Undergraduate Modules and Timetable

Current timetables can be downloaded by clicking the calendar icon on the left.

Please click on the Undergraduate Modules below for more details and course content.

Level 4 (Yr1)

Culture & Context

This module will examine the philosophical, cultural and historical background of the current UK context, paying particular attention to how these effect young people, as well as providing an overview of the history of Christian youth work in the UK. It will look at specific cultural factors such as consumerism, post-modernism, politics, media (social media), and sexuality, and reflect on the theological issues these raise for young people. It will also examine how to build a local community profile, in order to understand the local context where a youth ministry operates.
Introduction to Practical Theology

This module commences with an overview of the historical development and scope of the discipline of practical theology. The core tasks of practical theological interpretation are explored, including an understanding of personal, spiritual and professional formation. Students are introduced to various models of practical theology, such as: applied theory, critical correlation, praxis models, and habitus models. The pastoral cycle as a theological tool will be explored, including the process of experience, exploration, reflection and action. Students will explore the nature of congregational theology, especially the relationship between personal faith and the community of shared meaning. Students will also gain an understanding of the importance of growth in self-awareness within the Christian discipleship journey, and be introduced to a range of tools to help develop their skills in this area.
Biblical Interpretation

This module explores the hermeneutical steps required for responsible biblical interpretation. Following a brief introductory survey of the biblical timeline and core narrative, attention is initially paid to the internal dynamics of texts, exploring issues such as: literary genres; biblical languages; textual criticism; bible translation types; redaction and canonical criticism.

The external factors related to the interpretation of biblical texts are then considered beginning with an introduction to the various socio-historical contexts of the biblical material, such as: Israel and the Ancient Near East; Second Temple Judaism; the New Testament and Greco-Roman culture. The reader’s role in constructing the meaning of texts by means of explicit or implicit method is also explored, considering perspectives such as: socio-rhetorical; feminist; Christological; post-colonial; Pentecostal; Theological Interpretation of Scripture.

Finally, the pitfalls and possibilities inherent in the theologically motivated interpretive move from biblical text to Christian preaching and teaching are evaluated, leading to reflection on the contested notion of “biblical authority.”
Preparation for Leadership in Ministry

This module provides an introduction to ministry and leadership within the church. It explores the theological and biblical foundations of Christian/Pentecostal ecclesiology, before moving on to investigate the relationship between the church and God’s Kingdom. Practical aspects of church leadership are examined, such as: the call to leadership ministry, New Testament models of ministry, capturing and communicating vision, and building effective teams. The module also investigates the character of a Christian Leader, exploring areas such as: the use and abuse of spiritual authority and the role of emotional intelligence in Christian ministry.
Theology in the Public Sphere

The module discusses the role of Christian faith and theology in the public sphere. It begins by looking at the relationship between faith and culture, with a particular emphasis on H. Richard Niebuhr’s ideal types in Christ and Culture. It follows this by articulating a theological vision of how Christians should engage with contemporary culture and society in the context of secular and religiously totalitarian ideologies. Finally, the module examines practical and theologically informed Christian involvement in specific cultural areas, such as, the arts, politics, education, economics, and the media.
Acting Techniques

This module seeks to help students to develop their acting technique through sustained practical engagement with the work of a range of practitioners. It follows a broadly chronological sequence moving from psychological approaches (early Stanislavski/Method) to the psychophysical. Students will attempt to apply these techniques in the rehearsal and performance of material drawn from both the bible and published plays, before reflecting upon the results.
Introduction to Christian Doctrine
This module provides an introductory survey of Christian doctrinal theology, examining the major theological loci from a biblical perspective, in conversation with the Great Tradition of Christian dogmatics, and contemporary Pentecostal/Evangelical perspectives.

The major themes covered by the module are:

The nature and origin of doctrine

The authority of Scripture and its role in doctrinal theology

Trinitarian theology

Humanity and Sin

The Person and Work of Christ

Soteriology

Pneumatology

The Church and Sacraments

The Last Things

While these will be examined from a broadly conservative, evangelical and Pentecostal perspective, due recognition will be given to the perspectives of other major theological traditions.
Performance & the Church

This module aims to provide a conceptual framework within which students’ theoretical understanding and praxis can develop. By considering a series of key historical phases within performance and looking at what performance has been, and what function(s) it has served, students are introduced to aspects of performance theory and led through a consideration of the relationship between performance and the Church. Students will be given the opportunity to explore and engage with areas of overlapping concerns and tensions between performance and theology and formulate their own responses in the light of this.
Professional Development 1 – Ethical Frameworks in Youth Ministry

