Theology

Study mode:On campus Study type:Full-time Languages: English
Local:$ 13.2 k / Year(s) Foreign:$ 28.2 k / Year(s) Deadline: Jan 20, 2025
1 place StudyQA ranking:1794 Duration:2 years

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The Master of Philosophy (MPhil) in Theology degree offers more extensive study of a particular field of theology at an advanced level, with rigorous training in relevant research methods and a period of scholarly research and writing.

Graduate destinations

Students who leave the University of Oxford with graduate degrees in theology enter a variety of careers all around the world. Over half of those who gain an MSt or MPhil proceed to further, usually doctoral study. Most of the others secure employment as, for example, school teachers, civil servants or parliamentary research assistants, or go on to work with non-governmental organisations or in the media and journalism.

This 21-month course offers extensive postgraduate education in a specialist field of theology for very able students. It includes a short thesis of up to 30,000 words based on independent scholarly research, which may contribute to a future research degree, and at least three formal examination papers or groups of assessed essays.

The choice of essays and dissertation topics is decided by the student, subject to advice from the supervisor and final approval.

Your supervisor will in most cases be the course co-ordinator for the specific subject stream of the MPhil in Theology that you are enrolled on. They will provide support, guidance and an overall direction for your studies. 

The Faculty of Theology runs graduate seminars in different subjects, which offer a space for all those doing graduate work to meet regularly, to share aspects of your work with your peers and to be informed by that interaction. The seminars are an important way of staying in touch with peers and present some of your research at various stages of development.

If you are successful in the MPhil then you may be allowed to expand the MPhil thesis for a DPhil. The total investment of time necessary for the DPhil by this route need not be longer and the route via the taught course may be an especially good foundation for a teaching career.   

Students on the MPhil in Theology work in one of the following areas:

  • Old Testament
  • New Testament
  • Christian Doctrine, specialising in one of the following fields:
    • History of Doctrine: Patristic Theology (c. AD 100-787)
    • History of Doctrine: Scholastic Theology (c. AD 1050-1350)
    • History of Doctrine: Theology of the Reformation Period (c. AD 1500-1650)
    • Issues in Theology with special reference to Patristic Theology
    • Issues in Theology with special reference to Scholastic Theology
    • Issues in Theology with special reference to Reformation Theology
    • Issues in Theology with special reference to theology from 1780 to the present day
  • Ecclesiastical History
  • Christian Ethics

Students taking Ecclesiastical History may study more than one of five periods (The Early Church AD 200-476, The Western Church AD 476-1050, The Western Church AD 1000-1400, European Christianity AD 1400-1800, or European Christianity AD 1800-2000).

Applicants are normally expected to be predicted or have achieved a first-class or strong upper second-class undergraduate degree with honours (or equivalent international qualifications), as a minimum, in theology, religious studies or another closely related field. Entrance is very competitive.

For applicants with a degree from the USA, the minimum GPA sought is 3.7 out of 4.0.

If you hold non-UK qualifications and wish to check how your qualifications match these requirements, you can contact the National Recognition Information Centre for the United Kingdom (UK NARIC).

Other examination results may be submitted alongside degree qualifications. If offered, the minimum Graduate Record Examination (GRE) score sought is 160 and the minimum GMAT score sought is 600.

Knowledge of Hebrew and Greek is required for Old and New Testament respectively. Most courses in the history of doctrine will require study of texts in languages other than English: Greek or Latin is required for patristic theology, Latin is required for scholastic theology, and Latin, French or German is required for reformation theology.

  • Official transcript(s)
  • CV/résumé
  • Statement of purpose: One page
  • Written work: Two essays of 2,000 words each
  • References/letters of recommendation:Three overall, generally academic

ENGLISH LANGUAGE REQUIREMENTS

Higher level

Test

Standard level scores

Higher level scores

IELTS Academic 
Institution code: 0713

7.0 Minimum 6.5 per component  7.5  Minimum 7.0 per component 

TOEFL iBT 
Institution code: 0490

100

Minimum component scores:

  • Listening: 22
  • Reading: 24
  • Speaking: 25
  • Writing: 24
110

Minimum component scores:

  • Listening: 22
  • Reading: 24
  • Speaking: 25
  • Writing: 24
Cambridge Certificate of Proficiency in English (CPE) 185

Minimum 176 per component

191 

Minimum 185 per component

Cambridge Certificate of Advanced English (CAE) 185

Minimum 176 per component

191 

Minimum 185 per component

  • Global Education
  • Hill Foundation Scholarships
  • Ertegun Scholarship Programme 
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