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Missional Communities: a Master of Theology track

Missional theology is a constellation of ideas that come together in a comprehensive conversation about God, the church, and what God has sent the church into the world to be and do. Mission is understood, first and foremost, as being rooted in the identity and nature of God. If God is at work bringing about the mission, it may be in ways that the church is unaware of, and which are located outside the church's activity. In the Missional Communities track of our Master of Theology programme, you will study the 'mission of God'.

What does this commitment to a missional God mean for congregations, existing and emerging, what kind of spirituality is needed in leading congregations, in preaching, caring and praying? The question 'what is the mission of God' is studied empirically from the perspective of existing and new ecclesial practices that in one way or another seek to correspond with this mission.

What you can expect

  • Study programme

    In this track we expand the bandwidth of how we think congregations can express themselves in todays highly diverse cultural contexts. On the one hand, it is about the missionary and diaconal practices of the congregational church expression. We observe that the Spirit of God creates community, can be lived out in community and reaches out to people outside this community. On the other hand, it is about new emerging distinct Christian practices (like church planting, fresh expressions, emerging churches, urban mission) in hitherto unexpected cultural contexts.

    Courses

    • Introducing Academic Research in Biblical, Systematic and Practical Theology
    • Contextual Communities as Mission
    • New Ecclesial Communities
    • Spirit as Guide
    • Master thesis 1
    • Master thesis 2
  • Application

    Do you want to study theology with us? You can apply online for the 2025-2026 academic year from 1 November.

    • Application deadline for students from outside the EU, EEA or Switzerland: 1 April 2025. 
    • Application deadline for students from the European Union, EEA or Switzerland: 1 May 2025.
  • Admission requirements

    You can apply for the Master of Theology if you meet all of the following conditions: 

    • You have a Bachelor's degree in Theology or a related field. Your degree has been awarded by an accredited university. The comparability of your degree will verified by consulting distinctive independent sources.
    • You can provide us with the results of an English language proficiency test. Exemptions are in place for native speakers of English and inhabitants of countries where English is the only official language.
    • You fulfil the requirements for the academic track in which you wish to participate. 
  • Costs

    Tuition fees for the 2024-2025 academic year are € 2.530 (2023-2024 was 2.314) if you are a citizen of the EU, EEA, Turkey or Surinam. If you are a citizen from any other country, your tuition fee in 2024-2025 is € 6.629 (2023-2024 € 4.360).

    You can choose one of these options for payment:

    • Pay the entire tuition before the start of the academic year
    • Pay the tuition in ten monthly instalments.

    Note that next to your tuition, other costs are involved. As a foreign individual staying in The Netherlands, you should take into account administrative fees, costs of living, and various other costs, like health insurance and travel costs. 

  • Scholarships

    Have you already applied for admission to the Master of Theology programme at PThU? Several scholarships are available for students:

    Other scholarships may be available. You can find more information on the website of the Netherlands Organization for International Co-operation in Higher Education (NUFFIC).

  • Academic staff

  • Joining the programme as an exchange student

    Do you want to study Theology at the PThU as an exchange student? And does your home university have an official exchange agreement with the PThU? If so, you can apply for a student exchange period at the Protestant Theological University. As an exchange student you do not need to pay a tuition fee at the PThU, but you will continue to pay tuition at your home institution. Credits earned at PThU will be recognised at your home institution, after completing your exchange period. Exchange periods can be 2.5 months, a semester or a full academic year.

    Are you interested in an exchange year at the Protestant Theological University in the Netherlands? It is important to know that the university only offers English-taught courses at a master's level. For that reason we only accept applications from master students (or from bachelor students with a sufficient command of Dutch). Exchange students can choose to study at the PThU during the first semester (September – January) or for a full academic year.

  • Increase your English writing skills

    Worried about your level of English? The PThU offers all our international students the possibility of following the Academic Writing Course during the first weeks of their master. In this seven week course, you will focus on academic writing and structuring of a thesis. The course is offered by our partner Rijksuniversiteit Groningen.

  • Living in the Netherlands

    What does it mean to study abroad? What do you need to arrange in terms of visa, insurance, tuition? We've collected some practical information for you.

Questions about the programme? Contact a student advisor

Questions about registration and admission?

Contact our office at admissions@pthu.nl.

  • "With my PThU education I will be able to reach distant areas in Eastern Congo to form centers for reconciliation, which will serve as a beacon of peace in this conflict-prone Central African region."
    Paul Mutama Sebasaza
    did the master Theology