The Foundation Degree (FdA) in Mission and Ministry is a collaborative programme with Newman University College. It is designed for those preparing for some form of recognized ministry in their sponsoring church, and thus attracts students from a variety of denominations.  It is taught part-time over 3 years (80 credits per year on average) and is designed to integrate several different modes of learning.

Taught sessions on weekday evenings

Taught sessions on weekday evenings (Tuesday or Wednesday) provide short, intensive bursts of activity and tend to be input-led. Taught modules are largely content-based (e.g. Introduction to New Testament Studies) or may be geared towards practice (e.g. Foundations in Christian Worship). Assignments may have be an essay or report, or may have a more practical focus (such as “Design a worship service” or “Reflect upon a verbatim report of a conversation”) but are designed primarily to test learning in the taught module.

Residential weekends

Residential weekends (6 per year) and an annual residential week (around Easter time) take place on the Queen’s campus, with all accommodation requirements catered for on-site. These residential times give opportunities for small-group learning, as well as more extended and integrated engagement with complex topics relating to contemporary mission and ministry. 

Practical placements

Practical placements and attachments comprise the remaining part of the programme. These are carefully designed to augment and test the practical learning from the residential events, and are a key element in the development and assessment of competence for ministry. They are supported by a dedicated tutor, with seminars set aside for preparation, a parallel module in Pastoral Theology and explicit points of reflection linked to the residential weekends.