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Admission, objectives and Career service

Admission to the MA programme

For more information about the admission requirements for the MA programme, please visit the MA Theology pages of our website.

Objectives

The MA programme equips you with the knowledge, insights, skills and attitudes needed for the academic study of the Christian tradition in both its historical and contemporary contexts. You are admissible if you have:

  • obtained a BA in Theology in Nijmegen;
  • successfully completed the pre-master programme;
  • completed a comparable programme elsewhere.

The MA in Theology builds on the BA in Theology. Whereas the latter provides you with a broad knowledge of the main sub-disciplines, theories, concepts and methods of theology, the MA programme seeks to deepen your familiarity with the sources and principal tasks of theology and allows you to develop the relevant knowledge and skills. This combination gives you a broad perspective on theology. The task of theology is defined as the hermeneutic, systematic, critical and constructive reflection on Christianity in diverse contexts, with the aid of current academic methods (literary, historical, systematic and empirical).

The friction between tradition and innovation in the forms and practices of Christian belief is the cardinal focus of the Theology programme in Nijmegen. In different academic fields such as biblical exegesis, the study of the history of church and theology, systematic theology, practical theology, philosophy of religion and religious studies, the subject is dealt with in many ways. This is done with due regard to the diachronic and synchronic pluralism of cultural contexts in which Christianity has manifested itself in the past, and continues to do so today. We focus on research into Christianity in present-day society, which is characterised by a plurality of cultural manifestations that present theology with a challenge. In the third year of the MA in Theology you may:

  • pursue a teaching qualification for religious education;
  • prepare yourself for independent professional practice in the contexts of policy making and/or spiritual care;
  • opt for further (postgraduate) research training.

Exit qualifications of the programme

The objectives of the MA programme have been translated into exit qualifications. On successful completion of the programme you will have an academic approach with the following attributes:

1. Acquisition of specific knowledge and insight

  • You possess fundamental knowledge of and insight into the hermeneutic, systematic, critical and constructive tasks of theology and the academic methods (literary, historical, systematic and empirical) necessary for this purpose.
  • You possess fundamental knowledge of and insight into the historical and current situation of Christianity as regards its source texts, its philosophical and doctrinal contents and the practices in which it is manifested.
  • You possess fundamental knowledge of and insight into the many contexts in which the meaning of Christianity has been and is articulated, more especially in present-day society.

2. Application of specific knowledge and insight

  • You are able to differentiate the knowledge and insight listed in 1a-c and apply these (relatively independently) by properly describing, analyzing and synthesising them in a research project focused on a new problem situation.

3. Evaluation

  • You can arrive at an independent evaluation of social, ecclesiastic and/or theological developments based on a substantiated, synthesised synopsis of the knowledge and insight specified in the first qualification, by gathering and interpreting relevant information and evaluating it against a background of independent, academically substantiated internal and external criteria.

4. Communication

  • You can communicate orally and in writing, with both specialist and non-specialist audiences, about your analysis, synthesis and evaluation of specific phenomena in Christian religious practice and its contexts.

5. Learning skills

  • You possess the skills necessary to independently reproduce, comprehend, interpret, analyse and evaluate new information about Christianity and its contexts in one of the following professional contexts: theological research, policy making, spiritual care and education.

Career Service

The Faculty of Philosophy, Theology and Philosophy Career Services brings students closer to the labour market right from the start of their degree programme. Faculty alumni and PhD candidates can also come here if they want to focus more intently on the labour market. Our department offers organisations an excellent opportunity to promote their internships to our students and PhD candidates.