Research at OCMS

Advancing Holistic Mission through Scholarly Engagement

The development of the MPhil/PhD programme at OCMS has been its interest and emphasis in transformative practical ministry through reflective practitioner research.   Initially this was begun through traditional research methodology whereby those in ministry would step away to read, reflect and write on their area of ministry.  Naturally, this was configured according to the status quo of text based or field based research.   Accordingly, research was to enhance greater insight and thus effectiveness in ministry. 

Increasingly, we are incorporating research and reflection as a two-way street. In ministry what occurs, how it occurs, and with whom it occurs affects every level of research, reflection and knowledge.  This growing awareness has led us to include research methodologies that are not only cognizant of how ministry stimulates and informs research but give rise to research within ministry while ministry takes place.

Accordingly, our programme recognizes that knowledge is not simply something found in a book or through field study, but is often something that is creatively produced in the midst of practice as well as the complex interactions of persons engaged in ministry and research. Hence, OCMS has been pioneering how to effectively enhance "two way" translational research. Certainly traditional approaches to research continue through OCMS, yet increasingly we are incorporating various practitioner research methodologies that nurture reflective and effective practice.

Our four-week Research Induction School begins our programme and introduces OCMS scholars to traditional text and field based research as well as practitioner research models such as translational, reflective practitioner, action practitioner, systems research, etc.  Given the diversity of our students and their ministries as well as the rapidly transforming methodologies of practitioner research, we encourage our students to examine and utilize that methodology which best fits their actual ministry situation and research interest so that we might fulfil OCMS's vision of advancing holistic mission through scholarly engagement. 

Upon completion of the Research Induction School, our students work with an OCMS faculty mentor to produce a research proposal and put together a qualified supervisory team which allows for a student to apply for registration for the OCMS MPhil/PhD programme validated by the University of Wales.  The scholar then works with OCMS and his supervisory team to qualify for upgrade to the PhD stage. Upon successful examination of the student’s doctoral thesis, the degree of PhD from the University of Wales is granted. 

The goals of our programme are…

• To captivate, advance, and nurture a cadre of well-trained multi- and inter-disciplinary minister researchers.
• To be an incubator for innovative research, ministry and rigorous academic discipline that will adapt ongoing research and reflection to transform both ministry and the academy.
• To bring to bear multi-disciplinary and inter-disciplinary practitioner reflection and research so as to generate new knowledge that enhances professional practice and academic research for those at the front lines of transformative ministry.

home | directions | contact

This page last edited on Thursday, 2nd April 2009 by WILLIAMS, Andrew