This module explores professional ethics in youth ministry, covering child protection, administration, best practice procedures and codes of conduct. It also explores issues such as personal/theological ethics evaluating issues around salvation, spirituality, sexuality, and theology of personhood. As part of the module students are also required to participate in a practical youth ministry placement.
Evangelism & Apologetics

The module introduces students to Christian evangelism and apologetics. It does this by exploring the nature and purpose of evangelism and apologetics from a theological perspective, and analysing the variety of approaches, such as, friendship evangelism, presuppositional apologetics and evidential apologetics, used by Christians to engage with those of other faiths and worldviews. The module also provides an overview of western culture and society, and analyses some of the main objections raised against the Christian faith in this context.
Interpreting Biblical Hebrew

This module introduces students to the vocabulary, grammar, syntax and discourse structures of Biblical Hebrew. Areas of study include: vocabulary, glosses and lexica; the Hebrew binyamin and verbal grammar; nominal grammar; discourse analysis of Biblical Hebrew texts. Course material will primarily focus on narrative genres, though sample texts of various poetic genres will be analysed. An inductive approach will encourage quick progression to the translation of selected portions of biblical texts, such as: Jonah, Ruth, Deuteronomy, Genesis, Esther, Amos and Psalms. Challenges related to the practical application of Biblical Hebrew knowledge will also be discussed, such as: the role and methods of textual criticism; the interpretive movement from Biblical Hebrew text to homiletical/ecclesial application.
Church Ministry Placement 1
Pentecostal Worship

This module explores the development and current trends of Pentecostal worship practices and their place within contemporary church life. The biblical foundations for understanding worship in its broadest sense are articulated before the historical, theological and sociological factors which affect corporate Pentecostal worship gatherings are investigated. The process of preparation for corporate worship as part of Sunday service ministry in the local church is examined, with particular emphasis on leading sung worship. Phenomenological and theological (self-)reflection on participant experiences explores the importance of dynamic encounter for Pentecostal worship, as well as its relationship to the operation of the gifts of the Holy Spirit.
Devised Theatre

This module provides an introduction to the principles of storytelling, improvisation and devising. Beginning with very simple group storytelling and progressing through techniques exploring and developing spontaneity, students will be given practical experience of devising, culminating in the creation of a piece of performance which will be performed for assessment and reflected upon.

Level 5 (Yr2)

The Torah :Genesis-Deuteronomy in Christian Perspective

This module explores the challenges and possibilities posed by Christian interpretation(s) of the Mosaic Torah. It evaluates a range of hermeneutical models for Christian interpretation of the Torah and assesses the constructive significance of the Torah for Christian thought in relation to key themes, such as: theology; revelation; creation; imago dei; covenant; ethics; justice; sin and atonement; leadership and power. Hermeneutical and theological challenges presented to Christian theology by the Torah are also evaluated, for example: divine election and particularism; misogyny; divine curses and collective punishment; creation and creationism; history and myth; the purpose and relevance of the Mosaic Law. An eclectic range of methodologies are appropriately deployed within the module, such as: socio-rhetorical, literary-critical, feminist-liberationist, and comparative criticisms, as well as theological and existential interpretative strategies.
Pastoring & Preaching

This module equips students to take on the pastoral responsibilities of a local church with an emphasis on the development of the student’s ability in preaching. Students will examine a wide range of different elements involved in the pastoral care of the family of God, including ministry to the Sunday congregation, ministry to singles and couples, ministry to the elderly and the bereaved, and managing church discipline. Practical instruction will be given concerning the taking of events such as baptisms, dedications, weddings and funerals. There will be an exploration of the key skills involved in meaningful Biblical preaching, and how to communicate well in the twenty-first century. This will involve such elements as appropriate use of the Bible, understanding the world into which we preach, structures and models of communication, how to prepare messages, engaging with the congregation, and preaching to the heart.
Ethics & Performance Theory

This module asks the students to analyse performance in a theologically informed ethical context. Students will explore the nature and purpose of performance as well as ethical theories such as Divine Command Theory, Teleological Ethics, Utilitarian Ethics, Motivational Ethics and Virtue Ethics. Then utilising different forms of reception such as Semiotics and Phenomenology the students will dissect plays and performances that engage with issues such as violence, sex and gender identity, censorship, offensive language and audience interaction. Performance examples that contain these issues and the creative decisions that formed the piece and actions made upon the stage will be evaluated in light of their ethical implications. Students will also utilise practice to evidence ethical thinking within performance and the various ethical implications creative decisions entail.
Church History

In Church History, students will discover the main features of the history of Christianity around the world and engage in the task of relating the Christian historical tradition to the practice of ministry and mission. This module also provides an introduction to the importance of historical study to the discipline of theology.
Church Ministry Placement 2
Gospel & Acts

This module investigates the person, life and ministry of Jesus Christ as delineated in the Four Gospels and the portrayal of the spread of Christianity as presented in the Book of Acts. Particular attention will be given to the respective agendas of the four evangelists in respect to the two horizons of the actual events of Jesus’ ministry itself and the later circumstances in which each Gospel came to be written for different constituencies. Similarly, the book of Acts will be examined from a literary perspective to perceive Luke’s chosen historiography. Major theological themes for nascent Christianity will be reviewed, seeking to detect respective emphases from the Synoptic writers and John. Students will develop their redaction and composition critical methodologies both in lectures and seminars where exegesis of selected passages is the primary focus.

