Ministry, Theology & Practice MTh/PgDip/PgCert
This Masters in Ministry, Theology and Practice is intended for pastoral professionals (not necessarily ordained), to develop and enhance their abilities in congregational ministry, culturally relevant hermeneutics and preaching, creative approaches to ministry, and freedom of inquiry in theological doctrine.
- Academic contact: Heather Walton: heather.walton@glasgow.ac.uk
- Teaching start: September
- MTh: 24 months part‑time
Why this programme
- This programme arises out of nearly three centuries of collaboration between the Dr Williams’s Trust and the University of Glasgow in supporting the development of Christian ministry.
- It welcomes the diverse practice and backgrounds of ministers and church leaders from a number of denominations.
- The programme is designed for professional development of church leaders as part-time study spread over 2 years.
- Glasgow has a leading reputation—and not just in recent times—for combining critical academic excellence with an awareness of and focus on the wider community in terms of application of theology. We are known for the creativity of our theological programmes, as far back as the early modern period with its linking of Christian doctrine to questions of human existence, resulting in a theology that is properly aware of contexts, ideologies, traditions and source texts, thus ‘hermeneutical’.
- The degree can be undertaken in London or Glasgow.
- It is delivered by academics who presently have a strong commitment to and experience of training for Christian ministry.
- Applicants from qualifying denominations may be eligible for bursaries from the Dr Williams's Trust.
Programme structure
Over two years, you will take:
- Three core courses
- A course of self-directed study
- Two optional courses
- The writing of a 15,000 word dissertation
Year 1 (2023—24)
Semester 1: September to December
Semester 2: January to March
Optional courses. Choose one (subject to timetable confirmation):
- HOMILETICS AND BIBLICAL HERMENEUTICS
- BIBLE, DOCTRINE AND FREEDOM OF INTERPRETATION
- STUDIES IN EARLY CHURCH HISTORY AND THEOLOGY (Online)
- TRS MTh or Honours courses (Glasgow-based only)
Summer
- RELIGION, THEOLOGY AND CULTURE DIRECTED STUDY
Year 2 (2024—25)
Semester 1: September to December
Semester 2: January to March
Optional courses. Choose one (subject to timetable confirmation):
- HOMILETICS AND BIBLICAL HERMENEUTICS
- BIBLE, DOCTRINE AND FREEDOM OF INTERPRETATION
- STUDIES IN EARLY CHURCH HISTORY AND THEOLOGY (Online)
- TRS MTh or Honours courses (Glasgow-based only)
- RESEARCH TRAINING - THEOLOGY AND RELIGIOUS STUDIES
Summer
- DISSERTATION
Learning and teaching
This programme sustains our historic commitment to offer academic training to those exercising leadership roles in Christian churches through delivering continuing professional development in four key areas:
- equipping for congregational ministry
- culturally relevant hermeneutics for preaching
- creative approaches to ministry and mission
- theological inquiry.
The programme aims to:
- embed missional practice and strategy throughout ministerial practice
- employ an expanded depth of hermeneutical and theological knowledge, to enrich preaching and generate creative approaches to worship
- provide skills in congregational studies, organisation, and management relevant for those in Christian leadership
- enhance reflection on the social and cultural significance of theology and construct a coherent understanding of Christian approaches to social engagement and transformation
- develop skills in reflective practice and personal reflexivity.
This will be done by means of presentations and written assignments, with teaching input once a month for 5 hours at a time, on four occasions per course, or online 2 hours per week, amounting to 20 hours contact time, each over a semester.
Lectures, discussion of texts led by the teacher, presentations by students and summing-up will contribute to formation and stimulate further study, application, reflection and written responses by the students.
Programme alteration or discontinuation
The University of Glasgow endeavours
to run all programmes as advertised. In exceptional circumstances, however, the University may withdraw
or alter a programme. For more information, please see: Student contract.
Career prospects
The achievement of a Masters (or even a Certificate or Diploma for those who amass 60 or 120 credits respectively), along with the material covered, the practical wisdom gained and tried in practice will in many cases be crucial for consolidating and enhancing ministry in a current position or for helping to open up new directions.
