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Master of Arts in Theology

Apply a greater depth of knowledge within your chosen area of specialisation to contemporary issues in the Church.

Master of Arts in Theology

The international character of the Adventist Church and its multicultural context requires great diversity in ministry, on both the educational and on the pastoral level.

The MA in Theology is designed to meet these challenges and will offer you a wide variety of study areas that are relevant to contemporary issues in the Church, as well as Adventist and Christian history.

Newbold’s comprehensive training with equip you with:
  • A deep and relevant knowledge of Scripture.
  • Competence in pastoral skills that are relevant to the needs of the contemporary world.
  • Knowledge as you explore Church’s theology, history and mission.
  • Clarity for your future as you discover the endless possibilities of all three key pathways offered.
  • Specialist training that will enable a wider range of employment opportunities than other similar degrees.
Course details
Programme: Postgraduate

Course length: 1.5 years (full-time)

Mode of delivery: On-campus or online synchronous*

*a residential component may be required

Course tuition for academic year 2025/2026: £10,436

Tuition for the academic year for postgraduate students from within the UK. For more details visit our Tuition and Fees page.
Scholarships:
UK Gov Student Loans:
Validated by: University of Wales Trinity Saint David (United Kingdom)
Intake: 27 January 2025 or 1 September 2025
Application deadline: 3 January 2025 or 8 August 2025
Apply now

Master of Arts in Theology
Video Presentation

Comprehensive preparation
Three pathways to choose from
Biblical Studies

You will be invited to complete the Old Testament or New Testament route. Either route will present opportunities for developing and mastering skills in translation and exegesis at an advanced level. You will engage in rigorous and independent research of complex exegetical issues and in a self-reflective examination of how the biblical text may be appropriated to complex and unpredictable situations in modern culture through the application of contemporary hermeneutics.

Additionally, the Biblical Studies pathway enables the student to investigate the trends of specific texts within the larger biblical and theological context, as well as in the tradition of the Adventist Church.

Systematic Theology

The Systematic Theology pathway will provide opportunities for you to master the ability to think theologically and to ‘do’ theology in a critical, reflective and creative manner. You will engage in a rigorous application of the methods and principles unique to the disciplines of biblical and systematic theology. You will examine complex historical theological systems and learn to constructively respond to them.

The Systematic Theology pathway is designed to encourage in-depth research of the leading motifs of Adventist Christianity within the context of the wider Christian and philosophical traditions.

Pastoral Studies

The Pastoral Studies pathway will provide opportunities for you to respond to the complex and often perplexing issues that challenge Christian faith and ministry in today’s rapidly changing world. You will learn to respond creatively to various complex tasks relating to ministry in the current global context and contemporary European culture.

You will learn to master the professional skills essential for successful ministry, scholarship and leadership, both within the diverse and changing context of the Adventist Church and in the wider community.

