Curriculum Changes

Our curriculum at PIU is in a constant state of assessment and revision. Every course is evaluated by students and the administration, along with the programs they are part of. We also are getting continual input from our island communities about what they would like to see us offer. Sometimes this results in major changes to the curriculum like last year’s addition of a BA and AA degree in Liberal Studies. Usually the revisions come in much smaller increments. This year we are looking at some of the “emphases” in the BA programs. Each BA degree student takes an 18 unit “emphasis” within their biblical or liberal studies major. These emphases include General Ministry, Missions, Education, Teaching ESL, Pastoral Ministries among others. This month our curriculum committee has been meeting to evaluate these emphases to see which ones should be added or subtracted.

One emphasis that we are working on to add for next school year is Bible Translation. Last year we were approached by missionaries from Wycliffe who asked us if we would be willing to add a Bible translation training program to our curriculum. After several meetings we decided to pursue it and we are now in the process of setting up the classes and requirements of the emphasis within the biblical studies program. We are working out an agreement with Wycliffe to supply the teachers for the Bible translation classes and we are hoping that we will be able to train national translators within our BA in Bible program. This would open up the possibility of students coming from many other Pacific Island nations. Please pray for us that we would follow God’s direction and timing on this.