Specialization Program

Are you.

• In possession of a Bachelor’s degree and want to delve deeper into the content of the Christian faith?
• Working in the church, but need more reflection on the faith questions you encounter with people?
• Teaching religion, social studies, or philosophy, and want to know what Reformed theology has to offer for reflecting on life’s big questions?

Then a specialization program may be for you!

The program has the character of a general theological deepening master’s and is not specifically vocationally oriented. Nevertheless, the practice of church and social life offers many opportunities to enter a profession from this program. These include a position as a researcher on the way to a doctorate. Masters graduates can also be employed in positions in academic (university and higher professional) education or secondary education. In addition, graduates can be employed in forms of “church work” and church building, missionary activities, equipping work, leadership positions in churches and Christian organizations, but also, for example, in journalism, public ministry, and ethical or spiritual counseling. Consider, for example, business.

Study programmes

• The study programme of the Master in Systematic Theology has a scope of 60 EC, so one year of full-time study. In the international evangelical movement, heated debates are being held about predestination, grace, free will. ‘Calvinist’ and ‘Arminian’ are not labels from the past, but positions that are still defended with gusto. In another direction, Karl Barth has thrown a big stone in the pond with his Christological doctrine of election that seems to lead to universal reconciliation.
• Old Testament: A specialisation master in which questions about the image of God in the Old Testament are central. Think of the relationship between God and violence, the vengeance and the repentance of God, the relationship between monotheism and polytheism and alleged feminine characteristics of God.
• Have you always wanted to delve deeper into the New Testament? Are you a minister or pastor and do you want to expand your theological knowledge? Choose a challenging master’s programme (60 ECTS) with the New Testament as your specialisation! At an academic level and with a heart for the Bible. Also possible part-time (2 years).
• For church history enthusiasts, the Theological University of Utrecht has a one-year master’s program: the Master in General Church History. You can follow this master’s program full-time (one year) or part-time (two years). The five modules are taught throughout the academic year at the Utrecht location and can also be followed separately. Central movements and voices from European church history, from the Middle Ages to the 20th century, are discussed in the modules. With special attention to the history and context of the multi-religious Dutch landscape.