Arts & Humanities

Bachelor of Arts in Theology (Christian Ministries and Missiology)

The Bachelor of Arts in Theology (Christian Ministries and Missiology) is a programme that combines theological study with Christian ministry and missiology. Offered at theological institutions and universities, the programme prepares graduates for careers in church ministry, missions and Christian leadership.

The curriculum covers Old Testament studies, New Testament studies, systematic theology, church history, biblical languages, Christian ministry, pastoral care, preaching, Christian education, missiology, intercultural missions, church planting, evangelism, contextual theology, African Christianity, research methods, and a research project. Students develop both theological and missiological skills.

The programme is designed to produce graduates who can lead Christian ministries and engage in cross-cultural missions. The programme combines theological depth with practical ministry and missiology, preparing graduates for church and mission service.

Graduates are prepared for careers as pastors, missionaries, church planters, ministry leaders, Christian educators, chaplains, mission agency directors, theological educators, church administrators, evangelists and researchers. They work in churches, mission agencies, Christian NGOs, educational institutions, theological seminaries and parachurch organisations.

The programme is accredited by the Commission for University Education (CUE). Admission requires a KCSE mean grade of C+ with C+ in Christian Religious Education.

Prospective students should have strong analytical skills, a commitment to continuous learning, and an interest in contributing to Kenya's socio-economic development. The programme provides a solid foundation for further postgraduate study and professional advancement in related fields.

Duration: 4 years
Public, up to: Ksh 189,004
Private, up to: Ksh 171,400
Job market: Low

The programme

What you study, how long it takes, and how it is delivered.

Practicalities

Study mode: Full-time
Attachment: 3 months
Average class: 20 students
Award: Bachelor

What you study

10 subjects

Old Testament Studies
New Testament Studies
Systematic Theology
Christian Ministry
Pastoral Care
Missiology
Intercultural Missions
Church Planting
African Christianity
Research Methods

Modules

10 in the programme

Old Testament Studies
Year 1Semester 13 creditsCore
Study of the Old Testament. The module covers theoretical foundations, practical applications and industry-relevant skills, assessed through continuous assessment tests, coursework and end-of-semes...
New Testament Studies
Year 1Semester 23 creditsCore
Study of the New Testament. The module covers theoretical foundations, practical applications and industry-relevant skills, assessed through continuous assessment tests, coursework and end-of-semes...
Systematic Theology
Year 1Semester 33 creditsCore
Systematic theological study. The module covers theoretical foundations, practical applications and industry-relevant skills, assessed through continuous assessment tests, coursework and end-of-sem...
Christian Ministry
Year 2Semester 13 creditsCore
Ministry principles and practice. The module covers theoretical foundations, practical applications and industry-relevant skills, assessed through continuous assessment tests, coursework and end-of...
Pastoral Care
Year 2Semester 23 creditsCore
Care for congregation. The module covers theoretical foundations, practical applications and industry-relevant skills, assessed through continuous assessment tests, coursework and end-of-semester e...
Missiology
Year 2Semester 33 creditsCore
Study of missions. The module covers theoretical foundations, practical applications and industry-relevant skills, assessed through continuous assessment tests, coursework and end-of-semester exami...
Intercultural Missions
Year 3Semester 13 creditsCore
Cross-cultural ministry. The module covers theoretical foundations, practical applications and industry-relevant skills, assessed through continuous assessment tests, coursework and end-of-semester...
Church Planting
Year 3Semester 23 creditsCore
Establishing new churches. The module covers theoretical foundations, practical applications and industry-relevant skills, assessed through continuous assessment tests, coursework and end-of-semest...
African Christianity
Year 3Semester 33 creditsCore
Christianity in Africa. The module covers theoretical foundations, practical applications and industry-relevant skills, assessed through continuous assessment tests, coursework and end-of-semester ...
Research Methods
Year 4Semester 16 creditsCore
Research methodology. The module covers theoretical foundations, practical applications and industry-relevant skills, assessed through continuous assessment tests, coursework and end-of-semester ex...

Specialisations

Church Planting
Focus on planting churches. This specialisation equips graduates with discipline-specific competencies for professional practice in Kenya and the East African region, with pathways to postgraduate study and professional certification.
Missiology
Focus on missions. This specialisation equips graduates with discipline-specific competencies for professional practice in Kenya and the East African region, with pathways to postgraduate study and professional certification.
Christian Ministry
Focus on church ministry. This specialisation equips graduates with discipline-specific competencies for professional practice in Kenya and the East African region, with pathways to postgraduate study and professional certification.
Christian Education
Focus on teaching. This specialisation equips graduates with discipline-specific competencies for professional practice in Kenya and the East African region, with pathways to postgraduate study and professional certification.

