The Professional Certificate in Ministerial Formation course is designed is to equip students with the necessary skills and reflective ability to function with integrity and competence as recognised Christian ministers within a denominational structure. The programme is mapped to the Baptist Union of Great Britain’s Marks of Ministry Competencies for ministerial recognition but open to students from other denominations as well.
Course structure
The programme consists of 8 15-credit units of study, totalling 120 credits. 45 credits will be taken in each of the first two years, and 30 credits in year 3. It comprises select units at Levels 4, 5 and 6 drawn from the Spurgeon’s BA in Theology with Ministerial Formation programme.
Level 4 – 45 Credits
C407a – Practical Training
MR409 – Effective Christian Leadership
MR410 – Foundational Skills in Missional Ministry
Level 5 – 45 Credits
C507a – Practical Training
MR509 – Denominational and Ecumenical Studies
MR510 – Developing Skills for Missional Ministry
Level 6 – 30 Credits
C607a – Practical Training
O611 – Enterprise and Innovation in Mission*
Teaching will take place face-to-face over three intensive block periods per year (normally in October, February and May). Teaching for each unit is normally spread over two block periods.
Practical Training
This programme requires the students to have a placement either in a church, chaplaincy or missional setting. The placement can be your own local setting where you are already ministering or the college can support you to find a different kind of experience. There are two types of placements: a long placement – 3 day week; or a short placement – 8 hours a week. Further details can be found in the Placement Guide.
In your placement setting you will be supported by a Supervisor/Mentor as well as a Field Placement Tutor. You will be required to attend a monthly pastoral group which will be led by a member of staff. They will arrange a Personal and Spiritual Development interview at the start of each academic year as well as your annual review. Supervisors and students also submit reports at the end of each year which form part of the monitoring process for their practical training. A yearly report will also be required from your placement setting.
Entry requirements
- Students are admitted to the Professional Certificate in Ministerial Formation on the basis of their suitability for ministerial and chaplaincy training in addition to the standard academic qualifications. All qualifying ministerial and chaplaincy applicants are invited to an interview day for a series of interviews to discern their suitability for the course.
- The minimum academic qualification for admission to the Prof Cert MF for Baptist Union students is a HE Diploma in Theology.
- The minimum academic qualification for students from other denominations is a level 4 Certificate in Theology and substantial experience in ministry.
How much does it cost?
You can find a breakdown of current fees by course type here.
A deposit of £300 is payable when accepting an offer.
Visit our funding page for more information on funding your course and special bursaries.
How to apply
You can apply by completing an online application form using the link below.
Questions
Please contact the admissions department for more information.
Email: admissions@spurgeons.ac.uk
Telephone: 07425 716696
You will also find more details about this course in the programme specification.
