About the UFT

The United Faculty of Theology was formed in 1969 as an ecumenical theological partnership between three separate Colleges. Today, we are a Recognised Teaching Institution of MCD University of Divinity. Although our structure may seem a little confusing, our mission is simple: to teach and learn theology through ecumenical cooperation.

Our challenge is to teach theology in a way that acknowledges, challenges, and engages with the diverse, often conflicting perspectives, of the churches we represent. Our hope is that in so doing, we may advance the unity of the Church.

What makes us different from most other theological colleges is that teachers and students from many traditions are found in the same classroom. We believe in cooperation at the deepest level. And so at the UFT we rejoice in the remarkable experiences that occur when, for example, Uniting Church and Roman Catholic students study the New Testament together in a class taught by Anglican and Baptist teachers.

Today the UFT is a partnership of three Colleges:

• Jesuit Theological College of the Society of Jesus (JTC), Australian Province of the Society of Jesus
• Trinity College Theological School (TCTS), Anglican Province of Victoria
• Uniting Church Theological College (UCTC), Synod of Victoria and Tasmania

The partner Colleges share their staff and facilities for the purposes of teaching and research, and College students study in common classes. Classes are made available to independent students upon payment of fees; independent students form the majority of UFT students. A wide range of people can be found in UFT classes: first-time students and professional graduates, school-leavers and mature-aged people, Australian and international, full-time and part-time. Some students are committed church members, some are training for ministry, and others simply want to study theology. Eligible UFT students can access financial support through FEE-HELP and Austudy.

As the UFT is part of MCD University of Divinity (MCD), students may take units at other Recognised Teaching Institutions of the MCD towards their degrees and diplomas, offering an even broader ecumenical learning experience in colleges from the Baptist, Lutheran, Coptic Orthodox, Churches of Christ, Salvationist and Roman Catholic traditions.