1. Courses Offered

The Institute offers the following courses:

1. Baccalaureate in Theology (Two-year Philosophy + Three-year Theology)
2. Licentiate in Theology with specialization in Systematic Theology (Two-year Programme)
3. Pastoral Year (One-year Diploma Programme)
4. Diploma in Theology - Regular (Two-year Programme)
5. Diploma in Theology - Online (Two-year Programme)
6. Certificate Course in Theology (One-year Programme)

2. REQUIREMENTS FOR ADMISSION

The following shall be the requirements for admission:

1. The applicant for Two-year Philosophy should have a secular Baccalaureate Degree and have completed One-year Spirituality Programme.
2. The applicant for Three-year Theology should have a secular Baccalaureate Degree, and have completed One-year Spirituality Programme and at least Two-year Philosophy Programme, the latter at an Ecclesiastical Faculty.
3. The applicant for Licentiate in Theology should have a Baccalaureate in Theology or the completion of a Six-year Philosophy-Theology Programme either in an Ecclesiastical Faculty or in a Seminary.
4. The applicant for Pastoral Year should have a Baccalaureate in Theology or the completion of a Six-year Philosophy-Theology Programme either in an Ecclesiastical Faculty or in a Seminary.
5. The applicant for Regular Two-year Diploma in Theology should have a secular Baccalaureate Degree.
6. The applicant for Online Diploma in Theology should have a Higher Secondary (+2) or its equivalent certificate.
7. The applicant for Certificate Course in Theology should have a Higher Secondary (+2) or its equivalent certificate.
8. In all the above instances, except Licentiate in Theology, the applicant must have an adequate knowledge of English; for Licentiate in Theology, an adequate knowledge of English and Latin.
9. The applicant must possess faith and moral integrity. In this regard, if the applicant is either a seminarian or a religious, then he/she must be presented by the Ordinary / Major Superior concerned. In the case of a lay person, he / she must be presented by an Ecclesiastical Authority.

3. PROCEDURE FOR ADMISSION

The Director of the Institute is the admitting authority for the students of all the streams of the Institute. However, since the Institute primarily caters to the intellectual formation of the seminarians of St. Paul's Seminary, the following procedure is to be followed while seeking admission:

1. Those applicants who intend to be the resident students of St. Paul's Seminary for all the streams of the Institute should receive the applications from and make all correspondences concerning admission to

   The Rector

   St. Paul's Seminary

   Post Box No. 36, Tiruchirappalli - 620 001

   Tamil Nadu, India

   Tel.: 0431/2412500

   Email: rectorsps@gmail.com

2. Those applicants who intend to be day-scholars for all the streams of the Institute should receive the applications from and make all correspondences concerning admission to

   The Registrar

   St. Paul's Institute of Theology

   Post Box No. 36, Tiruchirappalli - 620 001

   Tamil Nadu, India

   Tel.: 0431/2412500

   Email: registrarspit@gmail.com

4. CATEGORIES OF STUDENTS

The students are categorized as Non-Degree Students, Ordinary Students, and Extraordinary Students.

1. The Non-Degree Students are those who are following a full programme of studies, but do not aspire for an academic Degree.
2. The Ordinary Students are those who are following a full programme of studies with a view to getting an academic Degree.
3. The Extraordinary Students are those who attend only some select course or Academic Guidelines by the Institute.

5. FEE STRUCTURE

The following table:

* "Academics" includes tuition, library, papers, examinations, handbook, and other student-activities.

6. ECTS SYSTEM, MEDIUM, AND STUDY DAY

• Our Institute follows the European Credit Transfer and Accumulation System (ECTS).
• Each ECTS consists of 15 classroom teaching hours and 15 hours of academic work outside the classroom.
• To enhance student learning, one hour for 1 ECTS course, and 2 hours for 2 & 3 ECTS courses will be allotted for recapitulation in view of philosophical / theological integration either within the classroom teaching hours or from the library hours.
• Each academic year will have two semesters, with the scope of 60 ECTS to be explored, including courses and other academic activities.
• As a result, in the First Cycle of Theology, at the end of the Two-year Philosophy Programme, a student will have completed 120 ECTS, and at the end of the Three-year Theology Programme, 180 ECTS; in the same way, in the Second Cycle of Theology, at the end of the Two-year Licentiate Programme, 120 ECTS, and at the end of the One-year Pastoral Programme, 60 ECTS, and Two-year Regular Diploma in Theology Programme, 120 ECTS.
• The medium of instruction for the Two-year Philosophy Programme is English, except the courses related to Tamil Culture. For the Three-year Theology Programme / the Two-year Regular Diploma in Theology Programme, the medium is English, except the courses related to Tamil Culture. For the Two-year Licentiate Programme, the medium is English, and for the One-year Pastoral Programme it is in English.
• A teaching hour consists of 45 minutes, and in a day, there are six class hours, five days a week excluding Wednesday, which is study day meant for personal study.

