STUDY

WHAT CAN I STUDY AT ACOM?

Knowing which study pathway to embark on isn’t always the easiest of tasks.

That being said, you might have a rough idea of what you are passionate about or where you would like to be down the track.
The following pages will help you find the right course to get you moving in the right direction. Whether you are studying for the first, second or third time, we have a pathway for you.

Our degrees are highly flexible, with elective units available in a wide variety of fields. You can tailor your learning to focus on areas of interest such as chaplaincy, Bible or pastoral theology. And remember, every unit has a practical component, so you will be putting your learning into action.

What’s my ‘Why’ for Pursuing Study?

Perhaps you’re in a similar boat to some of the following examples listed below.
You may actually have a sense as to why you are pursuing biblical studies and the ‘why’ behind your desire to study can help us help you to head in the right study direction and achieve the outcome you need and pursue the things you sense God is calling you to.

I’m a school leaver who wants to develop my journey as a disciple …The Diploma of Ministry is an 18 month qualification that offers a great introduction to the Bible, theology and discipleship topics.
I have been a minister for a number of years and want to continue my learning and professional development …We have a number of options in the Graduate School, with specialisations designed to stretch and develop you for your next season of ministry.
I am being called into professional ministry and need a recognised ministry qualification …Either the Bachelor of Ministry or the Bachelor of Theology will prepare you for ministry as a recognised pastor.
I’m moving from a career into paid ministry and need to be retrained but i already have an undergraduate degree …The Master of Divinity is a 24 unit postgraduate degree that prepares you for ministry as a recognised pastor.
I sense that i am being called to the mission field …The Alliance Institute for Mission is dedicated to training missionaries in a wide variety of contexts.

The ACOM Student Handbook

Whether you are are thinking about study, or are current student with ACOM, you will need to be stay up to date with the Student Handbook. This Handbook is your guide to your study, including information on; courses, policies and procedures.

Check out the Higher Education Handbook on our Resources page.

Here’s What’s Involved…

Here’s a snapshot overview of what you need to know as you enter your studies with ACOM. We’re sure there’ll be questions along the way, however it’s good to start somewhere. Let us know if you have something you require answered.

COST OF STUDY

Students can pay their fees up front or access the Australian Government’s FeeHelp system. FeeHelp is a Commonwealth loan scheme that assists eligible students to pay all or part of their higher education fees. FeeHelp can be used for all ACOM qualifications except the Certificate III in Outdoor Recreation.
For approximate costs, see specific awards from page 18 onwards.

STUDY OPTIONS

Students can study part time or full time. ACOM operates on a trimester basis, with formation units being taken over the course of the full year.
A full-time load is considered to be six to nine units, which is usually two to three units per trimester with one year-long unit. A part-time load is usually two to three units per year.

TEXT BOOKS AND LIBRARY

Required readings are provided for students with online library access for further research.
Some units may require the purchase of a textbook which will be indicated on our website.

DEMAND HOURS

Each unit at ACOM has 143 demand hours. These are the number of hours that we expect you will need to complete the unit. The nominal hours are broken up as follows:

Online readings and study sessions – 41 hours
Assignments – 51 hours
Student Ministry Placement – 30 hours
Face to Face Learning or equivalent – 21 hours

For each unit we recommend that you have the margin in your average week to spend approximately 10 hours studying (with more required during peak assessment periods).

ASSESSMENTS

ACOM assessments are essay based and do not usually involve exams. Units may also include online quizzes and practical assessments that are completed in your ministry setting.
Essays and assignment dates are clearly published in Moodle and all tasks must be submitted to pass the unit.

COMPUTER REQUIREMENTS

To study with ACOM, you will require access to a computer with internet connection. You will also require an email address that we can use to contact you.
For assessment writing, we require the use of a word-processing program such as Microsoft Word.

SUPERVISOR

All ACOM units have an integrated learning component. This is where you integrate what you are learning into your ministry environment, students will be required to identify a supervisor in their ministry environment (this might be a church, school, chaplaincy or welfare organisation).
The supervisor will assist you to reflect on your learning. Postgraduate and cohort students can work with an ACOM supervisor in their action-reflection learning.

Student Ministry Placement

All ACOM units have an integrated learning component. This is where you integrate what you are learning into your ministry environment, students will be required to identify a supervisor in their ministry environment (this might be a church, school, chaplaincy or welfare organisation).
The supervisor will assist you to reflect on your learning. Postgraduate and cohort students can work with an ACOM supervisor in their action-reflection learning.

Digital Systems

The cornerstone of ACOM’s learning system is Moodle – Moodle is a customised learning management system integrated with powerful Blackboard technology and this is where you will spend the majority of your online learning.
Moodle provides the infrastructure that delivers and manages our content, forums and assessment tasks. Moodle is wonderfully intuitive to use and can be used across different devices such as laptops and mobile phones.
A student’s study materials are never more than an internet connection away, allowing our students to study on the go.

Grammarly is an online program made available to all ACOM students. Grammarly checks for grammatical mistakes, contextual spelling problems, vocabulary issues, and plagiarism, allowing students to optimise their academic writing. More than just a spell checker, Grammarly categorises all grammatical errors, ensuring they are clearly displayed, and organised for the student’s review and revision. The Grammarly online grammar-check application is not only good for discovering what to fix in your writing, but also for helping you learn how to improve your skills. Grammarly is a particularly helpful tool for students for whom English is a second language.
Zoom is a powerful web-conferencing tool that makes distance teaching and learning simple, crystal clear, and worry free. Through Zoom, facilitators and students can engage face-to-face via an intuitive online platform. Speedy launching and simple deployment mean educators and students can focus on teaching and learning. Participation is possible anytime, anywhere and on any device.
Thanks to Zoom, you will be able to put a face to the voice of other students, markers, faculty and staff. Download the Zoom program on your device for free.
ACOM is continuously improving its digital library of learning resources. We have thousands of specialist books, articles and journals available to our students through our copyright licensing arrangements. Useful for both research and personal study, our students have access to over 20,000 e-books and more than 800 journals in Bible, leadership, pastoral care and theology. Materials can be accessed on any device, at any time through a comprehensive search engine ensuring you can find what you are looking for when you need it.

Our ACOM Schools offer a wide variety of excellent opportunities to suit you.