Master of Christian Studies (MCS)

Nature of the Course:

The Senate of Serampore College launched the Master of Christian Studies (MCS) as an extension programme in 2012. The course is designed primarily for laity and Christian workers who wish to pursue theological studies through a non-residential mode. It seeks to equip Christian professionals, church workers, and the laity with in-depth theological knowledge to facilitate effective leadership in both the Church and society. Although MCS is a postgraduate programme, it is not equivalent to the regular Master of Theology (MTh) and, therefore, is not recognized as a qualification for teaching in theological seminaries.

The programme spans two years, with the first year devoted to foundational theological studies and the second year focused on a chosen area of specialization. Students may also opt to undertake a thesis in the second year. Currently, the MCS programme is offered only through SCEPTRE and approved Senate-affiliated institutions.

Course Objectives:

The objectives of the programme are:

1. To provide opportunities for ongoing learning that fosters the spiritual (both individual and communal) and vocational growth of candidates within their respective contexts.

2. To develop the necessary skills and tools for understanding and interpreting the socio-political and religio-cultural contexts of the Church and society, and for identifying contemporary issues.

3. To equip candidates to render effective service to the Church and society through ministries of their choice.

4. To facilitate the continuous integration of theological understanding with practical ministry in diverse contexts.

Admission Requirements:

A candidate seeking admission to the MCS programme must satisfy one of the following conditions:

1. A candidate must hold a degree of BCS, BD, or any degree equivalent to the BCS from a university recognized by the Senate of Serampore College.

2. The candidate should also have a minimum of one year of ministerial experience after completing the BCS or BD.

3. Holders of the Senate BTh degree must have a minimum of five years of ministerial experience after obtaining the BTh degree.

4. Holders of the MDiv degree from the Asia Theological Association (ATA) must have completed at least the Higher Secondary Certificate (HSC) or its equivalent and must have passed four qualifying papers under the Senate of Serampore College.

Medium of Study:

The medium of study and examination shall be English or any other vernacular language approved by the Senate.

Course Duration:

The duration of the MCS course is two academic years, running from January to December. The registration shall remain valid for a period of four years. If a student is unable to complete the course within this period, he or she may apply for an extension and will be required to pay the extension fee as per the prescribed fee structure. 

Course Registration:

The academic year for the MCS course is from January to December. Online registration for the course is open on the Senate website during the months of October and November each year. The last date of registration with a late fee is 15 December. The hard copy of the Registration Form (print-out copy), along with the complete set of required documents of students, shall be submitted to the Dean, SCEPTRE, Kolkata, by 15 January of the following year. The Registration Form should be submitted along with the following documents:

1.Copies of degree certificates or marksheets of all academic qualifications.

2.Certificate of birth registration or other acceptable documents like HSLC admit card, Passport, Driving License, or PAN Card as evidence of date of birth.

3. A certificate of character from the appropriate church authority.

4. A written statement from the candidate declaring that he/she is not enrolled in any other course under any university/institution at the same

5. Online payment transaction receipts as evidence of payment of the required fees.

Applications submitted without the above documents will be rejected.

Annual Contact Seminar

The SCEPTRE office shall conduct an intensive one-week annual online contact seminar for direct students and those enrolled through approved examination centres in April or May to orient them in their studies. Attendance at the annual online contact seminar is compulsory for all candidates. In accordance with the Senate policy, affiliated colleges shall conduct contact seminars for their students. Annual contact seminar fees must be paid annually.

Course Schema:

1^st Year :  Foundation Courses (Six papers)

2^nd Year: Courses for specialization (four papers plus thesis/two additional papers)

Students can choose one area for specialization.

Online Examination Registration

 All students are required to fill up the online examination registration form from 1 to 30 June. The last date of filling up the online examination registration form with a late fee is 15 July. The hard copy of the examination registration form (printout copy) should be submitted to the office of the Registrar, Senate of Serampore College, Serampore, on or before 31 July. In case of a change of examination centre, a consent letter from the Principal or head of the institution must also be enclosed.