7. ATTENDANCE AND LIBRARY HOURS

Class attendance and attendance to the library hours are also compulsory for all the students of the Institute. The absentees must provide the leave application.

Leave application with the signature of the concerned Animator/Superior is to be submitted ahead of time to the concerned Prefect for any foreseen leave or delay. In unforeseen instances, information is to be given to the concerned Prefect before leave or delay, and then the leave application with the signature of the concerned Animator/Superior should be given before attending the next class.

A student missing more than 20% of the classes for any course forfeits the ECTS for it. Hence he / she has to repeat the course before taking up the exam for that course.

• Fifth and the sixth hours on all working days will be library hours, unless otherwise notified in the calendar for classes and other academic activities.

8. INSTRUCTIONS ON EXAMS

Norms applicable only to Baccalaureate in Theology:

• The mode of any internal exam shall always be written and the maximum duration to be allotted for it is 45 minutes.
• For Philosophy, all four ECTS courses will have an internal exam each for 15 marks, and an assignment for 10 marks; all two and three ECTS courses an internal exam each for 25 marks.
• For Theology, in any two or three or four ECTS course, in which an assignment is not marked in the Handbook, if the concerned professor wants, then (s)he could give one internal exam for 25 marks, or 25 marks could be allotted in terms of internal exams in exhibiting the creativity of the students.
• As an exception, a maximum of three class tests for 30 marks altogether, each test for not more than 20 minutes, could be given for the language courses apart from the final exam conducted for the remaining 70 marks each.
• For Philosophy, an internal exam is to be given on any day in the afternoon.
• For Theology, an internal exam is to be given during any one of the class hours of the particular course, and not outside of it.
• The questions for an internal exam can either be of objective or descriptive type.
• The internal mark of a student, who fails in a subject after the external exam and has to sit for a re-exam, will be retained for the re-exam valuation.
• The mode and the duration of external exams shall be:
  • 1 ECTS – 1.15 hrs. of written or 10 minutes of oral.
  • 2 ECTS – 1.30 hrs. of written or 12 minutes of oral.
  • 3 ECTS – 2 hrs. of written or 15 minutes of oral.
  • 4 ECTS – 2 hrs. of written or 15 minutes of oral.
• Maximum Pages for Written Exam
  • 1 ECTS – 4-5 pages
  • 2 ECTS – 6-7 pages
  • 3 ECTS – 8-9 pages
  • 4 ECTS – 8-9 pages
• If a professor has got more than one subject for a group in a semester/year, then for the external exams, at least one exam has to be either oral or written, neither all oral nor all written. If a professor is handling only one course for a group in a semester/year, then the choice of the exam is of the students. However, in a semester 50% of the exams must be either oral or written.
• For one ECTS course, the exam could be conducted during the course of the semester, but at least one week after the completion of the course. However, such exam, be it oral or written, can be conducted either on a study day or in the afternoon during the class days, if there is no academic programme at that time.
• For all one ECTS courses, in which exams could not be conducted during the course of the semester, they will be organized during the semester exams.
• For any two or three or four ECTS course, the external exam shall be given only at the end of the semester and not during the course of the semester.
• The questions for an external exam are expected to be of descriptive type.

The passing aggregate of 40% for a subject shall be calculated in the following way:

Philosophy

• Four ECTS courses: Internal – 15 Marks + Assignment – 10 Marks + External – 75 Marks.
• Two or Three ECTS courses: Internal – 25 Marks + External – 75 Marks.
• For a pass, one must obtain 30 marks out of 75 in the external exam, for all courses with internal exams. For those courses without internal exam, one must obtain 40 marks out of 100, for a pass.

Theology

• Two or Three or Four ECTS courses with assignments: Assignments – 25 Marks + External – 75 Marks. For a pass, one must obtain 30 Marks out of 75 Marks in the external exam.
• Two or Three or Four ECTS courses with internals: Internal – 25 Marks + External – 75 Marks. For a pass, one must obtain 30 Marks out of 75 Marks in the external exams.
• Two or Three or Four ECTS courses neither with assignments nor with internals: External – 100 Marks. For a pass, one must obtain 40 Marks out of 100 Marks.
• The mode of the last exam of the semester exams has to be always written and that exam should end by 12 noon that day.

