MESSAGE OF THE DEAN OF STUDIES
REV. FR
The training of future priests in the Catholic Church, as implemented at Alokolum National Major Seminary comprises the Human, Pastoral, Spiritual and Academic formation. The whole training in the Seminary, however, has as its goal “the formation of true shepherds” after the example of our Lord Jesus Christ as prescribed in the Ratio Fundamentalis Institutionis Sacerdotalis (cf. The Gift of the Priestly Vocation, n.89). In line with the Second Vatican Council (cf. Decree on the Training of Priests
, Optatam Totius, n.4) it is recommended that the academic training must help the candidates for the priesthood to develop, above all, the habit of reflecting personally, of reading intelligently, and of adequately analyzing and judging life situations.
Uganda Martyrs’ National Major Seminary Alokolum, offers undergraduate programs, namely, for Bachelor of arts in Philosophical and Social Studies which are covered within the course of three academic years (i.e. six semesters). The programs are conducted in English as the language of instruction and they are intended to benefit not only the future priests but also those who may not make it to the priesthood as to enable them serve the Society in many different ways.
Philosophy is taught in such a way that students for Priestly formation become conversant with the contemporary philosophical investigations and prepares them for a dialogue with the thinkers of their own time according to the concept of the Reform of Ecclesiatical Studies of Philosophy of the Competent Ecclesiastical Authority.
The important means employed in the Seminary for fostering the aforesaid academic goals include among others:
GENERAL ACADEMIC POLICIES
1: Alokolum National Major Seminary Diploma
- After successfully completing three years of studies, two of which shall be at Alokolum, a student is awarded a Diploma in Philosophical and Social Studies.
- A student who does not complete the full three years of studies, but has successfully completed only two years, will receive aCertificate in Philosophical and Social Studies.
- A student who does not complete the full course of the Seminary as stated in (a) & (b) above, but has completed at least one semester, can only receive a Testimonial of Attendance, to which is attached an Academic Transcript (of the subjects done with the results obtained).
2: Bachelor’s Degree of Philosophy
- Through the affiliation to the Pontifical Urbaniana University– Rome, students who qualify can sit for the Baccalaureate Degree in Philosophy. The regulations concerning this degree course are those established by the Competent Academic Authorities of the Pontifical Urbaniana University. Thus, all the philosophical courses offered are those for the Urbaniana Bachelor’s Degree.
- The Rector, together with the Dean of Studies and Staff, after scrutinizing the students’ performances, forward the names of those who qualify to Pontifical Urbaniana Universityfor registration for the Comprehensive Examinations. Only the candidates who have passed all the philosophical courses do qualify to be registered for the examinations of this degree. To qualify for the Urbaniana Bachelor’s Degree, one must have attained a minimum average of 55% in all the philosophical courses up to the first semester of the third year, and a general average of 50% in all the courses done during the three years.
- The Pontifical Urbaniana Examinations are done by the Third Year of Philosophy students at the end of the Second Semester, normally in the month of May of every year.
3: Availability of stable internet services;
- There are both written and oral examinations: three selected principal courses are examined in the oral comprehensive examination and three others in the written comprehensive examination. Each of these examinations is marked on 100% and each individual course is also marked on 100%.
- In the oral examination, a student takes 15 minutes answering questions from an examiner on the particular selected course. After 15 minutes he moves on to another examiner. The oral examination takes 45 minutes in all, since there are 3 Oral-Examiners.
- Other regulations concerning this degree course are those handed to us by the Competent Academic Authorities of the Pontifical Urbaniana University.
4: A conscientious compliance to all standard academic rules and regulations with regards to study, library use, academic assignments, performance and class attendance.
5: Fulfilling the necessary conditions of our affiliation to the Pontifical Urbaniana University – Rome (for a Bachelor’s Degree of Philosophy), and of accreditation by the National Council for Higher Education (NCHE), that is, the body established by Law of the State to regulate Higher Education in Uganda.