Study with us

Why come to Oak Hill?

Imagine if every church was healthy.

A church of love, where each person loves others as Christ has loved us. A church of truth, where the teaching is faithful to God's Word and compelling. Where young and old are becoming more like Jesus. A Spirit-filled church.

Healthy churches depend on those in leadership. Where pastors are like Christ, faithful to God's word and able to lead well. Sadly too many churches are unhealthy. The leaders do not hold to God’s Word. Or they are not Christlike. Or they do not lead well.

Oak Hill exists for healthy churches. To help train and maintain Christlike leaders of all kinds who are trustworthy with God’s word, love people - both those in their care and the lost - and lead with skill and wisdom. This is our passion, commitment and expertise.

And this really matters. God’s church is at the centre of his plans for the universe.

Who we are

Whatever programme or course or event you come to, you should know who we are and what we care about.

Passionate about the Lord

Being passionate about the Lord means that in all that we are and do, we

trust his sure and sufficient Word
are devoted to him in worship
are dependent on him in prayer
in short, we want to know the Lord deeply

Passionate about People

Being passionate about people means sharing God’s passion for the people he has made:

understanding people and their diverse cultures and history
loving and caring for all God’s people
sharing God's heart for those lost without Christ

Passionate about Learning

Being passionate about learning means we…

are a community committed to learning from one another and growing together
are led by faithful outstanding teachers of character and experience
look to listen carefully and understand deeply so we can communicate compellingly and simply
foster life-long learning

Passionate about Christ-likeness

To be passionate about Christlikeness means…

character matters most!
humility and gentleness, courage and sacrifice
joyful dependence on the Lord
keeping in step with the Spirit

Which way of studying is right for me?

There are different ways you can study with us. Each one has particular advantages. We’ve outlined some so that you can see:

Residential (or full-time in College):

Many students study this way. Here are some of the reasons why:

Breadth and depth - the sustained focus means you will be able to cover more and in greater depth, with fewer distractions.
Community - get to know people really well and make good friends, doing life and learning together
An oasis for spouses and families - spouses share in the opportunities to prepare for the future with you; the 60-acre site is a brilliant place for children to grow up
Space and time - space to pause, think, reflect, including on the context from which you’ve come, so you are better able to adapt to any context you go to
Integrated programme - the different modules interlock together, so you can make connections across modules
Benefits of London - easy access to all that a vibrant global city like London provides
Placements and local churches - there’s the chance to embed learning by serving in all kinds of different local churches and contexts
Engage with your teachers outside of the classroom - on the same campus as faculty, living together as a learning community
Biblical languages - for those of you who want to learn Biblical languages, there’s a unique opportunity to do so

Part-time (for someone already in ministry):

Many are already serving in a pastoral ministry context and for personal reasons would find it hard to move. Here are some of the reasons why some study part-time:

Able to stay where you are, ‘in-context’
Able to study in parallel with your existing ministry
Enjoy the benefits of the high-quality teaching and broad, integrated programme
Enjoy some of the benefits of being part of an existing residential learning community

Part-time bi-vocational (for someone in paid employment):

Some are in paid employment and have church-based ministry roles for which they would really value some training. Here are some reasons why part-time bi-vocational training could work:

Able to study in parallel with your existing employment, so making the study easier financially
Able to stay where you are
Enjoy the benefits of the high-quality teaching and broad, integrated programme
Enjoy some of the benefits of being part of an existing residential learning community

Microcredentials / Continuing Professional Development (CPD):

Some are already in ministry contexts and want to develop in a particular area. Here are some reasons why some access microcredentials:

Access to leading experts in a particular field
The chance to study flexibly and focus on a particular area or discipline
High quality, but lower cost (because they are not leading to a formal validated qualification)

Study options at Oak Hill

Here are our programmes in Theology

Certificate of Higher Education

The CertHE provides a foundational grounding in the main sub-disciplines of theology: biblical studies, doctrine, history, languages and practical ministry.

This level lays a clear foundation for theological study and spiritual growth.

CertHE

1 year full time
2 years part time

Diploma of Higher Education

Building on the foundations of the first year (CertHE year), the second year of the DipHE provides a broader and more integrated coverage of the main sub-disciplines of theology.

The stage of learning aims towards integration, helping students bring the parts together into a coherent whole.

DipHE

2 years full time
4 years part time

Bachelor of Arts

The BA (Hons) offers a carefully-designed sequence. The first and second years offer a foundation in the major disciplines and begin to integrate them.

The final year of the BA (Hons) builds on that with a major focus on the application of that integrated understanding for worship and ministry

BA (Hons)

3 years full time
6 years part time

Master in Theology

The Masters in Theology is an integrated undergraduate Master’s degree, building on the first three years to an area of in-depth specialisation of your choice in the fourth year.

MTheol

4 years full time
6 years part time

Postgraduate Certificate

The PGCert is a short course, primarily aimed at theology graduates serving in ministry who are considering further study or are looking for an element of continuing professional development.

PGCert

1 year 'full time'
2 years 'part time'

Postgraduate Diploma

The PGDip makes our training for gospel ministry available more widely at a postgraduate level. What distinguishes the PGDip from the MA and MTheol (year 4) is that it does not require a research component, although you can do a short research project if you choose.

PGDip

1 year full time
2 years part time

Master of Arts

The MA enables you to study theology at a more advanced level, taking an even more specialised approach to the different disciplines than is possible in the BA (Hons) programme.

MA

1 year full time
2 years part time

Training pathways for ordinands

If you're exploring ordination in the Church of England, Oak Hill has a number of approved training pathways.

Find out more

Applying to Oak Hill

We would love to help you decide whether studying at Oak Hill would serve you and the church well. The application process is designed to help you reflect on that and our Admissions Team would be delighted to hear from you if you have any questions.

Find out more about our admissions process and how you can apply for one of our study options.

Full and part time study

Revd Dr Jason Roach, Senior Minister, The Bridge Church, London & former student

Oak Hill helped me connect the dots between the theology of our trinitarian God and the people in front of me. It encouraged me to communicate the unchanging message in language they can understand.”

Revd Dr Jason Roach

Senior Minister, The Bridge Church, London & former student