Theology and Religious Studies

Please refer to our entry requirements and application guidelines on the program´s web site.

Application deadline

1 December: International applicants from outside EU/EEA and Switzerland not already residing in Norway (all applicants who need to apply for a student visa).

15 April: Applicants from EU countries and domestic applicants, who currently hold a Norwegian national ID number (applicants who do not need to apply for a student visa).

Admissions requirements for the master's program in Theology and religious studies include a bachelor's degree in theology. There are prerequisite requirements for New Testament Greek for some of the study specializations. Refer to the study plan for more information on this.

Admission threshold Supplementary admission 2024: All applicants qualified.

The master’s program in theology and religious studies at VID Stavanger is designed for those seeking strong competence in the field of theology and religion. The program has a missional and global perspective, with international students on campus. In addition to studying core theological disciplines like biblical studies, systematic theology, and church history, you will also engage with contextual theology. In the third semester, you can choose a subject such as missiology, eco-theology, or practical theology.

With further training in practical pedagogical education (PPU) at another college or university, you can qualify to teach religious studies and Christianity, as well as provide church education.

The program is taught in English. One semester can be spent at a theological institution abroad, and your 30-credit master’s thesis will focus on the theological discipline that interests you most. The first semester is common to both specializations, with courses in contextual theology and interreligious perspectives, values in professional practice, philosophy of science, and methodology.

Specialization in Theology

The program requires a bachelor's degree in theology, with 20 ECTS in Greek and New Testament studies based on Greek. The second semester includes a mandatory in-depth course in the New Testament and systematic theology. In the third semester, you delve further into key theological disciplines with the option of an elective course, such as Hebrew 3. You will write your master’s thesis in the fourth semester.

Specialization in Religious Studies

This specialization requires a bachelor’s degree in theology, religious studies, or a Bachelor of Arts with a significant focus on theology/religious studies. The second and third semesters offer opportunities to deepen your knowledge in the academic field of religious studies through obligatory and elective courses, preparing you to write your master’s thesis in the fourth semester.