Norms applicable to all the Streams of the Institute:

• The schedule for external exams is to be ratified by the Controller of Examinations.
• Before every exam, be it the first session or the second session, a notification along with the name list of the students who appear for that particular exam, will be sent by the Controller of Examinations to the concerned professor.
• A student who fails in an exam can take up a re-exam during the second session exam schedule mentioned in the calendar.
• If a student fails even in a second session exam conducted, then (s)he can appear for next attempt only after a month.
• Similarly, students who fail in the first session of comprehensive exams can reappear only after a month.
• The mode of any second session exam is decided by the concerned teacher.
• In oral exams, the examiner may ask the student any question in the subject. (S)he may also ask the student to take a lot or a card carrying the question. Though the examiner may kindle the failing memory of the student, such help has to be kept to a reasonable level.
• In written exams, the questions are released in the exam hall at the time of the exam. Choices, if any, are left to the examiner. A written exam will be supervised by the examiner.
• Class materials should not be used at the written exams, except certain primary sources like Bible, Vatican Council II, etc.
• For retotaling, revaluation, and viewing of the answer sheets, the concerned student has to submit a written application to the Controller of Examinations, who would take the necessary actions:
  1. Retotaling is done by the Controller himself;
  2. Revaluation is done by the concerned course teacher himself/herself, who would do it at the request of the Controller;
  3. Viewing is done in the presence of the concerned course teacher as the Controller sends the answer sheets to him/her.
• Just as written exams, oral exams are also to be conducted in the assigned classrooms.
• Any student, who decides not to sit for semester exams for the reason of falling sick or for any other valid reason, has to submit a written concurrence from the Rector/Superior to the Controller of Examinations before the concerned examination. This student will appear in the second session examinations, which will be considered as the first attempt.
• The yearly average of the marks given at the end of each year at the entire Institute is calculated in the following way: first, the marks of each course is multiplied by its own number of ECTS, and then the sum total of all the multiplied values is divided by the total number of ECTS.

9. INSTRUCTIONS ON ASSIGNMENTS, BOOK REVIEWS & SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH PAPER

Norms applicable only to Baccalaureate in Theology:

• The following shall be the page-limit for the assignments/book reviews including bibliography:

  Philosophy

  • Subject assignments: 4-5 pages, Book reviews: 3-4 pages.

  Theology

  • Seminar assignments: 9-10 pages, Subject assignments: 9-10 pages.
• The student must write the assignments only in English.

Norms applicable to all the Streams of the Institute:

• Assignments, Book Reviews, and the Scientific Research Paper should show evidence of a student’s extra reading and adequate knowledge of relevant magisterial documents.
• Only books and articles of scientific nature available in our library should be read and used for the purpose of writing assignments. Students are not permitted to consult online resources or use Artificial Intelligence.
• Assignments should follow, both in their structure and content, the principles of scientific methodology taught [Each student is given a copy of the Institute’s guidelines for writing assignments, book reviews, and Scientific Research Paper].
• Assignments, book reviews, Scientific Research Paper, and papers given for correction for homiletics, academies (Tamil & English) etc., for the entire Institute should be computer printed in A4 size papers with 1.5 line spacing. Hand written works will not be accepted.
• Assignments, book reviews, and Scientific Research Paper are to be submitted before or by the due date in the Academic Office.
• Any extension of date with regard to the submission of assignments, book reviews, and Scientific Research Paper is to be sought from the concerned Prefect.
• Late submission of any assignment, book review, and Scientific Research Paper is done personally to the concerned Prefect.
• Late submission without prior permission runs the risk of losing 2 marks per day.
• Apart from the academic works mentioned in the Handbook, no extra academic work is to be given in any course by the teachers in the entire Institute.

10. CONFERRAL OF DEGREES AND DIPLOMAS

• The Degrees of the Baccalaureate and the Licentiate are granted by the aggregating Institute, while the Diplomas by the aggregated Institute itself.
• The Degrees and Diplomas are conferred to the candidates who have successfully completed the programme of studies in each stream with the required number of ECTS as designed by the Institute.

11. GRADES

The following is the grading system for the entire Institute:

• Pass Mark 40
• Pass Class (Probatus) 40-49
• III Class (Bene probatus) 50-59
• II Class (Cum laude probatus) 60-74
• I Class (Magna cum laude probatus) 75-89
• Distinction (Summa cum laude probatus) 90-100

12. DISCIPLINARY ACTION

• A student who copies in the exam will be dismissed from the Institute.
• A student who copies or reproduces an assignment of someone else will be dismissed from the Institute.
• A student who involves in plagiarism will be considered as failed in all the exams of that particular semester. Hence he / she has to repeat all those exams.
• As regards a student who fails in more than three subjects in an academic year even after the first re-exam, it will be notified to the student’s Ordinary / Superior who would ultimately decide on the student’s further continuance.