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What can we learn from theologies developed in often vibrant Christian communities in other parts of the global church?
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Thinking God Interculturally: a Master of Theology track

We live in an increasingly globalising world and in increasingly multicultural and religiously pluralist societies. What can we learn from theologies developed in often vibrant Christian communities in other parts of the global church? What do these theologies teach us about God and salvation, about the Christian life and witness?

Application procedure

Challenges and tools

How do we understand the person of Christ and the work of the Spirit in a multi-religious world in which we are invited to learn from other, but also to witness about what we have received in Jesus Christ? This is the track for which the departments of intercultural and doctrinal theology collaborate with their respective methods and expertise in order to help you think about and contribute to the great theological questions and the challenges of Christian life and witness in multicultural environments and interreligious encounter.

What you can expect

  • Study programme

    Specialisations

    Within this track you can choose between one of two specialisations:

    • Intercultural theology
    • Dogmatics

    Courses

    Within the track, you will follow these courses:

    • Introducing Academic Research in Biblical, Systematic and Practical Theology
    • Contextual Communities as Mission
    • Theology of Interreligious Encounter and Witness
    • The Spirit as Guide
    • Master thesis 1
    • Master thesis 2

  • Application

    Do you want to study theology with us? You can apply online for the 2025-2026 academic year from 1 November.

    • Application deadline for students from outside the EU, EEA or Switzerland: 1 April 2025. 
    • Application deadline for students from the European Union, EEA or Switzerland: 1 May 2025.
    Application procedure
    Ask a student

  • Admission requirements

    You can apply for the Master of Theology if you meet all of the following conditions: 

    • You have a Bachelor's degree in Theology or a related field. Your degree has been awarded by an accredited university. The comparability of your degree will verified by consulting distinctive independent sources.
    • You can provide us with the results of an English language proficiency test. Exemptions are in place for native speakers of English and inhabitants of countries where English is the only official language.
    • You fulfil the requirements for the academic track in which you wish to participate. 
    See all requirements

  • Costs

    Tuition fees for the 2024-2025 academic year are € 2.530 if you are a citizen of the EU, EEA, Turkey or Surinam. If you are a citizen from any other country, your tuition fee in 2024-2025 is € 6.629.

    You can choose one of these options for payment:

    • Pay the entire tuition before the start of the academic year
    • Pay the tuition in ten monthly instalments.

    Note that next to your tuition, other costs are involved. As a foreign individual staying in The Netherlands, you should take into account administrative fees, costs of living, and various other costs, like health insurance and travel costs. 

    Tuition fees and other costs
    Ask a student

  • Scholarships

    Have you already applied for admission to the Master of Theology programme at PThU? Several scholarships are available for students:

    Other scholarships may be available. You can find more information on the website of the Netherlands Organization for International Co-operation in Higher Education (NUFFIC).

  • Academic staff

  • Joining the programme as an exchange student

    Do you want to study Theology at the PThU as an exchange student? And does your home university have an official exchange agreement with the PThU? If so, you can apply for a student exchange period at the Protestant Theological University. As an exchange student you do not need to pay a tuition fee at the PThU, but you will continue to pay tuition at your home institution. Credits earned at PThU will be recognised at your home institution, after completing your exchange period. Exchange periods can be 2.5 months, a semester or a full academic year.

    Are you interested in an exchange year at the Protestant Theological University in the Netherlands? It is important to know that the university only offers English-taught courses at a master's level. For that reason we only accept applications from master students (or from bachelor students with a sufficient command of Dutch). Exchange students can choose to study at the PThU during the first semester (September – January) or for a full academic year.

    About the exchange programme

  • Increase your English writing skills

    Worried about your level of English? The PThU offers all our international students the possibility of following the Academic Writing Course during the first weeks of their master. In this seven week course, you will focus on academic writing and structuring of a thesis. The course is offered by our partner Rijksuniversiteit Groningen.

    Learn more (website RUG)

  • Living in the Netherlands

    What does it mean to study abroad? What do you need to arrange in terms of visa, insurance, tuition? We've collected some practical information for you.

Closing the gap

This track will give you the theological and analytical tools to address the specific challenges you will encounter as cross-cultural missionary, pastor or chaplain in multicultural and religiously pluralist settings and policymaker for Christian or public organisations. Many Christian communities experience deep fissures between themselves and the culture(s) of which they are a part and amongst which they live. This track explores some of the great theological themes such as the nature of God, salvation in Christ, the presence of the Spirit, and the reality of hope in the light of these challenges. In doing so, it will provide tools to look for contextual discipleship, community-building and for faithful and relevant intercultural encounter and witness.

This track equally provides you with some of the essential groundwork needed if you want to prepare for further scholarly work in the disciplines of dogmatics or intercultural theology while addressing some of the most pressing and stimulating theological questions, challenges and opportunities of the 21st century.

Questions about the programme? Contact a student advisor

Questions about registration and admission?

Contact our office at admissions@pthu.nl.