Fees & funding
Tuition fees for 2024-25
MTh
UK
- Full-time fee: £10650
- Part-time fee: £1184 per 20 credits
International & EU
- Full-time fee: £24000
Deposits
International and EU applicants are required to pay a deposit within four weeks of an offer being made. The deposit for the MSc is £2000, PgDip deposit £1400 and PgCert deposit £700
Deposits: terms & conditions
This programme requires some students to pay a deposit to secure their place.
If you are an international student, we will only issue a Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies (CAS) once the deposit has been paid.
Your offer letter will state:
- how to pay the deposit payment
- the deadline for paying the deposit
The following guidelines will apply in determining whether a deposit will be refunded. Where the deposit is refunded, a 25% handling fee will be deducted.
Deposits will be refunded to applicants under the following circumstances:
- Where the University is unable to offer you a place.
- Where the applicant has personal circumstances such as illness, bereavement or other family situations that has prevented them coming to the UK. Medical or other proof may be requested.
- Applicant can prove that they have applied for a visa to attend the University of Glasgow, but the VISA has been refused. The applicant must have shown 'real intent' to study at the University of Glasgow but has been unable to obtain their visa.
- Applicant does not meet his / her conditions of offer: this may be academic or language test requirements. Satisfactory evidence must be uploaded to the student’s applicant self-service to prove that they have not met the conditions of their offer (note that applicants who do not meet the language condition of their offer must show reasonable attempt to meet this, i.e. they must provide a language test which was taken after the date that the deposit was paid).
Deposits will not be refunded to applicants under the following circumstances:
- Applicant has decided to defer – in this situation the University will retain the deposit and credit it against the applicant’s account for securing their place for the following year of entry.
Refund requests must be made within 30 days of the programme start date stated on your offer letter.
Requests made after this date will be subject to discretion.
Additional fees
- Fee for re-assessment of a dissertation (PGT programme): £370
- Submission of thesis after deadline lapsed: £350
- Registration/exam only fee: £170
Funding opportunities
Dr Williams's Glasgow Bursary
Dr Williams's Trust offers bursaries to cover the part-time tuition fees (£5025 a year) to candidates from England, Wales or Northern Ireland. Candidates must be accredited ministers among Protestant Dissenters who, for the better discharge of their ministry, wish to undertake full or part-time research leading to a higher degree. Preference may be given to those belonging to one of the three denominations (URC, Congregational, Baptist). It must be the intention of the candidate to remain in the Protestant Dissenting Ministry in the United Kingdom.
The Snowdon Trust Master’s Scholarship
The Snowdon Trust Master’s Scholarship is accelerating exceptional Disabled Students through masters’ programmes into leadership positions to create change.
Do you have ambitions to change the world? Are you pioneering in your field? Are you creating change for Disabled People? Let us open some doors.
The Snowdon Trust Master’s Scholarship award will provide up to 30,000 for exceptional Disabled Students applying to study a master’s degree. We are investing in the influencers of the future.
Please see Snowdon Trust Master’s Scholarship for details.
University of Glasgow African Excellence Award
The University of Glasgow African Excellence Award aims to support high achieving students from across Africa in their journey to become Future World Changers. We are looking for students who wish to undertake Masters level study, to further develop their knowledge and skills, in order to positively contribute to their community in the future.
The University is offering up to 15 scholarships for International students from Africa, starting a 1 year postgraduate taught Masters programme, in any discipline for academic session 2024/25. The scholarship is a full tuition fee waiver.
University of Glasgow African Partners Award
The University of Glasgow African Partners Awards aims to support high achieving students from across Africa in their journey to become Future World Changers. We are looking for students who wish to undertake Masters level study, to further develop their knowledge and skills, in order to positively contribute to their community in the future. The scholarship is exclusively for students, alumni and staff of the University partners across Africa: University of Glasgow Africa Partners List 2023.
The University is offering up to 5 scholarships for International students from Africa, starting a 1 year postgraduate taught Masters programme, in any discipline for academic session 2023/24. The scholarship is a full tuition fee waiver.
Applicants much hold an offer of a place for a postgraduate taught one year Masters programme for September 2024 intake (offer is not needed to apply but applicants will require an offer to be considered for interview, and should take programme application timelines into consideration as detailed on programme webpages)
University of Glasgow Caribbean Partners Award
The University of Glasgow Caribbean Partners Awards aims to support high achieving students from our partner The University of the West Indies in their journey to become Future World Changers. We are looking for students who wish to undertake Masters level study, to further develop their knowledge and skills, in order to positively contribute to their community in the future. The scholarship is exclusively for students, alumni and staff of The University of the West Indies.