Moreover, in line with the programme’s overarching vision the student will be regularly challenged to envision real-life situations in which Jesus’ teachings in the Gospels and Acts should impact their own understanding and actualisation of their own discipleship.
Adolescent Faith Development

This module will provide an overview of adolescent development theory, and its integration into faith development of young people. Engaging with some key sociological and theological development theorists, it will also explore principles around pastoral care of young people, including culturally relevant and current topics surrounding physical, emotional and spiritual wellbeing
Pastoral care: Theory & Skills

This module examines and evaluates Christian approaches to pastoral care. The module addresses specific issues that arise in pastoral care, such as, identity, family conflict, abuse, dependencies and mental distress, and bereavement and grief. Students are introduced to a range of skills and strategies involved in the practice of pastoral care.
Movement

This module examines the skills and techniques of movement, dance and physical theatre. Students will have the opportunity to explore a range of movement techniques drawn from a variety of disciplines gaining confidence in the use of movement vocabulary and choreography. Students will work towards the application of these skills through the creation of performances and utilises movement vocabulary to explore and develop subject matter.
Pentecostal Theology

The module explores Pentecostal theology in the context of late modernity. It begins by looking at definitions of Pentecostalism and by outlining the history of the movement. This is followed by methodological reflections on the nature and development of (classical) Pentecostal theology, and by making explicit reference to the modern scientific method. The focus then shifts to analysing central Pentecostal beliefs and practices with respect to soteriology, divine healing, baptism in the Holy Spirit, and eschatology. To help students gain deeper understanding on these key aspects of Pentecostal spirituality and theology, reflections are also offered from a scientific perspective. Key Pentecostal beliefs and practices will be brought into critical dialogue with the natural sciences.
Professional Development 2: Teaching and Preaching

This module analyses Christian youth work’s history in general education, and examines the role of the youth minister as both formal and informal educator, with particular focus on pedagogical approaches, anti-oppressive practice, learning styles, young people with additional needs, group work theory and up front communication. It will also reflect theologically on the discipleship journey of young people, in particular in light of the teaching side of a youth minister’s role.
Interpreting Biblical Greek

This module introduces the student to the basics of biblical Greek. As such the following elements are examined week by week: introduction; orthography; pronunciation; punctuation & English nouns; nominal cases; articles and prepositions; the verb ‘to be’; demonstrative and relative pronouns; introduction to verbs; present tense. The module advances on both inductive and deductive approaches to language learning, employing both some memory learning by rote together with teaching on syntax and patterns to allow students to recognise patterns. There will be regular vocabulary and translation exercises which afford opportunities to review and reinforce the Greek nominal system learned earlier, while also ‘grounding’ abstract grammatical concepts in actual examples. There will be regular vocabulary and translation exercises. There will be three short tests checking grammar, translation and vocabulary retention. Finally, an exegetical research paper in the second semester will demonstrate seminal understanding of textual criticism and a grammatical grasp for the text translated and critically examined.
Ethics & Performance Practice

The module explores practical acting techniques that can be considered applicable to Applied Drama; namely theatre in a specific context/community or that works for social change/transformation. Following on from Ethics and Performance Theory the students are expected to put ethical theory and thinking into practice on the stage by devising and performing a piece of group performance and reflecting on it ethically in light of its intended impact. Devising strategies will be used to help guide the students in the creation and performance of their practical piece. Throughout the creation process the students will be asked to evaluate their work and the implications of their creative decisions

Level 6 (Yr3)

Issues in Contemporary Theology

The module explores some of the main issues and debates in contemporary theology. The modular content can be divided into two sections. The first section focuses on modern theological epistemologies and approaches to theology such as traditionalism, revisionism, correlationism and postliberalism. The second section looks at contemporary theological debates on issues such as authority of Scripture, the nature of God, creation and evolution, original sin and atonement, incarnation, the problem of evil, and heaven and hell.
Christian Leadership and Management

