Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL)
RPL (Recognition of Prior Learning) is the term used to include or be equivalent to: “credit”. You could say that RPL is “credit” given towards the completion of a Course as a result of past studies, and past or current experience.
 
The Christian Ministry and Theology Courses can be seen as being in two parts:
 
Part A: Six (6) Christian Ministry and Theology Units that involve:
  • knowing the Bible,
  • and how to study it,
  • being able to communicate with others about what you believe the Bible says
  • and being able to apply it to Church life and to Christian living, including issues of ethics and morality
 
Part B:  Elective Units that can be:
  • any Government accredited Course Unit at approximately Cert IV or Diploma level in a field that could apply to a Christian Ministry context
  • For example (but not limited to): Youth Work, Creative and Performing Arts, Financial Management, Leadership, TESOL (Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages) etc.
 
Generally, the areas in which we (CMT) could give RPL for Part B (the Electives) are very limited. However, the good news is that if you have already completed an accredited Course at approximately Cert IV or Diploma level you may get 100% RPL for this “Part B” of the Course (the Electives).

​Note that the Part B (Elective) Units you have completed need to be “current” – many accredited Course Units become “out-dated” quite quickly and these cannot be accepted for RPL.
​

​What is RPL?

RPL is the formal acknowledgment of knowledge and skills obtained through activities such as:
  • Formal courses and training programs (e.g. at University or TAFE)
  • Informal courses or training (e.g. a non-accredited program completed in preparation for or during ministry involvement)
  • Private study (e.g. done for enjoyment via internet)
  • Employment (e.g. skills and knowledge gained through employment)
  • Ministry involvement  (e.g. skills and knowledge gained through ministry involvement at your church)

​The term “RPL” is the term used to include, or be equivalent to “Credit”. RPL is “credit” given as a result of past studies, and past or current experience.

The Certificate IV in Christian Ministry and Theology consists of:
  • Six (6) Core Units (completed through the CMT FreeBibleCollege Foundation Program)
  • Three (3) Elective Units

The Diploma of Christian Ministry and Theology consists of:
  • Six (6) Core Units (completed through the CMT FreeBibleCollege Leadership Program)
  • Four (4) Elective Units

In order to be awarded the full qualification students will need to be assessed as competent in all of the above. Your competency can be assessed through:
  • Completion of the assessment in the normal manner (as a student)
  • Evidence that you can provide for Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL)
  • A combination of both of the above
​

RPL in relation to Christian Ministry

​In order to get RPL for the CMT Units you generally need to be someone who prepares and delivers Bible based messages to groups of people on a regular basis. Also, generally, you need to have complete copies of these messages in:
  • Written format
AND
  • Audio or video format
 
These messages that you have produced and delivered must prove that you have done the following:
  • Given Bible based teaching on a range of topics
  • In your teaching you must have explained to the listeners how your ideas compare with other points of view (or opinions) on the same topics eg you may have been teaching on the subject of “giving” and discussed what others believe about it (which you would disagree with and given a reason for that disagreement)
  • Applied the teaching of the Bible to Church life
  • Applied Bible based teaching to real life issues including ethical and moral issues
  • Used and referred to at least four (4) Bible study aides such as (but not limited to):
    • Expository bible dictionaries
    • Bible commentaries
    • Bible encyclopedia
    • Greek and Hebrew lexicons
    • Topical Bibles
    • Internet resources
    • Christian books and other publication

Generally, it would be expected that you could provide the following:
  • written outlines for at least a dozen (12) different messages that you have delivered within the previous three (3) years
  • complete audio or video recordings of at least 3 of these messages
 
In these messages would need to have addressed all the requirements outlined above.
 
When your RPL assessor looks at your message outlines and listens to the recordings they will need to see that you have done everything in your messages that the course units require a student to do if they are completing the Course from scratch.
 