The University is offering up to 5 scholarships for students, starting a 1 year postgraduate taught Masters programme, in any discipline for academic session 2024/25. The scholarship is a full tuition fee waiver.
Those who apply must hold an offer of a place for a postgraduate taught one year Masters programme for September 2024 intake (offer is not needed to apply but applicants will require an offer to be considered for interview, and should take programme application timelines into consideration as detailed on programme webpages);
University of Glasgow Caribbean Excellence Award
The University of Glasgow Caribbean Excellence Award aims to support high achieving students from across the Caribbean in their journey to become Future World Changers. We are looking for students who wish to undertake Masters level study, to further develop their knowledge and skills, in order to positively contribute to their community in the future.
The University is offering up to 5 scholarships for International students from the Caribbean, starting a 1 year postgraduate taught Masters programme, in any discipline for academic session 2024/25. The scholarship is a full tuition fee waiver.
CONICyT (La Comsion Nacional de Investigacion Cientifica y Tecnologica de Chile)
The University of Glasgow offers a 25% discount to all successful CONICyT scholars who enrol at the University of Glasgow to complete a postgraduate programme.
University of Glasgow Chancellor's Award
The University of Glasgow has 40 Chancellors Award Scholarships available to students from low and middle income countries, starting a 1 year postgraduate taught Masters programme in any discipline, in academic session 2024-25. The scholarship is awarded as a tuition fee discount.
University of Glasgow Chancellor's Award (Nigeria)
The University of Glasgow has 10 Chancellors Award Scholarships available to Nigerian students starting a postgraduate taught Masters programme in any discipline in academic session 2024-25. The scholarship is awarded as a tuition fee discount.
CONACyT (Consejo Nacional de Ciencia y Tecnologia) / FUNED Agreement
CONACYT offers a non-refundable scholarship, a monthly stipend and medical insurance of an approximate total of $20,000 USD (in the case of the UK, no medical insurance grant is given since students are already covered by the National Health System) The University of Glasgow offer a 30% discount to all successful CONACyT scholars who enrol at the University of Glasgow to complete a postgraduate programme.
Postgraduate Access Scholarship
The University of Glasgow is pleased to be offering Postgraduate Access Scholarships to support Home students who could face financial difficulties in taking up their place to study at the University. Applications are particularly welcomed from applicants who met any of our widening participation criteria, or equivalent, at undergraduate level. The value of each scholarship is £4,000 and they are for students undertaking a one or two year Taught Masters programme. For two year Taught Masters programmes, the scholarship is available in year one only.
Postgraduate Student Loan (NI)
If you are a Northern Irish student looking to study a taught Masters programme* in Glasgow then you can apply for a student loan in exactly the same way as you would for a University in Northern Ireland.
Northern Irish students are able to apply for non-means-tested tuition fee loans of up to £5,500, to help with the costs of funding.
For more information visit www.studentfinanceni.co.uk/types-of-finance/postgraduate .
* does not apply to Erasmus Mundus programmes
The scholarships above are specific to this programme. For more funding opportunities search the scholarships database
Entry requirements
A 2.1 Honours degree or equivalent qualification in a relevant subject unless otherwise specified.
English language requirements
For applicants whose first language is not English, the University sets a minimum English Language proficiency level.
International English Language Testing System (IELTS) Academic module (not General Training)
- 6.5 with no subtests under 6.0
- Tests must have been taken within 2 years 5 months of start date. Applicants must meet the overall and subtest requirements using a single test.
Common equivalent English language qualifications
TOEFL (ibt, mybest or athome)
- 79; with Reading 13; Listening 12; Speaking 18; Writing 21
- Tests must have been taken within 2 years 5 months of start date. Applicants must meet the overall and subtest requirements , this includes TOEFL mybest.
Pearsons PTE Academic
- 59 with minimum 59 in all subtests
- Tests must have been taken within 2 years 5 months of start date. Applicants must meet the overall and subtest requirements using a single test.
Cambridge Proficiency in English (CPE) and Cambridge Advanced English (CAE)
- 176 overall, no subtest less than 169
- Tests must have been taken within 2 years 5 months of start date. Applicants must meet the overall and subtest requirements using a single test.