This module introduces students to some key areas of Christian leadership and management of organisations and communities, focussing on “culture change,” organisational structures, and the legal and financial issues that leaders and managers face. A theologically robust conceptual foundation employing key biblical principles will provide a framework for students to critically assess the nature and praxis of Christian leadership. The module will also identify both outstanding practice and possible creative applications in 21^st century leadership situations. Areas explored will include establishing values, team leadership, emotional intelligence, conflict management, governance and decision-making, financial and resource management, record-keeping and reporting, managing meetings, managing energy and wellbeing, engagement and motivation, and the measurement of success.
Professional Development 3 – 360 Degree Leadership

This module will explore a variety of topics related to leadership in youth ministry, such as, church governance, administrative skills, vision development, strategy, mentoring, team building, volunteer development and line management. As part of this module students are also required to participate in a practical youth ministry placement.
Models of Youth Ministry

This module will critically analyse a variety of ecclesiologies, drawing out principles for pioneering within youth ministry. It will further seek to critically evaluate some specific youth ministry philosophies, such as, relational, attractional, missional and family based, before discussing models of youth ministry in light of these philosophies.
Directing

This module examines the theory and practice of directing for performance. It seeks to lead students through the directing process from initial thoughts to developed production plan through a rehearsal process and finally, performance. It will introduce students to a range of different approaches to directing and expose them to some seminal thinkers in this field (including Antonin Artaud and Peter Brook). Alongside the classroom based examination of theory, the students will direct a group of actors/performers through rehearsal and into performance.
Christian Ethics

This module introduces students to the theological discipline of Christian Ethics/Moral Theology. Christian approaches to ethics as a theological discipline will be explored and key areas of moral theology will be critically analysed, including the use of the Bible in ethics, the place of the theological virtues and the Ten Commandments in Christian moral theology, Christian approaches to sexual and bioethical questions, and the pastoral application of Christian moral theology.
Creating Performance

This module facilitates understanding and experience of the exciting and varied means by which modern performance can be created. The module encourages the students to critically evaluate modes of performance construction from dramatic structure all the way to post-dramatic performance; challenging and stretching traditional conceptions of narrative, character and performer/audience relationship, etc. Students will also engage practically with performance inside the classroom that mirrors this journey from the dramatic to the post-dramatic and utilises and is influenced by modern technologies. Students will be encouraged to reflect upon professional companies and practitioners whose work identifies with the various categories in order to produce original performance pieces.
The Old Testament Prophetic Literature: Theologies and Applications

This module explores key themes of the Old Testament Prophetic Literature – Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, Daniel, and the Book of the Twelve – in the light of their original socio-cultural contexts and the concerns of 21^st century readers. Themes include: theology; social justice; covenantal obligation; exile and forced migration; political leadership; judgment and eschatological hope; Temple and cult; pneumatology. Hermeneutical and ethical challenges for contemporary readers are critically evaluated, for example: divine violence; divine sovereignty; the treatment of foreign nations; messianism; the nature of prophetic fulfilment; the New Testament reception of Old Testament Prophetic Literature. Throughout the module, the degree to which the Old Testament Prophetic Literature can be successfully related to current ecclesial and societal concerns is critically evaluated.
Production from Text

This module seeks to bring together many of the skills that have been learned during the course and help to prepare students for professional practice. The module leads the students through a full creative process from inspiration to final performance. The module culminates in a number of performances in the college theatre. Throughout the module further acting tuition takes place as well as training in specific skills (e.g. fight/dance choreography) where appropriate to support the production. However, a key feature of the module is that students take significant leadership of the creative process, guided and supported by the tutors. As well as all the performance work, students will be heavily involved in designing the technical aspects of production, costuming, marketing the play and managing a budget in order to gain a holistic understanding of what it takes to produce a professional piece of theatre.
Hebrews through Revelation

Embark on a journey through scripture with our Hebrew through Revelation module. Designed for those seeking a deeper understanding of the New Testament, this module offers a diverse perspective on interpreting Hebrews, the General Epistles, and Revelation. We will delve into the major theological emphases that shape faith and praxis, examine the structures, literary devices, and composition of these texts. We will follow the storylines, plot developments, and character arcs. Themes considered include: Christology, pneumatology, ecclesiology, women’s roles in the NT, eschatology, and economics, the nature of evil, as well as the challenges of discipleship, discernment, and faithful witness for the church.
Theology Dissertation
Practical Theology Project
Church and Mission

The module seeks to give students a holistic view of mission, with particular emphasis on the nature of the Christian God (theology proper) and the church (ecclesiology). To do this, it will provide a Biblical, historical and theological perspectives on mission and the Church; explore issues around the purpose, boundaries and ethical considerations when engaging in mission; evaluate various forms of mission practice and their relevance and effectiveness to a range of contexts; and appraise the role of the missional leader, pioneer, enabler and shaper of mission culture.

*Please be aware that modules may be subject to change and may require a minimum number of students in order to run in any given academic year

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