Diploma in Theology is a diploma in Religious Studies programme offered by Vanguard College in Edmonton, Canada. The programme runs for 3 years. Tuition for international students is CAD 357 per credit (CAD 282 per credit for local students).
At a glance
Degree:Diploma
Field:Religious Studies
Duration: 3 years
Local tuition: CAD 282 / credit
International tuition: CAD 357 / credit
Information for the 2027/28 academic year · Last reviewed September 2026 ·
Program details
Overview
A three-year diploma combining biblical and theological foundations with practical ministry training, delivered on campus and online. The curriculum covers biblical studies, including courses on biblical narrative, the Gospels, Romans, the Pentateuch, and Lukan literature, alongside systematic theology topics such as the doctrine of God, Christology, soteriology, ecclesiology, and eschatology, plus practical coursework in homiletics, pastoral counselling, and pastoral life, and general studies in communication, psychology, and church history. Structured practica run through the program addressing personal effectiveness, relationships, meetings, and volunteer management, and the third year includes an internship for which students choose from options such as biblical research, youth ministry, worship arts, or pastoral care and counselling. The program suits students developing a call to Christian ministry or leadership who want a theological diploma with built-in practical, church-based experience before or in place of a full degree.
Requirements
Admission Requirements: Diploma in Theology does not publish program-specific admission requirements on its own page; admission follows Vanguard College's general admission requirements (admissions/admission-requirements). Applicants must be at least 17 years old at the start of the semester, hold a Grade 12 diploma or equivalent, and provide evidence of a definite Christian conversion experience with at least one year of regular attendance at a local church, plus agreement to the college's Community Conduct Standards. For this diploma/degree-level program, Alberta applicants need a minimum Grade 12 English mark of 65% (English Language Arts 30-1) or 75% (30-2); other provinces require the equivalent, and US applicants need a Grade 12 diploma with a minimum final average of 60%, with ACT or SAT scores requested where available. Post-secondary transfer applicants must show good academic standing and an overall GPA of at least 2.0. International applicants must show general English proficiency at the college's discretion; no specific IELTS or TOEFL cut-off is published. A college-readiness assessment or admissions-committee interview may also be conducted.
Application Details
Start Date:September and January
Application Deadline:Vanguard College sets recurring domestic deadlines rather than a single annual date: applications are due 15 August for September-start programmes, 15 December for January-start programmes (on-campus and online), and 15 April for the online-only May start, with scholarship applications due earlier, on 1 August and 1 December respectively. International applicants may enter only in September and apply directly to the college in two stages, Part A due 1 February and Part B due 1 March ahead of that intake, and the college states it cannot accept applications past these dates. Vanguard does not describe either process as rolling; both are firm, fixed deadlines, though the college's international-applications page still shows a stale notice for the already-passed September 2026 intake and has not yet posted an opening date for September 2027. These are institution-wide dates; this programme publishes no deadline of its own.