Oxford English Test
- Oxford ELLT 7
- R&L: OIDI level no less than 6 with Reading: 21-24 Listening: 15-17
- W&S: OIDI level no less than 6.
Trinity College Tests
- Integrated Skills in English II & III & IV: ISEII Distinction with Distinction in all sub-tests.
University of Glasgow Pre-sessional courses
- Tests are accepted for 2 years following date of successful completion.
Alternatives to English Language qualification
- Degree from majority-English speaking country (as defined by the UKVI including Canada if taught in English)
- students must have studied for a minimum of 2 years at Undergraduate level, or 9 months at Master's level, and must have complete their degree in that majority-English speaking country and within the last 6 years
- Undergraduate 2+2 degree from majority-English speaking country (as defined by the UKVI including Canada if taught in English)
- students must have completed their final two years study in that majority-English speaking country and within the last 6 years
For international students, the Home Office has confirmed that the University can choose to use these tests to make its own assessment of English language ability for visa applications to degree level programmes. The University is also able to accept UKVI approved Secure English Language Tests (SELT) but we do not require a specific UKVI SELT for degree level programmes. We therefore still accept any of the English tests listed for admission to this programme.
Pre-sessional courses
The University of Glasgow accepts evidence of the required language level from the English for Academic Study Unit Pre-sessional courses. We also consider other BALEAP accredited pre-sessional courses:
- School of Modern Languages and Cultures: English for Academic Study
- BALEAP guide to accredited courses
For further information about English language requirements, please contact the Recruitment and International Office using our enquiry form
International students
We are proud of our diverse University community which attracts students and staff from over 140 different countries.
How to apply
To apply for a postgraduate taught degree you must apply online. We cannot accept applications any other way.
Please check you meet the Entry requirements for this programme before you begin your application.
Documents
As part of your online application, you also need to submit the following supporting documents:
- A copy (or copies) of your official degree certificate(s) (if you have already completed your degree)
- A copy (or copies) of your official academic transcript(s), showing full details of subjects studied and grades/marks obtained
- Official English translations of the certificate(s) and transcript(s)
- One reference letter on headed paper
- Evidence of your English language ability (if your first language is not English)
- Any additional documents required for this programme (see Entry requirements for this programme)
- A copy of the photo page of your passport (Non-EU students only)
You have 42 days to submit your application once you begin the process.
You may save and return to your application as many times as you wish to update information, complete sections or upload supporting documents such as your final transcript or your language test.
For more information about submitting documents or other topics related to applying to a postgraduate taught programme, see how to apply for a postgraduate taught degree
Guidance notes for using the online application
These notes are intended to help you complete the online application form accurately; they are also available within the help section of the online application form.
If you experience any difficulties accessing the online application, see Application System Help.
- Name and Date of birth: must appear exactly as they do on your passport. Please take time to check the spelling and lay-out.
- Contact Details: Correspondence address. All contact relevant to your application will be sent to this address including the offer letter(s). If your address changes, please contact us as soon as possible.
- Choice of course: Please select carefully the course you want to study. As your application will be sent to the admissions committee for each course you select it is important to consider at this stage why you are interested in the course and that it is reflected in your application.
- Proposed date of entry: Please state your preferred start date including the month and the year. Taught masters degrees tend to begin in September. Research degrees may start in any month.
- Education and Qualifications: Please complete this section as fully as possible indicating any relevant Higher Education qualifications starting with the most recent. Complete the name of the Institution (s) as it appears on the degree certificate or transcript.
- English Language Proficiency: Please state the date of any English language test taken (or to be taken) and the award date (or expected award date if known).
- Employment and Experience: Please complete this section as fully as possible with all employments relevant to your course. Additional details may be attached in your personal statement/proposal where appropriate.
Reference: Please provide one reference. This should typically be an academic reference but in cases where this is not possible then a reference from a current employer may be accepted instead. Certain programmes, such as the MBA programme, may also accept an employer reference. If you already have a copy of a reference on letter headed paper then please upload this to your application. If you do not already have a reference to upload then please enter your referee’s name and contact details on the online application and we will contact your referee directly.
Application deadlines
September 2024
- International & EU applicants: 26 July 2024
- UK applicants: 16 August 2024