The structure, content and assessment patterns of the course have been designed to equip you with the critical and analytical skills necessary for employment while instilling a desire and passion for lifelong learning and personal development.
    Biblical Studies
    • Biblical Theology & Praxis of Ministry & Mission (20 credits)
      Develop an in-depth understanding of the main concepts, methods and perspectives, which form a biblical-theological context for ministry and mission through critical analysis and evaluation of biblical text.
    • Principles of Biblical Hermeneutics (20 credits)
      Develop an understanding of hermeneutical theory, analysing approaches to ancient and modern biblical interpretations in relation to underlying hermeneutical theories while assessing the implications for biblical research and pastoral practice.
    • Exegesis (based on semester offering):
      Ableism & Disability (20 credits)
      Critically evaluate historical and contemporary understandings of disability, analysing how they can influence the reading of biblical texts by contemporary readers, particularly people with disabilities.
    • Race, Identity & Nation (20 credits)
      Develop a sound understanding of concepts on race, identity and nation through theoretical and theological analysis, examining the influence of these concepts on biblical interpretation in contemporary contexts.
    • Marriage Texts (20 credits)
      Acquire an in-depth exegetical understanding of Old and New Testament texts on marriage, applying an Adventist hermeneutical perspective of marriage as an institution from a historical and present-day context.
    • Cosmic Conflict Motif (20 credits)
      Interpret biblical texts in the context of the cosmic conflict motif throughout the Bible, providing critical insight and evaluating its role in Adventism and Adventists’ understanding of the Great Controversy.
    • Adventist Identity Thematic (based on semester offering):
      Priesthood, Sanctuary and Atonement (20 credits)
    • Sabbath & Creation (20 credits)
      Interpret diverse biblical texts with critical insight, assessing the significance of the Sabbath and creation and understanding how these motifs are appropriated in contemporary society, theology and the church.
    • Elective (based on semester offering):
      Preaching Biblical Narratives (20 credits)
      Explore, interpret, understand and reflect on the literary characteristics and nature of the biblical narrative art, and establish a hermeneutical foundation for preparing and delivering sermons based on biblical narratives.
    • Bible & Ethics (20 credits)
      Analyse, understand and explore the significance of ethical ideas emerging from Old or New Testament texts alongside contemporary scholarly approaches and debates on ethical issues assessed from an Adventist perspective.
    • Reception of the Bible in Contemporary Culture (20 credits)
      Develop a critical awareness of contemporary textual and biblical interpretation strategies grounded in non-traditional ideologies such as postmodernism, assessing possibilities for effective interaction of Christian ministry with contemporary culture.
    • Dissertation (60 credits)
      Undertake a significant and sustained research project on a topic area, developing appropriate questions for in-depth study or original research, and critically evaluating selected dissertation methods.
    Systematic Theology
    • Biblical Theology & Praxis of Ministry & Mission (20 credits)
      Develop an in-depth understanding of the main concepts, methods and perspectives, which form a biblical-theological context for ministry and mission through critical analysis and evaluation of the biblical text.
    • Principles & Methods of Theology (20 credits)
      A detailed analysis of theological thinking at its epistemological, methodological and theological levels, and includes understanding the Revelation epistemology as the epistemic foundation for Christian and Adventist theology.
    • Leading Motifs in Adventist Theology (20 credits)
      Develop a critical understanding of the distinctive Adventist teachings from its theological paradigm, with specific attention to the methodological and theological rationale for the Adventist re-thinking of the Christian story.
    • Emerging Perspective in Soteriology and Eschatology (20 credits)
      Investigate the Adventist salvation paradigm alongside the Pauline epistles of Romans and Galatians, analysing judgment and justification themes and the formulation of the Adventist theology of justification and pre-Advent judgment.
    • Emerging Perspectives in Ecclesiology (20 credits)
      Investigate issues emerging from recent ecclesiological conversations on the nature and scope of the church’s authority and offices, and the ecclesiological criteria for determining organisational practices, principles and procedures.
    • Issues and Trends in Contemporary Theology (20 credits)
      Assess major world-views dividing the post-enlightenment Christian tradition, critically examining aims and methods of the liberal and post-liberal theological tradition in view of neo-orthodox, evangelical and Adventist systems of theology.
    • Dissertation (60 credits)
      Undertake a significant and sustained research project on a topic area, developing appropriate questions for in-depth study or original research, and critically evaluating selected dissertation methods.
    Pastoral Studies
    • Biblical Theology & Praxis of Ministry & Mission (20 credits)
      Acquire a well-developed ecclesiology and theology of mission and ministry through analysis of biblical text, critically evaluating the contemporary practice of the church and the skills necessary for Christian leadership.
    • Methods for Pastoral Theology (20 credits)
      Develop a theological understanding of contemporary issues using selected principles of theology, theological reflection and research, demonstrating the ability to apply qualitative and quantitative analysis for pastoral studies.
    • Church Leadership and Administration (20 credits)
      Acquire an understanding of church leadership’s definition, methods, and aims, critically reflecting on and assessing historical and contemporary church leadership styles and personal approaches to leading congregations.
    • Pastoral Care & Counselling (20 credits)
      Scrutinise the theological basis for the Christian understanding of the human experience, comparing theoretical insights gained from psychology, sociology and counselling, and creating a biblical-theological framework of counselling.
    • Preaching Biblical Narratives (20 credits)
      Explore, interpret, understand and reflect on the literary characteristics and nature of the biblical narrative art, and establish a hermeneutical foundation for preparing and delivering sermons based on biblical narratives.
    • Social Justice & Adventist Ministry (20 credits)
      Assess claims for, and approaches, to social justice in the pastoral theology and Christian praxis context, analysing social justice themes in early Adventism and contemporary ethical challenges.
    • Dissertation (60 credits)
      Undertake a significant and sustained research project on a topic area, developing appropriate questions for in-depth study or original research, and critically evaluating selected dissertation methods.

    MA Timetable and Handbook

    MA SPRING tIMETABLE
    MA HANDBOOK
    MA DISSERTATION HANDBOOK
    We have an excellent record of preparing employable Theology graduates and maintain close relationships with the Church’s Ministerial Advisory Committee.
    Your campus experience
    • Courses that are shaped with mindful intention to serve as gateways to ministry in its various forms.
    • An intimate class setting, granting you 1:1 access to leading academic staff who are devoted to enriching your ministry, your life and your spiritual development.
    • Daily campus fellowship through student programmes curated to evoke inspirational gathering and the meeting of similar minds.
    • Immersive yet subconscious forms of learning and worship that are interlaced into every day across academia and student life – it is those late-night dorm conversations, the sharing of perspectives across the halls that will shape you for life.
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    Frequently asked questions
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    Meet our academic staff
    Learn more about our resident lecturers, their specialist areas and backgrounds. Our academic staff are devoted to preparing you for a lifelong role in ministry.
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