Are you seeking a robust, flexible, and cost-effective formation to enrich your faith and ministry?


The Continuing Education Certificate in Theology (CECT) allows lay ministers, leaders, and other students who do not wish to obtain a Graduate Certificate the opportunity to gain a robust biblical and theological formation which will enrich their faith and ministry (e.g., PREP, RCIA, Youth and Young Adult Ministry).

This flexible and cost-effective program allows for more active engagement with the course content than is possible by auditing courses, as students taking courses for a CECT are required to complete readings and an integration assignment for each course, for which they receive feedback from their instructor. Compared to a Graduate Certificate, the financial investment of a CECT is significantly lower and academic credit is not offered since the academic requirements are not as rigorous. Those who take courses towards a CECT will join a vibrant community of learners composed of others pursuing a CECT, as well as individuals working towards a graduate-level credential and auditors.

For each course taken at the CECT-level, students will receive either a pass or fail. Those who successfully complete the following 15 credits of study at the CECT-level (readings and integration assignment required for each course) will be granted a CECT at the Convocation ceremony:

Required courses (9 credits):

  • THEO 501: Foundations of Theology
  • SCRI 505: Introduction to Scripture
  • THEO 530: Christian Morality OR THEO 525: Theology of Ministry

Electives (6 credits) obtained in one of the following three ways:

  • 1. Any two, 3-credit courses taken at the CECT-level
  • 2. Any four, Continuing Education 15-hour courses taken at the CECT-level
  • 3. Any one, 3-credit course at the CECT-level and any two, Continuing Education 15-hour courses taken at the CECT-level


Please note that courses taken at the CECT-level do not give advance credit for graduate courses.

What is the cost of the CECT?

For each course taken, CECT students are charged the audit tuition rate ($550) plus a $100 marking fee for a 3-credit course or $50 marking fee for a Continuing Education 15-hour course. The only other fee CECT students are assessed is the registration fee.

Why St. Mark’s College?

Forming ministers and leaders has been central to the mission of St. Mark’s College since its inception in 1956. An affiliated theological college at UBC, St. Mark's College is a centre of excellence for Catholic higher education in British Columbia. It is the only Catholic institution in British Columbia that grants theological degrees (graduate and undergraduate) and that is fully accredited by the Association of Theological Schools (ATS), the major accreditor of graduate theological education in North America. In recent years, the College has been entrusted by Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Vancouver (RCAV) to assist with the formation of candidates for the Permanent Diaconate and has partnered with the Catholic Independent Schools of the Archdiocese of Vancouver (CISVA) to form Catholic teachers and administrators.

By offering all courses synchronously online via Zoom, St. Mark's College seeks to make theological education accessible to adult learners while allowing for real-time interaction among students and with instructors. The result is a dynamic community of learners in which persons from a variety of ministerial backgrounds grow and reflect together on the relationship between the Christian tradition and their practice of ministry. Our instructors are accessible to students for virtual or in-person meetings outside of class time. In addition, each year during our Summer Institute, students have the opportunity to take a selection of classes in-person. All St. Mark's College instructors who teach theology have received a mandatum from the Archbishop of Vancouver and are knowledgeable about the ecclesial reality of the local church.

Questions?

Please contact Dr. Lynda Robitaille at St. Mark’s College for information
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 604-822-4463 Ext. 129


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