanding and strengthening your faith. The unit provides an historical outline of the Old Testament with a review of the interplay between history and prophecy.
- Christian Belief – an introductory study of the Christian faith, aimed at producing sound knowledge and an increase in faith and commitment. A review of the doctrines of God as Creator, the nature of Christ, the work of the Holy Spirit, the Trinity and the nature of the Church.
- Lay Ministries Field Education – a unit designed to enable experiential based supervised learning through observation, participation and reflection with a mentor and using a journaling process.
- Christian Leadership and Management – a unit designed to provide an introduction to the principles and dynamics of Christian leadership applicable in a church or mission setting. The unit comprises Biblical Principles of Leadership, Leadership Qualities, Leadership Styles, Transformational Leadership and Management, Collaborative Leadership and Management, Power, Authority, Responsibility and Influence, and Principles of Organisation.
- Introduction to Pastoral Care – Establishes a biblical basis and characteristics of pastoral care, enables students to develop an understanding of people in social relationships, discusses the pastoral opportunities and approaches in crisis situations and enables students to begin to develop skills in pastoral care. This is a core unit for Chaplains.
- Advanced Pastoral Care – Deals with specialist issues in relation to mental health and referral. The unit introduces students to the major factors and contexts relating to mental health issues, the relevant standards and practices that inform and regulate provision of care, the needs of people facing mental health issues and the key steps in assessing when and where to refer. This is a core unit for Chaplains.
- Apprenticeship Project – Reflect back on a two year course of training.
- Teaching Christian Faith in the Classroom – What is involved in teaching the Christian faith to school-aged children and young people?
- Religious Education – How can you teach people about religion.
- Introducing Study Skills – Learn how to approach the materials of a unit of study with confidence, utilising practical skills in time management, information processing and assessment orientation.
- Developing Study Skills – Demonstrate an awareness of the hierarchical learning value of various study skills, and an ability to progress through this hierarchy towards higher-order learning skills.
Schedule
Unit Schedule – Semester 2, 2024
Certificate Level Students (Certificate and ASTC)
AP – Apprenticeship Project
APC – Advanced Pastoral Care
CB – Christian Belief
DSS – Developing Study Skills
IPC – Introduction to Pastoral Care
ISS – Introducing Study Skills
N481 – Lay Ministry Field Education
RE – Religious Education
TCFC – Teaching Christian Faith in the Classroom
PREA (Scots) – Preaching
Cornhill Units
OT Cornhill – Old Testament for Cornhill students
NT Cornhill – New Testament for Cornhill students
REV Cornhill – Revelation for Cornhill students
Unit Schedule – Semester 1, 2025
Certificate Level Students (Certificate and ASTC)
OT – Old Testament
NT – New Testament (includes optional tutorials for MTS apprentices at the G8 National Conference)
IDS-G8 – Introduction to Diaconal Service for MTS apprentices at the G8 National Conference
CB – Christian Belief
ISS – Introduction to Study Skills
DSS – Developing Study Skills
IPC – Introduction to Pastoral Care
APC – Advanced Pastoral Care
CLM – Christian Leadership and Management
N481 – Lay Ministries Field Education
TCFC – Teaching Christian Faith in the Classroom
OT (Scots) – Old Testament
Cornhill Units
CB Cornhill – Christian Belief for Cornhill students (TBC)
Preaching Cornhill – Preaching for Cornhill students (TBC)
Unit Schedule – Semester 2, 2025
Certificate Level Students (Certificate and ASTC)
AP – Apprenticeship Project
APC – Advanced Pastoral Care
CB – Christian Belief
DSS – Developing Study Skills
IPC – Introduction to Pastoral Care
ISS – Introducing Study Skills
N481 – Lay Ministry Field Education
RE – Religious Education
TCFC – Teaching Christian Faith in the Classroom
CLM (Scots) – Christian Leadership and Management
NT (Scots) – New Testament
Cornhill Units
OT Cornhill – Old Testament for Cornhill students
NT Cornhill – New Testament for Cornhill students
REV Cornhill – Revelation for Cornhill students
Unit Schedule – Semester 1, 2026
Certificate Level Students (Certificate and ASTC)
OT – Old Testament
NT – New Testament (includes optional tutorials for MTS apprentices at the G8 National Conference)
IDS-G8 – Introduction to Diaconal Service for MTS apprentices at the G8 National Conference
CB – Christian Belief
ISS – Introduction to Study Skills
DSS – Developing Study Skills
IPC – Introduction to Pastoral Care
APC – Advanced Pastoral Care
CLM – Christian Leadership and Management
N481 – Lay Ministries Field Education
TCFC – Teaching Christian Faith in the Classroom
Cornhill Units
CB Cornhill – Christian Belief for Cornhill students
Preaching Cornhill – Preaching for Cornhill students
Unit Schedule – Semester 2, 2026
Certificate Level Students (Certificate and ASTC)
AP – Apprenticeship Project
APC – Advanced Pastoral Care
CB – Christian Belief
DSS – Developing Study Skills
IPC – Introduction to Pastoral Care
ISS – Introducing Study Skills
N481 – Lay Ministry Field Education
RE – Religious Education
TCFC – Teaching Christian Faith in the Classroom
Cornhill Units
OT Cornhill – Old Testament for Cornhill students
NT Cornhill – New Testament for Cornhill students
REV Cornhill – Revelation for Cornhill students
More Details
Course Fees
Fees are set by the Australian College of Theology:
- 2024 – Certificate and ASTC units: $990 per subject
- 2025 – Certificate and ASTC units: $990 per subject
- 2026 – Certificate and ASTC units: $990 per subject
Note that TPC study is only available to domestic students.
