- Level 6 Special Purpose Award accredited by St Patrick’s Pontifical University, Maynooth
- Designed for students who wish to explore the Carmelite tradition and study the spirituality associated with the Carmelite charism
- Awarded on completion of six mandatory modules
- Delivered fully online, on a part-time or full-time basis
APPLICATION FORM
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Course Overview
The Certificate in Spirituality (Carmelite Studies) programme, which is in keeping with the Roman Catholic ethos of the Carmelite tradition, offers students the opportunity to study the rich heritage of the Carmelite tradition at a formal academic level and to achieve a broad understanding of Carmelite History, Spirituality and Saints.
Students study individual modules at their own pace in a structured yet flexible way. The range of topics studied provides a foundation for candidates to engage in the ongoing dialogue between the Carmelite tradition and the contemporary world. Graduates of this course will be able to describe and engage with the principal elements of the Carmelite tradition.
The course also supports the development of important skills in academic research and practical writing at undergraduate level. Academic guidance is provided through individual assessment feedback, and instruction on the writing of academic essays.
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Modules
The Certificate in Spirituality (Carmelite Studies) has two main areas of focus:
- The history and traditions of Carmel
- Carmel Saints and their approach to prayer and Christian living
To complete the course students study the following six modules, completing all the required assignments for each module.
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Assessment
Each module is assessed through a mix of continuous assessment (ten questions after every four units) and a final essay (2,000-2,500 words).
- Each questionnaire is awarded 10% of the total marks (4 x 10 = 40%).
- The essay is awarded 60% of the total mark.
(A module consists of 16 units. The content of one unit is equivalent to approximately that delivered in a 45-minute lecture. Students will need to dedicate twice this amount of time to private reading beyond the material provided in the module).
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Delivery
The course is delivered in the form of a phased release of reading material, facilitating a reflective approach to study and learning. The content is accessed online, and support is available through the administration team in CIBI.
We have two thirteen week semesters each academic year and you can start the course in either semester:
- Semester 1: September – December
- Semester 2: January – April
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Duration
The six modules must be completed within five years of registration.
A part-time student could complete the programme in 3 to 6 semesters (one and a half years to three years).
A full-time student could complete the programme in 2 semesters (1 year).
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Outcomes
On successful completion of the Certificate course, the graduate should be able to:
- Exhibit a knowledge and understanding of some of the significant topics, figures and sources relating to studies in the Carmelite tradition of spirituality.
- Identify, gather and analyse some of the historical material relating to the Carmelite tradition of spirituality
- Display the capacity to identify and communicate some of the significant elements in the Carmelite tradition of spirituality
- Present a coherent and well-structured written presentation of some on the elements of the Carmelite tradition of spirituality
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Admission Criteria
The course is open to all adult students, both lay and religious, and to those of all faiths and none.
(Students who have completed some of the modules of the Diploma in Carmelite Studies (accredited by the former Milltown Institute) may request exemptions from the equivalent modules in this course).
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Accreditation
The Certificate in Spirituality (Carmelite Studies) is accredited by St Patrick’s Pontifical University, Maynooth, Ireland.
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Fees
- Initial one-off registration fee of €50 (non-refundable)
- Module fee €120.00 per module
CIBI has a small bursary fund to support students who may financially struggle to access or stay in our accredited programmes. Details can be found here.
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COURSE REGULATIONS 25th January 2019
Certificate in Spirituality (Carmelite Studies).
Accredited by St Patrick’s Pontifical University, Maynooth Ireland.
The Certificate in Spirituality (Carmelite Studies) is informed by the normative disciplines of Roman Catholic Theology, and provides the appropriate foundations for studies in Carmelite Studies. This course will enable the Carmelite Family (which includes Friars, Nuns, Sisters and Lay Carmelites of various kinds) across the world to deepen their engagement with, and academic understanding of, the Carmelite charism and its associated history and tradition.
Students will explore, discover and study the essential elements of a theological approach to the Christian life, and to the living of the Carmelite charism in particular. It will familiarise students with the basic outlines of the history of Carmel, its Saints and Blesseds, its tradition and its approach to prayer and Christian living. Having studied the material presented, having engaged with it and having presented their understanding for critical scrutiny and feedback, those who have successfully completed this course will be able to describe, present and, to some extent, engage with the principal elements of the Carmelite tradition.
Although students will not need to attend a particular campus and will normally continue with their previous commitments, the course will enable them to engage academically with the material in a manner that maintains the standards of practice typical of third level institutions. Students will be required to engage seriously with the history, tradition and spirituality of Carmel. Their studies will provide the background that will enable them to engage in the ongoing dialogue between the Carmelite tradition and the contemporary world and to participate in the formation or training of others interested in the field of Carmelite Studies.
Admission Criteria
Applicants will normally have completed second-level education (equivalent to National University of Ireland Matriculation) but applicants 23 years of age or over on January 1st of the year of intended entry who do not fulfil the normal matriculation requirements may apply on the basis of mature years.
Course Structure
This course is delivered in the form of a phased delivery of reading material made available through the CIBI website (www.cibi.ie). All communication between CIBI and students is by email.
The course is a part-time, undergraduate course, and to complete the course students must complete assessment of the required number of taught modules, which are divided into two categories: (1) History and the Tradition and (2) Saints and Themes (there are three modules in each category).
In order to complete the Certificate course, the six taught modules must be completed within five years of registration unless special dispensation has been given, and students who do not complete the course within the time allowed may only complete the course when the Academic Board has been satisfied that there were good reasons why the course was not completed in the time allowed.
The academic year for CIBI courses is measured in two semesters, the first running from September to December, and the second from January to April. Content will be available during the semester periods only. The content for each module is released over twelve weeks (a semester) and it is possible to take more than one module per semester.
Each module is made up of sixteen units and each unit is the equivalent of a 45-minutes lecture. Students will need to dedicate about twice this amount of time to private reading beyond the materials provided. The four questionnaires, and the individual feedback that students receive for each questionnaire, are regarded as being the equivalent of a further eight units. The modules are all self-contained learning experiences that can theoretically be followed in any order. The part-time nature of the course means that, within the overall constraints (5 years for the course as a whole), students proceed at their own pace taking on each semester only as many modules as their circumstances permit. Normally, students will be expected to complete one module each semester.
Assessment
Each module is assessed by four, ten-question questionnaires and a final written essay on an assigned topic (2,000-2,500 words). In each module, each of the four questionnaires is awarded 10% of the overall marks, the other 60% being awarded for the final essay.
The Certificate in Spirituality (Carmelite Studies) is a thirty (30) credit course, 5 credits being awarded for each of its six modules.