The odd name, baccalaureate, comes from the early years of higher education when the bachelor’s degree was called “the baccalaureate.”   It is believed that, during the 15th century, Oxford University established a tradition of sending their graduates off through a (very) long service that included sermons offered in Latin. That service came to be called “Baccalaureate.”   The word began as baccalaureus, (bachelor), and was altered to bacca lauri, (laurel berry) to mirror the bay tree leaves that were woven into crowns to be placed on the heads of scholars.

Tilsley’s third year – the Baccalaureate – is available for students who have completed the Diploma Programme (or equivalent).

The Tilsley Baccalaureate is taught at RQF level 6/SCQF level 9, or at level 5B in the ISCED framework and is what elsewhere would be described as a Vocational Bachelors and designated a Bachelor of Theology. The standards for this award are accredited at Tilsley by the European Council for Theological Education.

More information on this can be found on the ECTE website: http://ecte.eu/qa/accreditation/

This third year builds on the foundations of the Certificate and Diploma years. Like the Diploma year it is a mixture of college-based learning and church, or mission placement. The Baccalaureate provides an education which completes the bachelor cycle.

The various ministry placements in all three years are organised with the student to give a meaningful ministry experience with, at its core, a mentoring relationship with current Christian practitioners.

Former Baccalaureate graduates are currently pursuing their postgraduate studies at the London School of Theology.