Regent College
Regent College
This post-secondary educational institution is an interdenominational Christian college that offers various academic programs pertinent to theology and Christianity. It is actually an affiliated school of the University of British Columbia, through which the university offers graduate, religiously oriented programs to students. The history of the Regent College begins in 1968 in the city of Vancouver, in the province of British Columbia. It started as a clergy college and soon acquired the status of a full-fledged educational institution. Today, more than five hundred local and international students acquire education here in the full-time and part-time modes. The Regent College claims that more than twenty percents of all the students enrolled each year come from outside of Canada.
Programs
International students can study one of the following graduate programs at the Regent College: Christian Studies; Theological Studies; Theology; Divinity; and Leadership, Theology, and Society.
For example, the last program leads to a Master of Arts and encompasses thirty-six credit hours overall. It’s devised for the students, who want to leverage their leadership skills and knowledge of Christianity to positively impact the society and communities around them. International students of the Regent College learn such courses as the Effective Leader; New Testament Foundation; Old Testament Foundation; Models of Public Engagement; Theology and Spiritual Work; and a number of others. At the end of their cohort-based studies at the Regent College, students need to complete a capstone project.
The Master of Arts in Theological Studies can be taken in the full-time or part-time modes. The Regent College requires that a full-time programs be completed in five terms and the part-time one in six academic years maximum. Among the foundational core courses at the Regent College students learn the following: Christian Faith and Practice; Christian Thought in Culture on two levels; Theology on two levels of difficulty; World Christianity; the Christian Imagination; and the Biblical Language Course, among a number of others.
The Master of Divinity program can also be taken at the Regent College. This academic program prepares students to serve in the church and aims at teaching them various creative ways of performing church services and pursuing their mission, while remaining adherent to the church's traditions and conventions. This program of the Regent College can take a minimum of three years in the full-time and eight years in the part-time mode. By the way, up to forty-five credits can be taken in the online format. Students study the following courses: Biblical Exegesis; Christian Thought and Culture; and, of course Theology, on two levels of difficulty.
Besides, graduate studies that lead to degrees, international students can achieve a certificate at the Regent College. For example, a certificate in Christianity and Mental Health. The credits gained can be transferred to the program leading to graduate diplomas and Master’s degrees. Overall, students gain six credits in Mental Health courses, three credit hours in Biblical Studies; and another three credits in the elective disciplines. The program was devised to teach future experts in theology how to help people in times of struggle and people with mental illnesses. Students learn the most innovative and scientific methods of aiding people and providing them with psychological support, whether they have problems in the workplace, with their families, or with a friendship.
International students are also offered the opportunity to take a program leading to a graduate diploma in Christian Studies. The credits gained during this program can also be transferred to the Master of Arts degree in Theological Studies and Master of Divinity program. According to the statistics of the Regent College, seventy-five percent of all the graduates of the diploma in Christian Studies program decide to further their studies and get a Master’s degree at the Regent College or other educational institutions in Canada. For example, it can be the Trinity College of the University of Toronto. Here, an international student may earn a Master of Theology degree and then extend their research and achieve a Doctor of Ministry. On the Master level at the Trinity College, students can take six courses and graduate with a thesis that should consist of 12,500 words, or they can take eight courses and do an extended major paper. This program can be taken in the full-time and part-time modes as well. The Trinity College awards some students with a CAD 6,000 worth financial support if they show high academic achievements and enthusiasm in studying Theology.
The academic programs at the Regent College are very intensive, but the studies of spirituality extend far beyond the classrooms and permeate the students’ everyday lives. For example, every Tuesday during the winter and fall semesters, students organize group meetings with homemade bread in a chapel, hold Christmas parties and book sales, and take part in various volunteer events.
The Regent College encompasses the biggest in Western Canada theological library, a bookstore, and a library that showcases works and valuable items of the Christian culture. To all these, students of the Regent College have access and can explore all these sources of knowledge anytime.
Moreover, there is a student newspaper, magazines, and a publishing house at the Regent College and students can take part in their organization and production. International students enrolled in the full-time program at Regent College may work on campus to partially fund their studies. They may work in the on-campus bookstore, help the administration, and in the Regent College library. They can also work as teacher assistants and help them with such tasks as evaluating other students' works, doing research, or doing some burdensome paperwork.
As for the tuition fees at the Regent College, international students are to pay somewhere between CAD 300 and CAD 500 per course at the Regent College. For example, the Graduate Diploma in Christian Studies will cost students around CAD 12,100; the Master of Arts in Theology Studies will cost CAD 30,000; and the Master of Divinity program will cost somewhere around CAD 45,000. The cost for the Master of Arts in Leadership, Theology, and Society will be lower, which is CAD 25,000. Pay attention, that during the studies at the Regent College, international students need to pay various additional fees for membership, retreats, and health and dental plans. The last, for instance, will cost CAD 270 for an international student of the Regent College. On top of that, the living expenses of a typical international student in Vancouver are comprised of spendings on food (CAD 350 per month), a cell phone (up to CAD 70), and transportation (CAD 176 per term).
Accommodation at the Regent College
Even though the College doesn’t have its own building that would serve as a student residence, it provides every student with a database where they can find the most suitable accommodation option. For example, a student living in Vancouver can rent an unfurnished bachelor suite that will cost them around CAD 1000 per month or more. The Regent College students sometimes find a flat in the basements of houses, as it’s quite common for the area. It also contains a bedroom, a living room, a kitchen, and a bathroom for one or two people. This option will cost a student up to CAD 1600, depending on the quality of the accommodation. International students can also find an average apartment while studying at Regent College for around CAD 2,100, or even more if it is furnished and located near Vancouver's downtown area. Some international students prefer to rent accommodation with boarding, which means a student is provided not only with a private bedroom but also with meals. It is also called a homestay, the cost of which can vary from CAD 800 to CAD 1000. This option is very convenient for those who want to feel like part of a family, as students and family members spend most of their time together and share an apartment or a house. Even though most of the homestay providers match students and families according to their preferences, the Regent College advises students to meet the family in advance to make sure they will be able to co-exist together.
Future Prospects
After finishing the College, international students can continue their studies at other establishments of post-secondary education in Canada by extending their study permit. If they meet all the requirements, they may as well apply for a post-graduation work permit to commence their working path in Canada. This working visa stays valid for three years, and during or after this period, a former graduate of Regent College can apply for permanent residence in the country if they wish to continue living and working here. At the same time, international students have a wonderful opportunity to travel to other countries after completing an academic program at Regent College with all the skills and experience gained during the study period. So Regent College becomes a great starting point not only for becoming a member of the clergy but also for the continuation of research and studies in an area of interest.
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