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Theology (MA): Spiritualities and Community Engagement
The Master of Arts (MA) in Theology is designed for students interested in a faith-based, graduate-level approach to academic studies in theology, professional work integrating theology and community involvement or spiritual care and psychotherapy. Some of the required courses for this program are offered in the evening and during the spring term, making it an excellent choice for commuting, full-time or part-time students.
There are two fields to this program: Spiritualities and Community Engagement and Spiritual Care and Psychotherapy.
Our ecumenical, multifaith and inclusive practice creates a diverse and vibrant community. Students from all backgrounds and faiths are welcome to apply.
The Spiritualities and Community Engagement field offers a flexible and wide-ranging course of study that includes sacred texts, systematic and historical theology, ethics and practical community relations. Graduates of this field of study may be able to pursue further academic work or a career or vocation in theology and community service-oriented organizations.
The Spiritualities and Community Engagement field provides students with a spiritualities-informed reflective approach to working with communities. It also enables students to develop community leadership skills through higher education and applied practice. Students study diverse spiritualities and engage in community service-related initiatives. Graduates of this field of study may be able to pursue further academic work or a career or vocation in community sectors influenced by theological/spiritual/religious visions.
Students take 11 required courses and 5 theology electives.
If you are a graduate student taking a full-time course load, you will automatically receive a bursary of about $600 per term. The exact amount varies slightly from year to year. There’s no need to apply for this bursary. We award it based on your registration after the last day to add courses for the term. It may take several weeks to appear on your student account, so don’t worry if you don’t see it right away.
In addition to the full-time bursary, annual bursaries to a maximum of $1,500 are available based on financial need (typically applied to accounts in the fall term).
- An honours bachelor’s degree with minimum B average.
- Applications are reviewed by the Martin Luther University College Admissions Committee, which considers all prior university grades, personal statement, current CV, and two letters of reference.
Application Deadline
Apr. 30 for a fall term start (full-time or part-time studies).
Visit our Graduate Admissions Toolkit for more information about applying.
Application Checklist
After you have submitted your OUAC application, paid the non-refundable application fee, and Laurier has received your application, you'll receive an email from gradadmissions@wlu.ca advising you to upload the additional required documentation to Laurier’s Online Registration & Information System (LORIS).
An application for admission to our MA in Theology program must include:
- The Application Summary, which is generated after you complete your OUAC application (log back in to OUAC to retrieve it).
- Transcripts of all undergraduate and graduate work. Applicants must upload a digital unofficial copy of each transcript (including graduation certificates where applicable) for every postsecondary educational institution (college or university) they have attended, including those at which a degree or diploma was not completed.
- A completed statement of intent.
- A resume of your academic and work experience. Include a history of your publication and scholarly paper activity and any other information you feel will interest the admissions committee.
- A sample of your scholarly writing (10-20 pages in length). This may be a chapter of your thesis or a paper written as an assignment at undergraduate level.
- Completed two reference forms. Two academic reference letters are required. If you are no longer a student or have been out of school for a few years, one of the reference letters or both of them could be professional reference letters instead. Please note that the academic referee must be your instructor or supervisor at university and the professional referee must be someone who has supervised you at work or a volunteer position. It cannot be a friend or a relative. Note: Reference forms are electronically submitted to Laurier by the referee and do not need to be uploaded.
Proficiency in written and spoken English is essential to graduate studies at Laurier. Applicants whose language of instruction during their previous postsecondary education was not in English must submit evidence of proficiency in English. If applicable, results from accepted testing services must be uploaded to LORIS.
- Cultivate an understanding of how local and international faith and community-based organizations, policies and networks work
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Develop research, organizational and writing skills that apply to work in the field of community management within not-for-profit and faith-based organizations
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Work with people from diverse, multicultural and multifaith backgrounds towards social justice issues that affect communities daily
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Ability to understand spirituality and interfaith perspectives that will allow students to work across the complexities of religious boundaries
- Contribution to eco-justice and reconciliation, as well as intervention in environmental crisis/protection through community integration
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Proceed to further academic scholarship within the field of theology