Curriculum Composition
The second driving force of the program is the curriculum
components: the way the course of study is structured and
presented. The course of study is weighted toward process rather
than content. Although the program is content specific, it is
not exhaustive. The curriculum is based on the essential
elements required for subject matter mastery, a kind of
aggregate content in support of a specific direction, rather
than a universal approach to a subject. The content is eclectic
rather than encyclopedic. The content builds on the foundational
study base of the student.
Oxford/ACRSS admits only mature, well educated members of the
social professions. Most students already have accredited
graduate degrees. Some have doctorates, while others have
multiple masters or double majors at the baccalaureate level.
Most graduate students have a broad base of knowledge without
focus. Some students have gone in many different directions. Had
they focused in one direction perhaps more could have been
accomplished. This lack of focus would never happen in Europe or
England. Once a student begins a course of study in Europe, the
requirement is to stay focused and stay on track until the final
hurdle.
A conviction about direction and guidance undergirds the process
at Oxford/ACRSS. The course heading in life is set once to
provide direction, after the bearing is gained one needs
guidance to stay on track. A religious perspective from
scripture affirms a master plan for each life. One receives
divine direction early in life and parents, peers, professors
and even preachers provide guidance along the way. This requires
both systematic and intelligent choices by each individual.
Those who do not accept predestination for salvation, normally
hypothesize a kind of predestination for service. Each one is
born with a certain gene pool, certain talents, certain gifts,
and a certain set of abilities. This implies a certain capacity
to accomplish some stated objectives. In the economy of God
nothing is to be wasted. Hearing such a discourse on one
occasion a young boy responded, "If God put me on earth to do a
certain number of things, I am so far behind I will have to live
forever." Because of just such feelings, most individuals need a
system of guidance to move a forward direction in both their
personal and professional life.
The multiple components in the curriculum are offered in
seminars, colloquiums, tutorials, and forums. These elements
provide an interactive curriculum model for continuing faculty
and student dialogue. Residency courses are designed to
determine the shape of, and establish the criteria for, reading
and research in an area of concentration. The purpose of these
courses is to stimulate and motivate a student to develop
critical abilities in reading, thinking, and writing, in order
to do an original dissertation. One does not take courses, yet
the transcript is course and credit specific. Seminars are
attended which deal with certain subjects. Students participate
in colloquiums in specific subjects and receive tutorial
direction in specific subjects, but they are not traditional
courses. Students also receive Faculty Directed Research
guidance in certain subjects using specialized methodology. All
the academic activities relates to a single program of study.
Students come from different backgrounds, but they are all in
the same program. Each builds on an academic and professional
foundation brought to the program. The design is to facilitate
the use of prior education and experience in solving the
problems of the family, community and society. An objective is
the sociological integration of religion and society with an
emphasis on principles and value for the social professions.
This will lead to an integrated person with moral and ethical
influence on society.
The program attempts to build a field of knowledge bridge
between religion and society. A person with a strong religion
background will bridge to society. One with a more secular
background will bridge to religion. Hopefully by the time each
one earns the Doctor of Philosophy, regardless of the
foundational educational studies, they will be an integrated
person and be able to contextualize the essential elements of
religion and society to the advantage of all concerned. To
accomplish these objectives the curriculum components must be
different and must be presented in keeping with how adults learn
and process information. |