A day as a student

A typical day involves attending lectures on theology and missiology, studying biblical texts, researching church history, studying systematic theology, researching missions, studying pastoral care, analysing African Christianity, participating in ministry practicum, studying intercultural missions, and engaging with current theological and missiological issues. Students undertake ministry internships.

The trade offs

In its favour

Meaningful career in church ministry and missions
Combines theological depth with practical ministry
Addresses contemporary missiological challenges

Against it

Limited career paths outside religious settings
Some positions may have modest compensation
Requires personal faith commitment
May require postgraduate qualifications for teaching

What it costs

Tuition at both ends of the market, and how to pay for it.

What it costs, and where

Against 188 arts & humanities courses

Public153k to 189k

153k at Kenyatta University189k at University of Nairobi

Private138k to 171k

138k at International Leadership University171k at St. Paul's University

Annual tuition in Kenyan shillings, rounded. The upright tick is the median for this field, so a bar sitting entirely to its right is an expensive programme by the standards of its own subject.

The fine print

KU 153K, UoN 189K/yr. ILU 137.6K/yr, St Paul's 85.7K/sem=171.4K/yr.

HELB provides loans up to KSh 60,000 per year. Theological institutions may offer scholarships for ministry candidates.

Funding options

HELB Undergraduate Loan
Institutional Scholarships

Scholarships

5 recorded

County Government Bursaries
BursaryKenyan
Residents of respective counties pursuing undergraduate studies
Church and Denominational Scholarships
ScholarshipKenyan
Students pursuing theology and religious studies affiliated with partner churches
St. Paul's University Scholarships
ScholarshipKenyan
Students admitted to theology and related programmes at St. Paul's University
Higher Education Loans Board (HELB) Loan
LoanKsh 60,000Kenyan
Kenyan citizens enrolled in accredited undergraduate programmes at recognised institutions
Higher Education Fund (HEF)
ScholarshipKenyan
Needy students placed by KUCCPS in public universities, assessed through Means Testing Instrument

Getting in

The grades, the alternatives, and who accredits the award.

What you need

KCSE mean grade: C+
Alternative entry: KCSE mean grade C+ with C+ in Christian Religious Education. KACE with two principal passes. Diploma in theology, ministry or related field from a recognised institution.

How you are assessed

3 components

End of Semester Examinations
Examination40% of the mark
Final written examinations covering all semester content
Continuous Assessment
Coursework30% of the mark
Regular tests, essays, sermons, presentations and class participation
Ministry Internship and Research Project
Practical30% of the mark
Ministry internship and theological research project

Accreditation

Accredited by the Commission for University Education (CUE). Falls under KUCCPS Cluster 20. Admission requires KCSE C+ with C+ in Christian Religious Education.

Accredited by

Commission for University Education
AcademicRequired
Statutory body responsible for accreditation of university programmes in Kenya

Where it leads

The roles it opens, and what you leave with.

Where graduates go

5 roles

Christian Educator
Moderate demandKsh 45,000 to Ksh 200,000
Teaches Christian education
Pastor
Low demandKsh 40,000 to Ksh 200,000
Leads church ministry
Chaplain
Moderate demandKsh 45,000 to Ksh 200,000
Provides chaplaincy
Church Planter
Low demandKsh 35,000 to Ksh 200,000
Establishes new churches
Missionary
Low demandKsh 40,000 to Ksh 180,000
Engages in cross-cultural missions

Graduate outcomes

Graduates pursue careers as pastors, missionaries, church planters and ministry leaders in churches, mission agencies and Christian organisations.

Where these fields lead

8 careers

Tools you will learn

Google Workspace
Cloud
Microsoft Excel
Spreadsheet
Power BI
Analytics
QuickBooks
Accounting
SAP
Enterprise

Certifications

Industry links

Common misconceptions

Theology is just about preaching.
The programme covers biblical studies, systematic theology, missiology, pastoral care and research methods.
This is only for pastors.
Graduates work in missions, Christian education, chaplaincy, NGOs and theological education.
Missiology is outdated.
Missiology addresses contemporary challenges in cross-cultural ministry and contextual theology.
There are no career prospects in theology.
Churches, mission agencies and Christian organisations need trained theological professionals.