Ranking
Top 50
QS world rankings 2024
Ask us a question or join our mailing list
Ask our subject team a question or sign up to our mailing list to stay up to date with our latest events, scholarships and subject news.
Course overview
Become an informed faith leader ready to take your leadership to the next level and make a positive impact on society. Enhance your management and organisational skills so you can lead more effectively in faith settings.
This course is ideal for anyone in a senior position in a faith setting, or someone looking to progress to a senior position. You might be working for a faith-based organisation or work for an organisation that deals with faith-based issues. Our course brings together professionals from a variety of faiths.
The course runs over 30 months part-time. Unlike other postgraduate taught degrees, you'll take one module at a time. You'll usually take three modules across each calendar year.
Year 1, 15 weeks from early September – mid-December
Each module contains:
- 7 weeks of online content (with weekly live interactive discussion activities and group and individual tutorial meetings)
- 6 weeks of assessment preparation (including continuing discussion groups, activities and tutorial meetings)
- A reading and catch-up week
- A 48-hour residential at Birmingham for your cohort to gather to discuss issues in person, visit key local case study sites and strengthen your peer networks
Course highlights
At Birmingham, we recognise faith leaders already have expert theological and pastoral skills, but often need to manage sophisticated organisations, projects and initiatives.
On this course you'll develop leadership and management skills, ready to maximise the social impact of your faith community or organisation.
- Hybrid teaching combining online learning with in-person residentials and weekly live interactive online seminars.
- Interdisciplinary course combining organisational leadership, professional development and theological reflection.
- Focus on continuing professional development: apply your learning in your leadership context from day one.
- Learn from other leaders from a variety of different faiths, enabling you to find solutions to common problems together.
Top 50 in the world for Theology, Divinity and Religious Studies (QS World University Rankings 2024).
Focus on equality, diversity and inclusivity in leadership.
Insightful masterclasses with international experts in organisation and management.
Crossing faith boundaries
The MPA is a rare opportunity for professionals from different faith organisations to learn in an environment that crosses faith boundaries. We encourage you to learn from other faith leaders on the course as well as our academic experts. You'll share best practice and broaden your knowledge to consider leadership in a variety of faith settings.
The course is designed for continuing professional development with the needs of faith leaders in mind. Discover what management and inclusive leadership means in the context of your faith organisation and apply the skills you gain from the course to your day-to-day role.
Course delivery
At Birmingham, research and teaching go hand-in-hand. Lecturers and professors continue to research in their field, offering valuable expertise in Faith Based Leadership.
The MPA programme doesn’t follow the traditional University teaching year cycle. This course begins in early September and continues for a total of 45 weeks of the year. Each of the six taught modules runs over 15 weeks, followed by your dissertation in months 24-30 of the programme.
- Taught modules - each module represents a total of 200 hours of study time, including preparatory reading, homework and assignment preparation.
- Weekly online live discussion activities and individual and group tutorial meetings.
- 48 hour residential stays at Birmingham to network with your peers and visit local case study sites.
- Dissertation – you’ll undertake a dissertation.
Module information
The programme comprises 120 credits of taught modules and a 60-credit dissertation.
The modules listed for this programme are regularly reviewed to ensure they are up-to-date and informed by the latest research and teaching methods.
Any optional module information listed for this programme is intended to be indicative, and the availability of optional modules may vary from year to year. Where a module is no longer available, we will let you know as soon as we can and help you to make other choices.
2025/26 Session
The following should be taken:
| Module Title | Credits |
|---|---|
| LM Faith Leadership and Community Engagement | 20 |
| LM Theological Reflection on Professional Practice | 20 |
Candidates will ordinarily take all four of these modules, and there are presently no plans to introduce additional modules owned by PTR for this programme, meaning these optional modules are to all intents and purposes required, if not compulsory. However, to provide for additional flexibility should it be required, up to two of them may, with the agreement of the programme director, be replaced by alternative modules offered on equivalent Senior Leadership programmes elsewhere in the University subject to the approval of the host School.