Census and Withdrawal Dates
Semester 1, 2025
Census date / Withdrawal date: 31st of March
Semester 2, 2025
Census date / Withdrawal date: 31st of August
Semester 1, 2026
Census date / Withdrawal date: 28th of March
Semester 2, 2026
Census date / Withdrawal date: 31st of August
FEE-HELP
Certificate study is not eligible for FEE-HELP. Course fees must be paid upfront, invoiced after the census date.
Austudy, Abstudy and Youth Allowance
A 75% minimum load – or 3 units per semester – is required to access Centrelink benefits.
Students enrolling in 3 or more units of the ASTC are able to apply to Centrelink for Austudy, Abstudy and Youth Allowance. Christ College (through the Australian College of Theology) is registered with Centrelink as a provider of higher education: Christ College Institution code (for Christ College units) is 2P004. Students who qualify are able to apply for Austudy, Abstudy or Youth Allowance.
For more information about entitlements and eligibility please visit studyassist.gov.au.
The Timothy Partnership Certificate is a joint venture between Presbyterian Youth and Christ College, an affiliated college of the Australian College of Theology. The tuition fees are set by ACT on an annual basis. More information about tuition fees is available at https://www.actheology.edu.au/tuition-fees.
What ASTC units should I enrol in?
We receive a lot of questions about what to enrol in: you’re free to choose any pattern of enrolment that totals the five core units and three electives, but we find these patterns can be helpful:
MTS Apprentices
Apprentice starting in 2024
S1-2024 – NT at G8 conference
S2-2024 – ISS / CB / LMFE
S1-2025 – OT at G8 / IDS at G8 / DSS
S2-2025 – AP
Apprentice starting in 2025
S1-2025 – OT at G8 conference
S2-2025 – ISS / CB / LMFE
S1-2026 – NT at G8 / IDS at G8 / DSS
S2-2026 – AP
Apprentice starting in 2026
S1-2026 – NT at G8 conference
S2-2026 – ISS / CB / LMFE
S1-2027 – OT at G8 / IDS at G8 / DSS
S2-2027 – AP
MTS Cornhill Apprentices
Cornhill Apprentice starting in 2024
S1-2024 – PR at Cornhill
S2-2024 – OT and NT at Cornhill, ISS
S1-2025 – CB at Cornhill / IDS at G8 / DSS
S2-2025 – Either AP or REV at Cornhill
Cornhill Apprentice starting in 2025
S1-2025 – PR at Cornhill
S2-2025 – OT and NT at Cornhill, ISS
S1-2026 – CB at Cornhill / IDS at G8 / DSS
S2-2026 – Either AP or REV at Cornhill
Cornhill Apprentice starting in 2026
S1-2026 – PR at Cornhill
S2-2026 – OT and NT at Cornhill, ISS
S1-2027 – CB at Cornhill / IDS at G8 / DSS
S2-2027 – Either AP or REV at Cornhill
MTS / MTW Apprentices
MTS/MTW Apprentice starting in 2024
S1-2024 – NT at G8 conference / ISS
S2-2024 – CB / DSS
S1-2025 – OT at G8 / IDS at G8
S2-2025 – LMFE / AP
MTS/MTW Apprentice starting in 2025
S1-2025 – OT at G8 conference / ISS
S2-2025 – CB / DSS
S1-2026 – NT at G8 and IDS at G8
S2-2026 – LMFE / AP
MTS/MTW Apprentice starting in 2026
S1-2026 – NT at G8 conference / ISS
S2-2026 – CB / DSS
S1-2027 – OT at G8 / IDS at G8
S2-2027 – LMFE / AP