Adventist University of Africa

Master of Arts in Pastoral Theology

academics5 The Master of Arts in Pastoral Theology program is a professional degree programme designed for pastors with experience in the field of ministry who fulfil diverse ministerial functions of the church, including various leadership roles which require clear and critical thinking, wise judgement, effective communication, integrity in all actions, and recognition of opportunities for service. Philosophy It is based on the philosophy that effective ministry demands a solid theological foundation grounded in unchanging biblical doctrines and dynamic methods for effective presentation. Therefore, this programme helps students formulate and apply biblically sound approaches to ministry and mission and uphold the foundation of a commitment to traditional biblical Christianity in the context of the church in Africa. The benefits you will obtain from taking the degree:

Apply learned skills of superior and forward-looking approaches to the practice of ministry and mission.
Have advanced knowledge of Biblical and theological studies.
Understand the major events, developments, and intellectual features on global and African settings through the prism of the Bible.
Articulate a theology of pastoral ministry within the context of pastoral practice.
Provide dynamic pastoral ministry and leadership in the Christian community.
Use appropriate tools to analyze the needs of churches and communities.
Express in the practice of ministry and ministry of the Word an Adventist worldview and biblical perspective.
Understand basic research methodology applicable to the field of pastoral leadership ministry.
Acquire academic skills in research and writing
Respect diversity and differences including religion, race, culture, and gender.

+ - Why Join the MA in Pastoral Theology Program? Click to collapse

There are many reasons to join the program. Some of them are:

The MA in Pastoral Theology is offered at a Chartered University
The program is taught by highly qualified international faculty who are experts in their field of academics and practice
Students benefit from a variety of the on-campus and e-library resources
This program enables practising pastors to pursue a higher degree in the context of a learning community
This program raises the level and effectiveness of the ministers at a time of rapid membership growth in numbers and sophistication
This program helps identify excellent pastoral practitioners who are also outstanding students who could be encouraged to consider further studies to become professors of pastoral theology.

+ - Admission Requirements Click to collapse

In addition to the general requirements of the University for admission into Master’s programs, Master of Pastoral Theology applicants must:

Have a bachelor’s degree in Theology/Religion with a minimum CGPA of 3.00 on a 4-point scale or its equivalent grade of 60%. Applicants with a CGPA of 2.5 to 2.99 or 55% to 59% may be accepted on probation.
Submit a letter of recommendation from the local Church Board.
Submit the name, email address and designation of a referee from your previous university OR from the employing organization (if currently employed) to the AUA Office of Admissions. AUA will contact the referee for the recommendation. The applicant should seek the consent of the referee before submitting their details.
Must demonstrate proficiency in English.

Application form can be filled out on our website (aua.ac.ke).

+ - Curriculum Click to collapse

The MA in Pastoral Theology program is delivered on the chosen campuses of three African Divisions: ECD – AUA/University of Eastern Africa Baraton, SID - Solusi University/Helderberg College, WAD – Babcock University. The delivery mode of this program is not entirely traditional. Students take four intensive 9-week long yearly sessions, with three weeks devoted entirely to each 3-semester credit course, thus completing 36 semester credits. Throughout this educational experience students continue in their employment during the year, since no classes are offered between sessions.The List of Required Courses:

GSEM 606 Project/Thesis/Dissertation Research and Writing
CHMN 639 Church Growth and the Equipping Pastor
CHMN 634 Youth Ministry
CHMN 630 Church Leadership and Administration
CHMN 667 Health Ministry
NTST 660 Gospels
NTST/OTST 646 Studies in Biblical Exegesis
OTST 565/665 Pentateuch
THST 610 Revelation, Inspiration, and Hermeneutics
THST 660 Issues in Adventist Theology
CHPH 643 Christian Professional Ethics
MSSN 660 Topics in Mission

In addition to the above-mentioned coursework, students write a project for the course GSEM 695 Pastoral Theology Project (6 credits). This research work has a theoretical framework and a practical application. The project is designed to help pastors in training to use research methods to solve problems in a chosen area of pastoral ministry. The written report is around 60-80 pages in length.

+ - A Sample Proposal Click to collapse

Find a sample proposal for the program attached below:

+ - Graduation Requirements Click to collapse

In order to graduate, a student is required to:

Successfully complete a minimum of 42 credits
Maintain a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.00 (on the 4.0 scale)
Successfully complete and submit the project.

+ - Contact Information Click to collapse

For direct questions about Adventist University of Africa’s MA in Pastoral Theology program please contact the program director:David Odhiambo, PhD
Programme Director
Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.