LM Placement-Based Dissertation (NB this will be the default routes; candidates proceeding to the dissertation phase will be expected to undertake a placement-based dissertation unless a significant change to their circumstances (e.g. moving job, ill health) makes this difficult. The traditional dissertation is included as a fallback option principally in case of a candidate's inability to complete a placement for some reason.
| Module Title | Credits |
|---|---|
| LM Dissertation | 60 |
Entry requirements
To gain a place at Birmingham you will need to meet our general entry requirements, as well as those specific to your course. Your application will be reviewed by the course’s Admissions Tutor, who will decide whether your application should receive an offer.
- 2:1 Honours degree
in a relevant subject
You should ordinarily have a 2:1 Honours degree, plus three years’ experience in a leadership role (this doesn’t have to be a senior role). However, we are able to take your professional experience into account and it is not absolutely essential for you to have a first degree. Please contact us to discuss your personal circumstances. You’ll also need to be employed or currently volunteering extensively in some sort of leadership capacity.
Please be aware you’ll need to dedicate approximately 8 hours a week on average to your studies throughout the two-year course.
English language requirements
If you are an international student, you will need to demonstrate you have a suitable level of English proficiency, usually through the form of an IELTS or equivalent qualification.
For this course we require IELTS 6.5 with no less than 6.0 in any band, which is equivalent to:
- TOEFL: 88 overall with no less than 21 in Reading, 20 Listening, 22 Speaking and 21 in Writing
- Pearson Test of English (PTE): Academic 67 with no less than 64 in all four skills
- Cambridge English: C1 Advanced - minimum overall score of 176, with no less than 169 in any component
- LanguageCert ESOL SELT (UKVI): B2 'Communicator' with no less than 33 in each skill
English Presessional Programmes
Improve your knowledge of spoken and written English in preparation for studying at Birmingham with our pre-sessional English courses. If you have a conditional offer, you can take one of these courses as an alternative to retaking IELTS or other similar qualifications.
Fees and scholarships
- £7,000
Each year (part-time)
If your organisation is based in England and pays the degree apprenticeship levy, or is prepared to apply for UK government support for apprenticeships, it may be possible to apply for funding which will cover 95-100% of the programme fees, by pursuing the programme as a Higher Apprenticeship. Please see our webpage for the Higher Apprenticeship in Faith-Based Leadership or contact us for more information on this. The UK government announced in September 2024 its plans to review Higher Apprenticeships and therefore there may be changes to this funding plan in future.
We charge an annual tuition fee. Fees for 2025 entry are above.
The fees quoted are for one year only. For those studying courses that are longer than one year, tuition fees will also be payable in subsequent years of your programme.
Paying your tuition fees
Tuition fees can either be paid in full or by instalments. You can check whether you are eligible for UK or international fees with our admissions team.
Learn more about postgraduate tuition fees and funding.
Postgraduate Masters Loan
To help with the cost of studies, this loan is available to all UK students. You can use this loan towards fees, maintenance or other costs at your own discretion. It’s available for all full-time, part-time and distance learning Masters programmes, as long as you don’t already have a Masters qualification (or equivalent).If you’re a student from Wales, Scotland or Northern Ireland, you can apply for Masters loans from your country’s government.
Scholarships
To help you afford your studies, we’ve put more than £33 million into student support and scholarships. We also offer a range of advice on searching for funding and managing your finances.
Application process
To apply for a postgraduate programme, you will need to submit your application and supporting documents online.
Select whether you are a UK student or an international student for relevant application deadlines.
- 29 August 2025
Application deadline for UK and non visa requiring applicants. We will close applications as soon as the programme is full. Early applications are encouraged.
We have put together some helpful information on the taught programme application process and supporting documents. Please read this information carefully before completing your application.
Career opportunities
The University is the top choice for the UK's major employers searching for graduate recruits [The Graduate Market in 2024, High Fliers report].
Receive one-to-one careers advice, including guidance on your job applications, writing your CV and improving your interview technique.
Meet employers face-to-face at on-campus recruitment fairs and employer presentations.
Careers Network
Get ready for tomorrow, with advice, guidance and opportunities at every step of your studies. From developing new skills to preparing for a PhD, our Careers Network can help you gain an advantage in the job market or advance in your field.
Whatever you plan to do after your degree, the Careers Network offers a range of events and support services including networking opportunities, career coaching, one-to-one guidance, careers fairs and links with leading graduate recruiters. We also offer subject-specific careers consultants and a dedicated careers website for international students.