The Scottish Baptist College was founded in 1894 to train people for Christian ministry. Today it seeks to provide theological education within the HE sector helping to prepare students for Christian ministry and mission.
A Long History
Scottish Baptist College has been supporting people preparing for Christian service for over 125 years. It was originally named the ‘Baptist Theological College of Scotland’. From the outset it aimed ‘to proclaim the old truths of the Christian Gospel in the world of its day’. It met at first and then for thirty years in the premises of Adelaide Place Baptist Church.
From the beginning the College was concerned not only with academic ability but with the formation of Christian character. The very first printed Report of the College, in 1895 states: ‘Before accepting students the Committee will satisfy itself, by strict enquiry and personal investigation, that the Christian character and gifts of the applicants are such as promise to make them devoted and useful servants of Jesus Christ’.
Moving Around
Throughout the years the College was located in a number of different premises in Glasgow including West Regent Street, Oakfield Avenue, and Aytoun Road. In addition to taking the College programmes students obtained degree qualifications by studying at other Universities or through external exams.
In the late 1990’s the College achieved a long held aspiration to offer its own BD degree course, validated by the University of Paisley (now the University of the West of Scotland). In 2001 the College moved to the Paisley campus of the University of the West of Scotland.
This move means students get the full benefits of the University support services while developing their faith and practice within the collegiate life of a Christian college.
The College seeks to offer an open and dynamic learning and teaching context where theological education is valued as something informative, formative, and transformative. SBC cultivates a communal learning environment and an open relationship of staff towards students. Throughout their studies, students are encouraged to understand their own spiritual journey and nurture personal development.
College Programmes
SBC offers a Bachelor of Divinity (BD) in Theology with Pastoral Studies. This programmes is flexible and can be undertaken part-time or full-time, on-campus or online. Students can also take individual modules and we offer a range of specialised modules. Students on the BD programme can exit at Certificate, Diploma, Degree, or Honours Degree level.
The programmes at SBC are validated by the University of the West of Scotland (UWS). The College is also situated on the Paisley campus of UWS. Students enrol and graduate as UWS students although the College functions as an independent confessional College.
Small college, resources of a modern University
We are a small College, and through our collaborative relationship with the University of the West of Scotland (UWS) our students enjoy the full range of University resources. The following are just some of the Student Services available:
- Learning support
- Student guidance
- IT provision
- Library resources
- Sports facilities
We are proud to be in a creative relationship with a University with a reputation for innovative teaching, focus on vocational practice and giving high priority to enhancing the quality of each student’s learning experience.