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MA in Mission (Emerging Church)

MA, Diploma and Certificate (Full- or part-time)

The programme in Emerging Church is for people who want to explore the creative new ways of being and doing church that many hold as key to the future of Christianity in our contemporary culture.

Whether it is called ‘emerging church’ or ‘mission-shaped church’ or ‘fresh expressions of church’, this programme is designed for lay or ordained persons, from all traditions, who are interested in examining, pioneering or leading such initiatives in ministry through the discipline of postgraduate level study and personal research.

There are 3 main units of study which cover a range of themes:

  • Contemporary Culture, the Gospel and Emerging Church - Main themes include culture, gospel and the church; cultural exegesis; church planting and Emerging Church conversations.
  • Pioneering, Mentoring and Accompanying the Emerging Church  - Main themes include essence of the Church; narratives of emergence; practices of discernment and spiritual leadership. These units are assessed by a 6-8,000 word assignment.
  • Emerging Church Placement -This will involve a student participating in one of four options which include: working as a mission accompanier, mentor or coach in an emerging church context; pioneering an emerging church or fresh expression of church; participating in an emerging church or fresh expression of church;completing one or more short-term training courses in mission leadership or church planting. This unit is assessed by a 4,000 word assignment, a blog equivalent to 2-3,000 words and a presentation equivalent to 1,000 words.

This programme can be undertaken either part-time or full-time at a number of different levels:

  1. Postgraduate Certificate in Emerging Church: a one year part-time course incorporating the two units of study
  2. Postgraduate Diploma in Emerging Church: a one year full-time or two year part-time course incorporating three units of study and EITHER one unit from the syllabus; OR a Diploma level dissertation of 6-8,000 words
  3. MA in Emerging Church: a one year full-time or two year part-time course incorporating the three units of study AND one unit from the syllabus plus a Masters level dissertation of 12-15,000 words


For part-time students, there are two residential weeks in a year (early September and January), each of which introduce one unit of study. It is expected that part-time students will work on average 15 hours a week for 30 weeks in each year, in addition to researching a dissertation if required. Full-time students will complete all the units relevant to their course in a year (up to four for MA level), and have until the following March to submit a dissertation if required.

If you are looking for a programme that brings an emphasis upon the privileges, pressures and challenges facing Christian leaders in the vocation of mission and evangelism today, then this is the one for you!

For more information about any of the Postgraduate courses we offer please contact our Postgraduate Administrator by phone or email.