 |
 |
 |
 |
NTI provides training in the interfaith lay ministry and ministry for those who are unable to undertake on-campus studies. You may have family, job, financial or other commitments that prevent you from participating in on-campus programmes. With NTI methods, you learn in the convenience of your own home, working at your own pace. Start at any time. Study when and where you choose. Take as much time as you need to complete your assignments according to the objectives that you set for yourself. All four levels would be equivalent to a four year university programme. An advantage of distance education is that a student can proceed at their own pace, accelerated or delayed. NTI’s step-by-step instructions guide you through every stage of your programme. Upon acceptance you will be contacted by your faculty mentor to discuss your unique needs and develop an approach which works best for you. Most everything you need is included with your course: text-books, notes, study aids, audio-visual aids. Some text-books may be purchased at your local book-store. Your textbooks will also provide an excellent reference library for years to come. In the near future, NTI will also offer its courses on-line through an interactive web site. Distance learning is not for everyone. It requires self-motivation and self-discipline. If you need a controlled classroom environment in order to learn, then NTI may not be for you. Or you may wish to study with a group from your home community who can make a commitment to studying together on a regular basis. However, if you can set and consistently follow your own work schedule, you may find your NTI experience to be particularly rewarding. You can spend your committed study time in whatever way is most productive for you. Highly motivated students are able to complete their distance learning in less time than it would take in full time resident studies. The most decisive factor in determining success or failure of the distance learner appears to be the agreement between personal interest and course content. If you enjoy ministering, counselling and helping others, have an interest in spirituality and being of service, are eager to learn more, seek personal satisfaction in this field, enjoy the experience of learning itself, and enjoy learning about the cutting edge research and research methodology, then NTI programmes will likely be an excellent match for your interests.
Intensive Experiential Retreats As part of your NTI experience you will be required to attend a number of 8 - 10 day retreats each year during the summer. NTI will offer intensive experiential retreats (in Atlantic Canada, unless otherwise pre-arranged) with facilitators Revs. Sandi and Barry King, along with other full-time, associate or affiliate faculty. These retreats are intended to provide the experiential base required to develop skills that the student learns about through the distance education component. Some of the retreat facilitators are world-renowned experts in their specific field. The student will be required to prepare for and follow-up from these experiential retreats through practicum and internship programmes within their home communities. Practicums and internships both include mentoring by an NTI instructor. Practicums are experiential, but not necessarily under direct supervision of someone in their home community. Internships on the other hand are experiential and must include direct supervision by someone in the student’s home community. Intensive Experiential 8 to 10 Day Retreats will be arranged as numbers of students warrant it. Retreats consist of Saturday 10 am to the following Friday 5 pm (51 hours). Ministry students are expected to arrive by Thursday at 10 am. Students are required to make their own accommodation and food arrangements. We have a billeting programme available and will also assist in finding hotels/motels or bed and breakfasts.
Essay assignments and thesis are evaluated on an A, B, C basis. Objective type tests are evaluated on the basis of a percentage of correct answers. On official trans-cripts, NTI translates all achievements into the A, B, C system, according to the following schedule. Although NTI does not use the grade point system, grade point equivalents are given for purposes of comparison.
A grade of B or above is required for successful completion of all major core subjects - Ministering , Spirituality, Comparative Religion and Counselling. Those choosing the Intuitive Specialization must also have a grade of B in all Intuition/ Psychic Studies and Life After Death Studies courses. (Major Core Subjects are considered to be more important to the interfaith ministry vocation.) Students who do not achieve a B in a course, may at NTI’s discretion, be allowed to repeat that subject or submit supplemental material, after having received constructive suggestions from their full-time faculty mentor. In addition, students must achieve B+ in all Internships and Practicums, and a C in all other courses - Holistic Wellness and Energy Work / Spiritual Healing.
Each course in NTI programmes is self-contained. It may include textbooks, videotapes, audio tapes, notes, handouts and/or study aids. It will always include a test and/or an essay assignment which are to be completed at the student’s convenience and sent by fax, mail or on-line to NTI. The NTI office manager will ensure that the appropriate faculty member receives the assignment /essay for grading and evaluation. Always keep a copy in case of loss. Certain modules must be completed before the 8 to 10 day intensive retreats may be attended. A final examination will be administered during the retreat, only after all course tests and assignments have been completed to NTI’s standards and all fees paid. NTI students are expected to observe a strict code of academic honesty.
|