Douala, Cameroon

Ministry, Douala Faculty Handbook

For students of the School of Ministry, Douala — programmes, assessment, research expectations and graduation.

Contents Faculty page Student Handbook

Part I

Dean’s Welcome

Dr Bongbuen Alando

Campus Director · Ministry, Douala

The School of Ministry at the Douala Campus extends the mission of ICOF Global University by preparing ministers for the work itself among students within Douala and surrounding regions.

The campus delivers the same academic standards, curriculum, assessments and qualifications as the rest of the School while providing accessible education within a dynamic urban environment.

We are committed to preparing ministers, church leaders, educators, and missionaries who will faithfully serve the Church and society.

Part II

About the Faculty

The School of Ministry in Douala teaches the School of Ministry’s programmes in Cameroon’s largest city and commercial centre, for students who cannot relocate.

A student in Douala studies the same courses, sits the same assessments and receives the same award as any other student of the School; only the location differs.

The Douala campus operates under the direction of Dr Bongbuen Alando.

In preparation

Faculty history and academic calendar

A faculty handbook normally opens with the faculty's own history and the year's dates. Neither has been supplied.

When the faculty was founded, and by whom
Milestones a student would want to know
Semester dates, registration windows and examination periods for this faculty

Part III

Programmes

The faculty awards 6 programmes across 4 levels.

Diploma

Diploma in Ministry
Practical ministerial formation at diploma level for those already serving in local churches — preaching, pastoral care, church administration and evangelism — leading on to the Bachelor of Ministry or the Bachelor of Theology.
Diploma in Christian Leadership
Leadership formation for those carrying responsibility in churches, ministries and Christian organisations. Where the Diploma in Ministry forms the pastor, this diploma forms the leader — governance, stewardship, team building and the handling of conflict, grounded in a biblical understanding of servant leadership.

Bachelor

Bachelor of Ministry
The practical route to ministry, and a distinct award from the Bachelor of Divinity. The B.Min. is built for those already serving: supervised placement runs throughout, and the emphasis falls on preaching, pastoral care, discipleship, church administration and mission rather than on the biblical languages.

Master

Masters in Evangelism and Mission
Missiology and the practice of evangelism for those sent to plant, to cross cultures and to reach communities that the church has not yet reached — with particular attention to mission within and from Africa.
Master of Arts in Christian Leadership
Advanced leadership study for those directing churches, denominations, Christian organisations and NGOs. The degree treats leadership itself as the object of study — organisational strategy, change, governance and ethics — and concludes with a supervised leadership research project.

Doctorate

Doctor of Ministry
The professional doctorate for practising ministers, in Christian Counseling and Administration. Study is grounded in the candidate’s own ministry context, and the final project addresses a problem in that context rather than a question in the literature alone.

Study load

Certificate. Minimum 10 and maximum 12 subjects per year.
Ordinary Diploma. Minimum 10 and maximum 12 subjects per year.
Bachelor’s Degree (distance learning). Minimum 10 and maximum 12 subjects per year.
Bachelor’s Honours Degree (distance learning). One full academic year, to a maximum of eight subjects.
Master’s Degree. Coursework and dissertation combined; a small number of degrees may be taken by thesis only.
Doctorate and Ph.D.. Mostly by dissertation, with the exception of a few doctorates in the business sciences.

Part IV

Course Descriptions

Full course lists with the faculty’s own codes are published for 1 programme.

Bachelor of Ministry (B.Min.) — 3 years · 6 semesters, 34 courses

Course catalogue (18)

THE-BA	Bachelor of Theology	Bachelor
BDIV	Bachelor of Divinity	Bachelor
BMIN	Bachelor of Ministry	Bachelor
CED-BA	Bachelor of Christian Education	Bachelor
THE-MA	Master of Theology	Master
DIV-MA	Master of Divinity	Master
EVM-MA	Masters in Evangelism and Mission	Master
MACL	Master of Arts in Christian Leadership	Master
BLT-MA	Master of Arts in Black Liberation Theology	Master
PHD-TH	Doctor of Philosophy (Theology)	Doctorate
DSTH	Doctor of Systematic Theology	Doctorate
DTH	Doctor of Theology	Doctorate
DMIN	Doctor of Ministry	Doctorate
CERT-TH	Certificate of Theology	Certificate
CERT-CE	Certificate of Christian Education	Certificate
DIP-TH	Diploma in Theology	Diploma
DIP-MIN	Diploma in Ministry	Diploma
DIP-CL	Diploma in Christian Leadership	Diploma

Part V

Assessment and Grading

The pass mark is 65%, and grades run from A at 94–100% to F. The full scale with grade points is in the Academic Regulations.

Diploma and undergraduate courses

Participation — engagement in class discussion and activities	20%
Assignments — written assignments and projects	30%
Examinations — midterm and final	30%
Presentations — preparation and delivery of oral presentations	20%

Master’s courses

Participation — class discussion and online forums	20%
Research paper — 5,000 words	30%
Presentations	20%
Final examination — comprehensive, covering all modules	30%

Part VI

Practicum, Ministry and Chapel

Theological formation at ICOF is not confined to the lecture room. Students take part in chapel services, prayer retreats, community outreach, mission internships, leadership conferences, student theological societies, research seminars, ministry practicums and community service.

The Bachelor of Ministry carries supervised placement throughout, and the Bachelor of Theology includes internships, practicums and service-learning.

In preparation

Practicum, ministry and chapel requirements

What a student must actually do to satisfy these — and whether chapel attendance is compulsory — has not been set. This is the one section of a theology faculty handbook a student is most likely to be assessed against, so nothing is stated in its place.

Practicum hours required by award, and over what period
How a placement is approved, who supervises it and how it is assessed
Ministry requirements — what a student must do outside class to qualify
Whether chapel attendance is compulsory, how often, and how it is recorded
Whether any of the above carries credit

Part VII

Research Expectations

Research in this faculty concentrates on 8 areas. Students are encouraged to pursue research contributing both to academic scholarship and to practical service.

Research degree candidates should read the Graduate School Handbook, which sets out admission, comprehensive examinations, research methodologies and the dissertation.

Part VIII

Graduation Requirements

A graduating student with outstanding fees will have a hold placed on transcripts, diplomas and degrees until those fees are paid in full.

Doctoral candidates complete all required coursework, pass comprehensive examinations, and defend the dissertation before a faculty committee.

In preparation

Credit totals, GPA minimum and classification

The requirements to graduate from each award in this faculty have not been adopted.

Credit total required for each award
Minimum cumulative GPA to graduate
Residency requirement — how much must be taken at ICOF
Degree classification bands and their names

Part IX

Contact

School of Ministry, Douala
Douala, Cameroon · Campus Director: Dr Bongbuen Alando
Opposite Bulu Blind Junction, Buea-Cameroon
+237 675 133 426 · info@iguc.net

ICOF Global University · School of Ministry, Douala Handbook · Sections marked “In preparation” are pending adoption.