The programme in Rural Mission focusses on issues relating to rural mission and evangelism. It is for people who want to think seriously and deeply about the practice of rural mission in our contemporary society through biblical, historical and theological studies. It is designed for lay or ordained persons, from all traditions.
The aim of the course is to develop an awareness of rural issues and their relationship to mission, and to have a deep and detailed understanding of rural issues.
There are two core units of study. They are:
- Rural mission and evangelism (RM1) - this unit considers how rural mission and evangelism relates to the discipline of missiology and how missiology engages with the rural context and results in developed practice
- Literature review (RM2) - this unit focuses particularly on providing training and supervision, covering all aspects of the literature review in the area of rural mission. Students are required to select, discuss and have approved their intended literature review area and its relationship to their dissertation topic with the appropriate tutor, and are enabled to begin reading and writing on their area of study immediately.
Each unit is assessed by a 6,000 assignment.
This stream can be undertaken part time at a number of different levels:
- Postgraduate Certificate in Mission (Rural Mission): a two-year part-time course incorporating the two units of study
- Postgraduate Diploma in Mission (Rural Mission): a two-year part-time course incorporating the two core units of study and two units of study from across the syllabus.
- MA in Mission (Rural Mission): a one-year full-time or a two-year part-time course incorporating the two units of study AND two units of study from across the syllabus, plus a Masters level dissertation of 12-15,000 words.
It is expected that part-time students will work on average 12 hours a week for 30 weeks in each year, in addition to researching a dissertation, if required. Full-time students will complete all the units relevant to their course in a year (up to four for MA level) and have until the following March to submit a dissertation, if required.