Contact us for our RPL Guide which provides a detailed outline

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

What evidence do I need to provide?
Evidence that might help to show how you meet the requirements of the Christian Ministry Units include:
  • Written notes / presentations from messages you have delivered
  • Video or audio recordings of messages you have delivered 
  • Written material that you have produced through previous formal training (e.g. at University or other institutions such as Bible Colleges)
  • Work that you have done during informal courses or training (e.g. non-accredited studies completed for volunteer work in churches)
  • Evidence of private Bible studies that you have done in your own time (e.g. at home to learn more about the Bible)
  • References from people who have heard you deliver messages
  • References from supervisors who have received reports of the quality and impact of the delivery of your messages
 
Note: these documents would need to provide evidence of you meeting specific course and unit requirements as outlined in the RPL Guide.
How much evidence do i need?
In general terms, RPL can only be given to a person where they have evidence that is determined by a qualified assessor to be:
  • Sufficient – enough to show that you meet the requirements in the Course documents
  • Valid – it  represents and matches the course requirements
  • Authentic – what you have submitted is genuinely your own work, qualifications, experience, etc
  • Current – not too far out of date and also that it meets current course requirements
How much RPL can I apply for?
You can claim RPL for as many units as you can provide evidence for. If you submit appropriate evidence for all of the units, and an assessor deems that the evidence does show you are competent, then RPL can be granted for the full 10742NAT - Certificate IV in Christian Ministry and Theology or the 10743NAT - Diploma of Christian Ministry and Theology

If you are not able to receive full RPL, you will be advised of what 'gap' training and assessment is needed in order for you to receive the full qualification.

Generally a person for whom RPL is determined to be a valid and worthwhile process in relation to the six (6) core units of the Christian Ministry and Theology course will qualify for 100% full RPL for those six (6) Units, or close to it. This is because those Units of the Course were written with the overall role of someone in ministry in mind. IE Either you will have been in ministry sufficiently and have sufficient evidence of it – or not. Hence, you are encouraged to apply for full RPL for the six (6) Christian Ministry Units with a view to providing evidence that you meet all the Course requirements – or we suggest that you probably do not have evidence for individual Units. However:
  • If you are not able to receive full RPL for the six (6) Christian Ministry Units because a number of areas within the Units are not addressed in the evidence you provide, you will be advised of what ‘gap’ training and assessment you need to do in order for you to complete all the Units
  • If there is a reason for which you are granted RPL for just a few Units, then you will be advised to complete the Course without the need to do the Units for which RPL applies.
How much does RPL Reduce the fee by?
The minimum fee for any RPL will be $400 and the maximum will be equivalent to the full Course fee advertised on the CMT website.

The standard process for finding out how much the course fee for RPL will be is as follows:
  1. You send us an initial bank of evidence in support of your RPL application.
  2. We review and give you an estimate of how much RPL you may get.
  3. We provide you with a special quoted price for the course (if RPL applies).
  4. If you are happy to proceed, then you enrol and pay the course fee when you enrol.
  5. You complete the CMT RPL guide and supply any further evidence required in relation to your RPL application.
  6. You complete any necessary 'gap training' if required.
How long does the RPL process take?
​Generally, the length of time that the RPL process will take depends on:
  • how long it takes for you to gather and provide the evidence,
  • how well your evidence is presented
  • and how easy it is for the assessor to evaluate that the evidence and determine if it meets the requirements or not
  • how much work is involved for the assessor to communicate the findings to you

The more thoroughly you complete the relevant sections of the RPL Guide, and the more clearly you link the evidence to the relevant Units, the quicker the process.

Applying for RPL

To make an RPL submission please follow this process:
  1. Email a summary of your Christian Ministry experience to cmt@unet.org.au and explain that you are hoping to get your RPL.
  2. We will contact you to discuss the RPL process and fee (depending on how much RPL you are eligible for). 
  3. If you decide to proceed, enrol in the course (Cert IV or Diploma) for which you are seeking RPL.
  4. Complete the RPL guide to make the formal RPL submission.