Arts & Humanities

Master of Arts in Pastoral Theology

The Master of Arts in Pastoral Theology provides advanced training in pastoral theology, biblical foundations for ministry, pastoral care, preaching, and Seventh-day Adventist theology. Students learn pastoral theology, biblical interpretation, pastoral care, preaching, church leadership, and Adventist distinctives. The programme is designed for pastors, church leaders, and ministry professionals seeking advanced pastoral theology qualifications within the Seventh-day Adventist tradition.

Students develop advanced competencies in pastoral theology, biblical interpretation, pastoral care, preaching, church leadership, and Adventist theology. The curriculum covers pastoral theology, biblical hermeneutics, pastoral care and counselling, preaching and homiletics, church leadership, Adventist distinctives, research methods, and a research thesis. Practical skills are developed through ministry practicum and case studies.

Pastoral theology expertise is important for the Seventh-day Adventist Church in Africa, which has a growing membership requiring trained pastoral leaders. Churches, conferences, and church institutions require trained pastors with advanced theological and pastoral qualifications. The programme addresses the demand for advanced pastoral theology training within the Adventist tradition.

The programme combines classroom lectures with ministry practicum, case studies, and research. Students study pastoral theology, practise preaching, analyse pastoral care, and conduct research. Teaching methods include lectures, preaching practicum, case studies, and research supervision. The programme is offered face-to-face at AUA's main campus in Nairobi.

Graduates find employment as senior pastors, church leaders, conference administrators, theological educators, or ministry directors in Seventh-day Adventist churches, conferences, and institutions across Africa. The master's degree supports careers in pastoral leadership, church administration, and theological education.

This programme is ideal for Adventist pastors, church leaders, and ministry professionals with at least four years of ministry experience seeking advanced pastoral theology qualifications. The programme provides advanced skills for pastoral leadership and theological education within the Adventist tradition.

Duration: 2 years (Full-time), 3 years (Part-time)
Public, up to: Ksh 220,500
Private, up to: Ksh 244,000
Job market: Low

The programme

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

Practicalities

Study mode: Full-time, Part-time
Attachment: 0 months
Average class: 15 students
Award: Master

What you study

10 subjects

Pastoral Theology
Biblical Hermeneutics
Pastoral Care and Counselling
Preaching and Homiletics
Church Leadership
Adventist Theology and Distinctives
Research Methods
Christian Ethics
Church Administration
Thesis Research

Modules

8 in the programme

Pastoral Theology
Year 1Semester 13 creditsCore
Pastoral theology covering theological foundations of pastoral ministry, pastoral identity, pastoral theology models, and the theology of ministry.
Biblical Hermeneutics
Year 1Semester 13 creditsCore
Biblical hermeneutics covering principles of biblical interpretation, exegetical methods, historical-critical methods, and Adventist hermeneutical approaches.
Pastoral Care and Counselling
Year 1Semester 13 creditsCore
Pastoral care covering pastoral care principles, pastoral counselling, crisis care, bereavement support, and pastoral care in church and community contexts.
Research Methods for Theology
Year 1Semester 13 creditsCore
Research methods covering research design, qualitative and quantitative methods, theological research methods, and research ethics.
Preaching and Homiletics
Year 1Semester 23 creditsCore
Preaching and homiletics covering sermon preparation, expository preaching, homiletical methods, and preaching practicum with feedback.
Adventist Theology and Distinctives
Year 1Semester 23 creditsCore
Adventist theology covering SDA distinctive doctrines, the sanctuary doctrine, Sabbath theology, spirit of prophecy, and Adventist eschatology.
Church Leadership and Administration
Year 1Semester 23 creditsCore
Church leadership covering biblical leadership, church governance, church administration, financial management, and leading Adventist congregations and conferences.
Thesis Research and Defence
Year 2Semester 16 creditsCore
A research thesis on a pastoral theology topic, demonstrating research competence and contributing to pastoral theology knowledge and practice.

Specialisations

Pastoral Care and Counselling
Focus on pastoral care, pastoral counselling, crisis intervention, bereavement support, and pastoral care in diverse contexts.
Preaching and Homiletics
Focus on sermon preparation, expository preaching, homiletical methods, and developing preaching competence.
Adventist Theology
Focus on SDA distinctive doctrines, Adventist hermeneutics, sanctuary theology, and Adventist eschatology.

