University of St Andrews - Online
MLitt / PGDip in Bible and the Contemporary World - OnlineOnline United Kingdom
DURATION
15 up to 260 Weeks
LANGUAGES
English
PACE
Part time
APPLICATION DEADLINE
07 Aug 2025
EARLIEST START DATE
Aug 2025
TUITION FEES
GBP 8,650 *
STUDY FORMAT
Distance Learning
* for overseas students | GBP 4,010 - for home students
Introduction
Examine the relevance of biblical texts in contemporary contexts with this part-time online programme that combines theology, ethics, and cultural studies.
Connect biblical and theological studies with other disciplines in the arts, humanities and social sciences.
Why study this course?
The PGDip and MLitt in Bible and the Contemporary World is a part-time online programme aimed at both lay people seeking personal development and clergy seeking continued professional development.
- Gain an understanding of how public issues and culture both shape and are shaped by Christian theology, biblical interpretation and practice.
- Join an international and interdenominational group of students, most of whom are lay people.
- A residential study week in St Andrews starts each module with lectures and seminar discussions and allows you to meet your fellow participants and tutors.
- Opens possibilities for future doctoral work in fields such as practical theology or for those who seek to deepen their critical thinking in careers (often in the voluntary sector) that have a religious dimension.
Gallery
Admissions
Scholarships and Funding
We are committed to supporting you through your studies, regardless of your financial circumstances. You may be eligible for scholarships, discounts or other support:
- GREAT Scholarship
- St Andrews Sanctuary Scholarship
- St Leonard's funding opportunities
- Graduate discount (15% off tuition fees)
Curriculum
Each module typically comprises:
- online lectures and seminars
- 100% coursework assessment
Students will take the modules in different orders depending on their point of entry.
September entry
Semester 1
Residential study week in St Andrews: Monday 1 to Friday 5 September 2025
The Bible and Contemporary Issues
Explores a variety of approaches to interpretation to make connections between the Christian scriptures, events, trends and cultural assumptions.
Semester 2
Residential study week in St Andrews: Monday 19 to 23 January 2026
Theology and the Arts
An introduction to the interdisciplinary field of theology and the arts, concentrating attention on key articles of the Christian faith and their relationship with a broad range of different art forms (such as literature, music, and the visual arts).
Semester 3
Residential study week in St Andrews: Monday 31 August to Friday 4 September 2026
Surveillance, Theology and the Bible
Thinking critically about multiple forms of 21st-century surveillance (such as Big Data in online advertising and policing, CCTV in shops and churches, and our mutual watching through social media).
Dissertation
MLitt students take a fourth module for their dissertation, and attend its associated study week in St Andrews. Dissertations will be supervised by members of the teaching staff who will advise on the choice of subject and provide guidance throughout the research process. The completed dissertation of 15,000 words must be submitted at the end of the course.
Those on the PGDip programme will finish their studies after the third semester, and suitably qualified candidates will be awarded a Postgraduate Diploma.
Program Tuition Fee
Career Opportunities
Students on this programme are often already in employment. Others have gone on to work in the charitable sector and to further studies. Previous students have had professional occupations in:
- education
- law
- business
- administration
- charities
- ministry
Students on our Master's programmes are provided with the skills they need to succeed in an international job market, both academic and non-academic.
Regular workshops, both general and subject-specific, in areas such as publishing, conference presentations, and job searches are offered by the School of Divinity and the University.
Student Testimonials
Why study at University of St Andrews - Online
The School of Divinity at St Andrews regularly hosts international conferences and smaller symposia on themes across the field of biblical and theological studies.
Program delivery
Each semester begins with a residential study week held at St Mary's College, part of the School of Divinity at the University of St Andrews.
A typical residential study week includes lectures, seminars, sessions on using the Moodle and MMS internet platforms, and study skills training. It is also a good opportunity for you to meet your online peers and tutors in person.
Attendance is required at each study week from Monday through Wednesday, but students are encouraged to stay for the remainder of the week. You will need to pay for your own travel and accommodation costs to attend these mandatory study weeks.
Both MLitt and PGDip students take three taught modules over the course of their programme. Each module comprises 15 weeks of study (typically divided into four units) and focuses on independent learning.
In each unit of a module, students are supplied a number of scholarly articles and extracts from books, which are supplemented by two written lectures available online in digital format. You will also have access to the library's extensive online subscriptions of journals and ebooks. Instead of seminars, you will participate in online bulletin board discussions with your peers (not held in real time).
The MLitt programme is followed by a 15,000-word dissertation submitted at the end of two years of study. Students are assigned an individual supervisor for their dissertation, and meetings with supervisors are normally held via online video messaging or telephone.
Course duration
From 15 weeks part-time (single module); minimum 18 months part-time, maximum 4 years part-time (PGDip); minimum 2 years part-time, maximum 5 years part-time (MLitt)
Teaching
Delivered through lectures and online bulletin board discussions.