Essentials for Enquirers

SATS is excited to announce the launch of our Master of Divinity programme. We have received full accreditation. This document will answer most of the questions you may have about the MDiv.

To register for the MDiv, you need an accredited four-year degree or equivalent with above-average grades. In South Africa, this means a qualification on NQF level 8 with an average of at least 60 per cent. For foreign applicants, we calculate equivalents on a case-by-case basis.

You do not need to have any prior studies in theology. Your degree can be in English, Engineering, Education, or any other academic discipline.

If you have a three-year degree (NQF 7 in South Africa), we will allow you to do one year of bridging work to gain access to the MDiv.

We offer a bridging option that will require an extra 120 credits. In South Africa, a standard Bachelor’s degree is three years and exits on level 7. The MDiv is on level 9, and it presupposes one extra year of academic work at level 8. The additional year could be an Honours degree in any subject area. However, you may do the extra 120 credits at SATS as bridging coursework into the MDiv. These credits will reflect on your academic transcript, but they do not culminate in a qualification.

This depends on you—but 3–4 years for most part-time students. The MDiv requires 240 credits, which makes it a two-year programme for full-time students. As a part-time student, if you take one course per term (10 hours per week), you will need five years to finish. If you can manage two courses per term (20 hours per week), you will complete it in two-and-half years.

The programme requires you to complete 15 courses and a capstone research project. The classes focus on the Bible and ministry, with a secondary concentration on theology. For a full list of the courses, see Master of Divinity.