WHY DO AN INTERNSHIP?
Jesus intended for his disciples to become faithful, skilled and brave - in fact their lives became an adventure in the service of the kingdom of God. God taught them how to serve alongside him, showed them how to live, and then sent them out. Like an apprenticeship in Christian ministry, mentored internships fit well with the way that Jesus grew his disciples - learning skills, watching and practicing, being encouraged and corrected, and growing into a whole new realm of service. Participants become part of a close knit community and are individually mentored through a programme that provides an excellent and rewarding way to explore ministry further, gain experience and training, all within an NZQA accredited framework. Internship placements can be in a wide variety of mission and ministry settings – in a church or Christian fellowship, ministry among children or young people, a Christian camp setting, worship and Christian music, Chaplaincy or many other placements. Some specific options that are available with Bishopdale’s partners included a missions focus internship with either NZCMS or ECMNZ. If you have a place you’d like to serve, chat with us to see how we can make it work!
HOW DOES IT WORK?
Bishopdale College offers two internship based diplomas.
Interns studying at Level 5 (equivalent to first year of a Degree) can complete a one year NZ Diploma in Christian Studies (NZDipCS), majoring in Christian Leadership or Theological Studies. This programme is offered in partnership with Laidlaw College. This is a full-year course - we only intake students for this programme in Semester 1. Each week, twenty hours is spent in supervised ministry placements, integrated with mentoring and reflection. The other twenty hours is spent in theological and biblical study in order to develop foundations that will support effective, sustainable ministry.
These is a standalone qualification equivalent to the first year of a Degree programme, and students can continue into the Bachelor of Ministries – requiring two additional years of study - with further internship courses contributing to achieving the BMin. Students may be based in Nelson, or outside Nelson by arrangement.
Interns studying at Level 6 (usually those who already have a Level 5 Certificate or Diploma in Christian Studies, or the equivalent in ministry experience or other theological education) can complete a one year Level 6 NZ Diploma in Christian Studies. This programme is offered by Bishopdale College. Students may start in Semester 1 or 2, and will spend half their time in supervised ministry placements, mentoring and reflection, in order to develop their leadership skills. The other half of their time is spent in advanced theological and biblical studies that prepare you for God’s mission.
FUNDING?
Students enrolling in the Level 5 NZDipCS(CL) through our partnership with Laidlaw College, can apply for student loans, student allowance, and also qualify for Fees Free Study in your first year of tertiary education.
Student enrolling in the Level 6 NZDipCS(CL) are at this point unable to access student loans or allowances (this may change late in the future.) Students interested in this programme are encouraged to contact Bishopdale to discuss funding options.
Anglican students, and students who complete Anglican ministry placements, are able to apply to the St Johns College Trust Board for scholarships. There are two funding rounds. For the national round, applications close on 31 March and 30 September. Students can also apply to the BTC-specific internship fund - this has a rolling submission date and can be applied for at any time, subject to availability.
Students may also be eligible for other scholarships, or financial support, from their home denomination - we are happy to provide any documentation required, and to help you explore these options.
For more information about internships, contact our internship enabler, Jude Saxon by emailing jude@bishopdale.ac.nz, or our registrar, Simon Terrill, by emailing simon@bishopdale.ac.nz.
Before applying, it’s a good idea to have a chat with our team to make sure you apply for the programme which is the best fit for you.
If you are applying for the Level 5 NZDipCS(CL), which we run in partnership with Laidlaw College, please complete the Level 5 BTC internship application form, before we ask you to complete the formal Laidlaw College application. We ensure students are suitable to enter internship programmes before they apply for academic entry.
If you are applying for the Level 6 NZDipCS(CL), please complete the Level 6 NZDipCS application form. Student’s suitability for the internship programme is assessed at the same time as their academic readiness.