Examinations and Evaluation

1.The Senate conducts examinations and evaluations in accordance with the procedures and rules laid down by the Senate.

2. The Senate of Serampore College conducts annual examinations in November/December each year.

3. All the Foundational Courses will be examined by the Senate of Serampore College, while all the Specialised Courses will be examined by the College. For directly Senate-registered students, all papers, including the Thesis, will be examined by the Senate.

4. The Thesis will be examined by the Senate. If students of affiliated Colleges take two papers in lieu of the Thesis, these papers shall be examined by two examiners.

5. Each paper, unless otherwise stated, shall be of three hours’ duration (for 100 marks) and will cover the subject matter indicated in the syllabus.

6. All examinations for the MCS course shall normally be evaluated by two examiners. The Senate will not entertain requests for re-evaluation of any script and/or permit an examination for improvement of grades.

7. A candidate should give an undertaking at the time of registration that he/she will abide by all the rules and regulations of the Senate of Serampore College as applicable to the MCS degree, including the decisions of the Senate and its Academic Council.

8. A candidate for the MCS degree will normally appear for the course examinations each year according to the prescribed sequence.

A candidate may appear for any referred paper in addition to the papers studied.

Thesis:

A candidate may be permitted to write a thesis for the completion of the required courses. He/she should submit the thesis proposal on a prescribed form for approval before the end of the first year as per the conditions laid down under Part III: Curriculum. A candidate may be permitted to write 2 papers (8 credit courses) in lieu of a thesis.

Plagiarism

Independent research and writing play a vital part in the course requirements, examinations, thesis and project. Students, therefore, should be aware of the strong sanctions against plagiarism. If proven, a charge of plagiarism could result in an automatic “F” in the course and possible expulsion/cancellation of registration. If anyone has any questions or doubts about what plagiarism entails or how to properly acknowledge source materials and the works of others, be sure to consult the faculty concerned.

Pass and Failure in Examination:

A candidate who fails in any paper or papers shall be regarded as having “referred” in such paper or papers and shall be permitted to offer himself/herself for re-examination in that paper or those papers, or in any other paper or papers that may be substituted in accordance with the Regulations, provided that the candidate completes the course requirements within the prescribed time. Any change of paper in place of the referred paper must be applied at the time of filling up the examination entry form.

 Standard of Pass and Class:

The minimum pass mark for each paper in the MCS examinations is 40% or a grade of C-.

First Class	Second Class	Third Class	Failure
A+ (80% and above)	B+ (65%)	C+ (50%)	D (30%)
A (75%)	B (60%)	C (45%)	E (20%)
A- (70%)	B- (55%)	C- (40%)	F (10%)

  Results, Marksheets, and Transcripts:

1. Notification of the results of the Senate examinations, along with the grades obtained, will be published on our website (www.senateofseramporecollege.edu.in).

2. The Senate Office will send the marksheets (for all candidates) and transcripts (for qualified candidates only) to the Affiliated College/SCEPTRE/Centre after the publication of the results.

Convocation of Serampore College:

The Convocation of Serampore College is held annually. Normally, every student who has qualified for the MCS degree is expected to attend the Convocation and receive the degree in person. Candidates who have been granted the degree in absentia should apply to the Senate for the degree, enclosing the online payment receipt for the in-absentia fee or a Demand Draft drawn in favour of the Registrar, Senate of Serampore College. 

Important Dates: 

1. New registration for the course should be done during October and November.

2. Hard copy of the registration form along with supporting documents shall be submitted to the office of the Registrar, Senate of Serampore College, on or before 15 January of the following year.

3. An Annual online contact seminar (for one week) shall be conducted in April or May every year. Contact Seminar fee shall be paid before or during the seminar. A late fee shall be charged for payment after the seminar.

4. Online examination registration should be done between 1 to 30 June. The last date of filling up the online examination registration form with a late fee is 15 July each year.

5. The hard copy of the examination registration form (printout copy) should be submitted to the office of the Registrar, Senate of Serampore College, Serampore, on or before 31 July.

6. The annual examinations for each course shall be conducted in October/November each year.