Kevin Lawler commenced his Higher Education journey with EBC this year. He had already completed a Diploma of Chaplaincy with Vocation Training Stream at EBC and took the opportunity to use that pathway to enrol in a Diploma of Theology. Since he had completed the award in chaplaincy, he was eligible for academic credit.
What that means is Kevin received credit for five units of an eight-unit Diploma in Theology. Kevin was more than halfway toward completing the Diploma in Theology before he even started. We checked in with Kevin to find out how his experience of Higher Education is going.
How are you settling into Higher education?
I found it intimidating when I first begun higher education but after experiencing the support of the college and my lecturer, I was able to focus on learning, I found if you follow the advice on study and how to go about it, it just happens, you learn. I was told by a very helpful mentor, writing begets writing, I believe his lecturer gave him that same advice, it was so helpful. If you're stuck and don't know where to begin, research and write down what you're learning, it will flow from there.
What unit did you take to start with?
I started with the Study Skills micro unit followed by the Story of God, People and Land.
What insights did you gain from your engagement with the unit?
I learnt a lot about the redaction of the Old Testament texts and how that came to pass. I also learnt about the identity of Israel and their relationship with Yahweh.
How is that learning impacting your ministry?
I get asked questions from time to time about the authenticity and historicity of the bible, the accuracy and who wrote it among others, I am now better equipped to explain how the bible came to be, who wrote it and why, and how it was compiled into the book we know today.
What advice would you give to a prospective student who has done a Diploma in Chaplaincy and thinking of going further with their studies?
I would suggest that if they want to be better equipped to answer those curve balls that are innocently and curiously pitched at them, that they would benefit from furthering their knowledge of Theology and how to do it. The better your knowledge the more simply you can explain things.
If you are like Kevin and already have a degree in a theology or divinity-related field like chaplaincy, you might be eligible for block credit too. To find out more about the block credit pathway for the Certificate IV in Christianity Ministry and Theology, and the Diploma of Chaplaincy, visit our website.