Masters in Scripture & Theology (MTh)
Part-time in a Learning Community
Study our MTh in-person or online through a Learning Community
Learning Communities meet for block-delivery during term time, either online or at an in-person venue.
All the teaching is delivered via recorded videos by UST lecturers, with a Lead Mentor facilitating discussion in the Learning Community.
How does it work?
Each Learning Community is facilitated by a Lead Mentor. This is usually an experienced pastor/theologian who provides mentoring support to students, supplementing the primary delivery of teaching by video, and facilitates activities and discussion with resources supplied through our Union Cloud platform.
Meet in-person or online for intensive teaching
Meet as a Learning Community, either in-person in or online, for intensive delivery. Each Learning Community group has their own delivery schedule within the pre-assigned two-week teaching block window given by UST. Each Learning Community chooses whether to watch the recorded lecture videos with their group or in their own time.
Please check individual Learning Community profiles for further details on each group’s meeting times.
Study six 20-credit modules and complete a research-based dissertation
In Part One you will study six taught courses, typically over 2 years (please see the Module Schedule in the section above) and a compulsory, non-assessed self-study Research Methods module. Students must complete this before submitting the dissertation proposal. Most courses include a 5,000-word essay set by the lecturer as their assessment.
Students will also have the opportunity to join seminars with their lecturers after each module intensive.
In Part Two you will complete a 15,000-word dissertation on an approved research topic of your choice. Alternatively, you can choose to finish the program prior to the dissertation and receive a Postgraduate Diploma qualification.
We advise budgeting up to 200 hours of study time per course, including pre-reading, lectures and assignments. It’s advisable to also budget 600 hours for the dissertation phase of the MTh.
Complete your studies around your ministry & life commitments
Study block-taught classes over a maximum of 2 weeks, and complete the assessment for each course around your day-to-day commitments. Each in-person and online Learning Community is directed by a Lead Mentor, an experienced church leader who will help you reflect on the application of your studies in your context.
What will I learn?
Learning Communities run the below six pre-set modules as intensive blocks, over either one or two weeks (see individual Learning Community profiles for details), with essays due 7 weeks after the essay title is given.
With approval and guidance from a supervising faculty member, students also complete a research dissertation where they can explore a chosen subject in more depth, and may begin work on their dissertation after their assessment grades for all six taught courses have been confirmed at an exam board. Students then have up to one year to complete their dissertation.
Download the MTh Course Descriptors here.
Students may substitute one module per year of study for an intensive module in person at our Ministry Centre, by agreement with the Programmes Team. For Biblical Languages substitutions, students may choose to come in person or to join in real time via Zoom. Please check the MTh Campus Schedule for delivery dates of this year’s campus-based modules.
View the MTh Module Schedule Information, and find out which rotation your chosen MTh Learning Community operates (A or B) on their LC profiles.
Entry points are September, January and March.
Part 1: Taught Courses (20 Credits Each)
Biblical Studies
Union with Christ: A Biblical Theology Approach
Theological Studies
Scripture and Hermeneutics (Compulsory)
Theology of the Early Church Fathers
Soteriology of the Reformation
Ministry Practice
Preaching and Preachers
Spiritual Formation of the Leader
Part 2: Research Dissertation (60 Credits - compulsory)
Ready to apply?
Application deadlines for Learning Community-based MTh are as follows:
For a January 2027 start: 30th October 2026
For a March 2027 start: 15th January 2027
For a September 2027 start: TBC
