Commitment to Academic Excellence
BBI has the largest offering of Catholic distance theological degrees in Australia. Our awards range from an undergraduate Bachelor award through to postgraduate Certificate, Diploma, and Masters. Students can continue into doctoral programs through the Sydney College of Divinity.
BBI has students from every State and Territory in Australia. Our global outreach includes students from New Zealand, the Asia and Pacific region, Africa, the United Kingdom and Ireland, and North and South America.
General information
All adults interested in their Christian faith will enjoy the study opportunities offered by The Broken Bay Institute (BBI).
Our Programs and Courses are designed for people who choose to study
- at a popular level
- towards academic awards
- for professional advancement
- needing flexible timetables
Admission to BBI is normally based on the successful completion of secondary education. However, BBI also welcomes mature age students and overseas students who demonstrate a capacity for tertiary study.
Popular Courses
People who wish to explore their faith and its meaning usually sign up for a Catholic Correspondence Course. These courses are non-academic in content and format. All our introductory and enrichment units are available in distance education mode. Participants are encouraged to integrate the material studied via some guided writing. Alternatively, participants are always welcome to sign up for face-to-face Seminars in audit mode. This means attending all teaching sessions without the expectation of completing assignments.
Academic Awards
Admission to undergraduate study (Bachelor of Theology) is based on the Higher School Certificate (or its equivalent). Students who are unsure of their readiness for tertiary study often enrol in Theology for Beginners. This non-award course, consisting of four basic units, can be converted into Bachelor studies.
Admission to postgraduate studies is based on the successful completion of an undergraduate degree from an Australian university (or its equivalent). This degree may be in any field of study, theological or otherwise. BBI offers a Graduate Certificate in Arts, a Graduate Diploma in Arts and a Masters of Arts, as well as the Masters of Divinity, Masters of Theology.
Professional Advancement
Acknowledging the need for professional development of lay leaders in the church, BBI has developed a number of specialist programs attractive to teachers (Graduate Certificate in Arts), youth ministers (Non-Award Course - Theology for Beginners - Certificate in Youth Ministry), Sexuality and Natural Family Planning Educators (Non-Award Course - Theology for Beginners - Certificate in Sexuality and Natural Family Planning) . Both the Youth Ministry and Sexuality and Natural Family Planning programs can be taken at postgraduate level for the Graduate Certificate in Arts award. BBI looks forward to further developments in specialist programs at various levels.
Flexible Timetables
Most BBI courses are available in distance education mode. However, many of our core units and some elective units are available in Seminar mode usually conducted over four days.
Outreach
In conjunction with a number of diocesan schools offices, BBI provides units of study in Seminar mode at a number of regional centres in NSW. These courses are tailored particularly to meet the needs of teachers in Catholic schools. They provide core units at all levels together with a number of selected advanced units to enable students to obtain a Graduate Certificate in Arts a Graduate Diploma in Arts. These studies can also lay the foundations for continuing studies in distance mode towards higher level awards.
Seminars
Some units, especially core units of study, are regularly presented in seminar mode either on BBI premises or in regional areas. Seminar mode usually involves four full days of face-to-face engagement with the facilitator and fellow students. These days may be consecutive or in two two-day sessions separated by three or four weeks. The seminars lead into a program of readings and assignments.
