MA in Applied Theological Studies – Professional Development

The MA in Applied Theological Studies is validated by the University of Birmingham, a top ranked university nationally and internationally, and taught by staff of the Queen's Foundation in Birmingham.

Queen's is a thriving and expanding ecumenical foundation.  We welcome students from a wide range of Christian traditions and specialise in contextual, practical theologies for mission and ministry.  This year we are admitting over 40 MA students to form challenging and diverse learning groups. Some will be ministers and leaders from churches around the world; some will be ministers and lay leaders from Anglican, Methodist and other 'historic' churches engaging in professional development; some will be ordained and lay pastors from Pentecostal, black led churches for leadership formation.  The breadth of perspective and the richness of experience in this group enriches the learning of everyone. 

The Professional Development Pathway

Revd Helen Cameron

Pathway leader

 

This pathway is designed for those exercising positions of responsibility within churches or other Christian bodies.  The MA can be taken full-time over one year, or part time, normally completing in either two or three years.  Alternatively, Post-Graduate Certificate and Diploma options are available as well.  With more than six teaching staff involved you are assured of the highest quality of teaching and supervision.The pathway focuses on three key areas: leadership, supervision and professional development through three modules:

Leadership, Strategy and Vision.  Whether you wish to prepare for leadership or reflect deeply on your experience and practice of leadership the pathway module of will help you to develop new skills and insights. 

Supervision of Pastoral Practice is a key aspect of leadership, and good practice is essential for those who have oversight and care of volunteers as well as professional colleagues.  Increasingly the churches are requiring formal training and qualifications in supervision for those in formal training roles.  This module fulfils all these requirements. 

Professional Development in Ministry enables you to choose an area of professional practice for exploration, reflection and study.  The chosen professional practice will be in an area of either worship, or community projects, or public ministry.  Your study and reflection will be guided by others working in related fields and by expert tutor assistance.

It is possible to substitute one of these modules from other pathway modules or through an Attachment.

The Core Programme shared with other Pathways

The core programme consists of 120 credits of core modules. Two 30 credit modules for the core taught components which are common to all the pathways.  These lay the foundations for applied theological studies.  A 60 credit dissertation module is required for the award of the MA and will normally be on a topic related to the pathway that is being followed.

Reading the Bible Contextually and Inter-culturally (30 credits).  This module addresses the nature of Contextual Theology, and how the doing of theology is related to and addresses the social and human contexts out of which it arises.

Tools for Theological Reflection and Research (30 credits).  This module focuses on the nature and methods of theological reflection appropriate to various kinds of contextual theology.  It aims to equip students to reflect theologically in and on their own particular contexts, and also in the preparation of a research study for their MA dissertation.  

These modules are taught on Wednesday evenings over ten weeks in the Autumn and Spring terms.  In the first part of a typical evening the whole group engages with specialist input; in the second part of the evening different pathway groups are facilitated by a tutor, enabling study and reflection on the material in the light of the experiences and interests of those in the particular pathway.

Dissertation (60 credits).  To gain the award of an MA you will write a 12,000 word dissertation on a topic of your choice which has been agreed with the dissertations panel.  The choice of topics is as wide as your imagination and you are encouraged to connect your area of study and research with the practice of mission, ministry and leadership.

For further details please contact Helen Cameron