A day as a student

A typical day combines morning lectures on pastoral theology or biblical hermeneutics with afternoon preaching practicum and case study discussions. Students study pastoral theology, practise preaching, analyse pastoral care situations, and conduct research. The face-to-face programme at AUA's Nairobi campus provides interaction with faculty and fellow Adventist leaders from across Africa. The programme emphasises theological depth, pastoral competence, and Adventist identity.

The trade offs

In its favour

Offered at AUA, the premier Seventh-day Adventist graduate institution in Africa, serving Adventist leaders from across the continent.
Denominational employees receive a 20% tuition discount, making it more affordable for SDA church workers.
Requires minimum 4 years of ministry experience, ensuring a peer group of experienced practitioners.

Against it

The programme is specifically oriented toward the Seventh-day Adventist tradition, limiting broader applicability.
Fees are charged in USD, making costs variable with exchange rates.
Career opportunities are primarily within the SDA church structure and Adventist institutions.

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

Public171k to 221k

171k at Maseno University221k at University of Nairobi

Private191k to 244k

191k at Africa International University244k at Adventist University of Africa

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

AUA Tier C ~244K/yr. AIU 191K/yr. UoN 220.5K/yr. Maseno unverified

Denominational employees (SDA church workers) receive a 20% discount on tuition. AUA may offer institutional scholarships. SDA conferences and institutions may sponsor students for pastoral training. HELB loans may be available for eligible Kenyan students.

Funding options

HELB Loan

Scholarships

1 recorded

HELB Loan
LoanKsh 60,000Kenyan
Kenyan students enrolled in master's programmes at chartered universities

Getting in

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

What you need

Alternative entry: Bachelor's degree in Theology or Religion with minimum CGPA of 3.00/4.00 (or 60%). Applicants with CGPA 2.50-2.99 (55%-59%) may be accepted on probation. Minimum 4 years of experience in pastoral or Christian ministry. Two recommendations (church board and previous university or employer). English proficiency required.

How you are assessed

3 components

Coursework and Examinations
Written examination40% of the mark
Coursework assessments, examinations, and assignments evaluating understanding of pastoral theology concepts.
Preaching Practicum and Ministry Assignments
Practical30% of the mark
Preaching practicum, pastoral care assignments, and ministry case studies evaluating practical ministry skills.
Thesis Defence
Project30% of the mark
A master's thesis demonstrating research competence in pastoral theology.

Accreditation

Adventist University of Africa is chartered by the Commission for University Education (CUE). The MA programme is accredited by CUE.

Accredited by

Commission for University Education
AcademicRequired
AUA is chartered by CUE. MA programme accredited by CUE.

Where it leads

The roles it opens, and what you leave with.

Where graduates go

4 roles

Senior Pastor
Low demandKsh 50,000 to Ksh 200,000
Leads an Adventist congregation as senior pastor, providing spiritual leadership, preaching, pastoral care, and managing church operations.
Conference Administrator
Low demand
Serves as a conference administrator in the SDA church structure, managing conference operations, supervising pastors, and coordinating church programmes.
Theological Educator
Low demand
Teaches theology or pastoral studies in seminaries, Bible colleges, or theological institutions, training future pastors and church leaders.
Ministry Director
Low demand
Directs a ministry department or programme in a church, conference, or Adventist institution, managing ministry operations and teams.

Graduate outcomes

Graduates find employment as senior pastors, conference administrators, and theological educators in Seventh-day Adventist churches and institutions across Africa.

Industry links

Common misconceptions

Pastoral theology is just about preaching.
Pastoral theology covers biblical interpretation, pastoral care, counselling, church leadership, ethics, and administration, not just preaching.
A theology degree is only for pastors.
Theological education is valuable for church administrators, educators, chaplains, and Christian organisation leaders, not just pastors.
Adventist theology is the same as other Protestant theology.
Seventh-day Adventist theology has distinctives including the Sabbath, the sanctuary doctrine, the spirit of prophecy, and health message, requiring specialised training.
Pastoral training doesn't need academic rigour.
Effective pastoral leadership requires rigorous theological training, biblical scholarship, research skills, and ethical reasoning.