What qualification can I earn?

Students who register on and successfully complete our four year Masters programme, will be awarded an MA in Christian Ministry (Mentored) from SouthEastern Baptist Theological Seminary. Those who complete our three year programme will receive a Crosslands certificate as evidence they have completed the programme.

Do I need an undergraduate degree to enrol for the Masters?

Not necessarily. Applicants for the four year Masters programme should normally have a Bachelor’s degree (in any discipline), but where applicants don’t meet the normal entry criteria , there are two other possible routes to Masters accreditation:

  1. Applicants may enrol on the Crosslands unaccredited programme, demonstrate their ability to achieve the necessary academic standards during their first year (by achieving strong grades and meeting other participation and completion requirements), and then transfer onto the MA programme. For more information speak to the Academic Registrar.
  2. New applicants who don’t have a Bachelor’s degree but who want to be enrolled directly onto the Masters programme from the outset may be accepted if they can demonstrate that they have the aptitude, experience or other prior qualifications which indicate they are likely to succeed in achieving the standards for Masters’ accreditation. In addition to the application form the applicant will be required to:
    1. provide a personal statement detailing the experience and/or prior qualifications which they believe makes they suitable for the programme;
    2. provide contact details for a referee (usually their church leader or similar) who can testify to their ability to engage effectively with material of a reasonable academic standard and to organise themselves sufficiently to meet the course requirements;
    3. submit a 3,000 word paper typical of an assessment set on the course to be graded by a Crosslands faculty member; and
    4. participate in an interview.

We will also be seeking evidence that the applicant has the necessary time and mentor support available to enable them to succeed in studying at Masters’ level.

Are there exams to take?

No. Passing the Crosslands Seminary course involves achieving a pass mark for all the graded assignments each year, and meeting all the requirements for participation, including residential attendance (in person or, in some cases, virtually) and seminar days with your tutor through the year. In the event that you miss one of these elements for an unavoidable reason, there are ways to catch up, but you will have to provide evidence that you have done the required catch-up work.

Can I study Biblical languages with Crosslands?

Students enrolling on our MA programme have the opportunity to audit biblical language courses (i.e. take courses without assessment or accreditation) through SEBTS in addition to the core Crosslands curriculum, at a cost of US$50 per module. It is possible to gain credit through SEBTS once your MA in Christian Ministry is completed. Here are some practicalities to consider if you are considering whether you might study biblical language modules:

  • You will need to factor in approx 8 hours’ additional study time over 16 weeks for each module that you take over and above the usual weekly study hours.
  • Unless you have a very strong academic background or significant extra time available for study, we recommend that you do not take language modules at the very outset of your studies. You can begin a module in the second half of your first year, or in later years of study.

If you would like to receive more information regarding the study of biblical languages, please indicate this preference on your application form and we will ensure you are kept up to date as opportunities develop. This is not a commitment to take these modules but allows us to plan and ensures that you are kept informed.

Does it matter where I live?

No. We have students enrolled on our Seminary course from all around the UK, across Europe, and beyond. We encourage physical participation as far as possible, but also offer a virtual hub for those students for whom travel to residentials or seminar days in the UK would prohibit them from studying with us. A good internet connection is needed for residentials and seminar days. Each seminar day is scheduled within a given two week window, but each tutor will agree specific dates and times within that window to suit the needs of their own group. Note that the timing of Seminar days are usually scheduled to fit within the working day of a UK or European time zone.

Who can join the Virtual Hub?

We value meeting physically for our residential weeks and seminar days wherever possible, recognising the way this deepens relationships and enhances learning in community, and continue to expect this as the default for the majority of students. However with a growing number of students based outside of Europe, including those involved in cross cultural mission and ministry abroad, we do provide the possibility of fully-remote study through our Virtual Hub.

Virtual Hub participation is granted by exception. Students are usually only eligible if the requirement to travel to the UK twice a year would otherwise prohibit them from participating on the programme. Those who receive an exemption usually do so because of economic or political factors. If you have a strong case for fully remote learning, we recommend that you speak with us before applying.

How do I decide whether to enrol for one of the Specialist tracks?

The specialist tracks are deeply and closely connected to the core Seminary programme. Far from being ‘Theology lite’, the tracks offer the same theology, to the same depth, but with an eye to how particular themes or issues might have particular relevance or resonance in different ministry roles, with the help of experienced specialist ministry practitioners. You can find out more about the different track options and how they work in practice here:

If you have a vague interest in a particular specialism but prefer to follow the core programme, you will still be able to engage informally with staff and other students who share your interest, you will have visibility of specialist discussion topics, and you may be able to choose a specialist assignment topic on occasion (by agreement with your tutor).

Are the weekly study days fixed?

No. Whilst the dates for the three residentials are fixed (and these are known three years in advance), your weekly study schedule is entirely flexible to suit your work pattern and family life.   The dates for seminar days in your tutor group each take place within a given two-week window, but the specific dates are worked out and agreed by the tutor with their 5-7 students well in advance, so you can plan these in a way that fits with other commitments.

Where would my tutor group be?

For students on the core programme, as well as those who are taking specialist VLL, MM and WIM tracks, we aim to assign each student to a tutor group that is located geographically close to you but this cannot be guaranteed. Your tutor would be a theologically engaged church leader involved in gospel ministry. For those on CCM or CYM tracks, tutor groups may be more geographically dispersed and may therefore be more likely to meet virtually for seminar days. The Crosslands team works with students to find the best possible fit, within the constraints of tutors’ location and group numbers.

What is expected of a mentor?

There are no hard and fast requirements on how often a mentor should meet with their student. We suggest once or twice a module, either as specific meetings focussed on study, or as part of your regular contact if you are in the pattern of meeting regularly. The focus of these meetings might include:

  • Discussing assignment choices in forthcoming modules. Mentors can often see which assignment choices would be particularly beneficial either to the local church, or to the individual’s learning and their wisdom at this point in the module is valuable.
  • Reviewing learning from previous modules, exploring the questions the student has wrestled with, the implications of what has been learned, and the connection between the material covered and local ministry issues.
  • Helping the student to manage their time and personal organisation well so that they complete their weekly study diligently and without adverse impact on family and work commitments. This includes helping them anticipate the pressured points of the year and work ahead to keep on top of their study.
  • Encouraging the student to integrate their learning into personal growth and ministry development.
  • Helping the student to find ways of applying the work they’ve done for the course in their local ministry setting (eg creating opportunities for them to train others).

Mentors are also sent the student’s assignments, grades and tutor feedback at the end of each module. All new mentors will be invited to a new mentor zoom call within the first six months of becoming a mentor, and we will also continue to invite mentors to short (optional) calls every 6-12 months to keep them connected with what’s coming up for their students.

Is there a scholarship I can apply for to help me with funding?

Unfortunately Crosslands does not have a scholarship fund. However, we are happy to send you a fundraising pack to help you plan how to raise support and explain what you will be doing to potential supporters, so you may be able to raise your own support.

I’m interested… what do I do next?

Talk this through with your senior pastor and/or others who help you think about your discipleship and formation. It’s also vital that you talk it through with family members who might be affected by your decision to take on a study programme, to make sure you can see clearly how you will manage the residential weeks, seminar days, and weekly study hours alongside your other commitments.

Get in touch with the Crosslands team early on too – email us to let us know you’re considering enrolling (it’s helpful for our planning to know that), and keep asking us questions as you think of them. We like it when potential students ask questions because it means they’re thinking through the practicalities carefully – and we know from experience that makes it more likely to work out well if and when they decide to go ahead.

Find more information about specific ministry tracks: