GCAS College Dublin
GCAS College Dublin
The Global Centre for Advanced Studies
The World’s First, Global Debt-Free College Owned by Faculty and Graduates Offering EU Accredited Degrees.
GCAS is pleased to offer an advanced degree in Theology, accredited in the European Union. This degree is the first of its kind with leading professors such as John D. Caputo, Peter Rollins, who will guide your studies. Barry Taylor is the director of this programme. Our MA in theology exposes students to a history of theology, continental theology, philosophical theology, and theory. The programme is divided into two parts:
Courses can be taken online and/or in person when we offer a course or courses in a residential context. Only a few courses are residential for the time being (for example, our seminars in Belfast and Prague). Each course meets four (4) times for discussion. Students write short weekly reflections and complete a polished 1,500-word research paper at the end of the course. Students also present once per course for ten (10) minutes with a Question and Answer session. Once the student completes all ten courses they move on to write the MA thesis (20,000 words) and take the Masters Comprehensive Examination (MCE). The student will defend their MA thesis in front of a committee in person or online. The MCE is a four-hour written examination on a topic germane to theology. The student is required to meet with their academic supervisor at least once per month to ensure writing and research targets are accomplished. Students can also meet up with their peers once a week, which is optional.
Length of Degree:
You can complete the MA in one year (full-time).
Cost:
The tuition investment is 5,000€
Application Deadling:
Apply at any time. We are currently accepting applications.
Credits:
The programme joins some of the most reputable contemporary thinkers in theology and philosophy, to introduce different positions in the theological landscape. Its aim is to create a dialogue between different understandings of basic structures of existence and our place in the world.
The programme empowers MA researchers to understand theology as a tool allowing a critical analysis of the human condition in its meanings and crises. United by this aim, the programme navigates through topics such as the analysis of religious phenomena, literature, film, and artificial intelligence. MA researchers are encouraged to apply theological paradigms introduced in the programme to tackle research questions of pressing relevance to the contemporary human condition.
| Course Title | Faculty |
| Political Theology | Creston Davis |
| Topics in Theology and Philosophy | John D. Caputo |
| Theology after Lacan | Peter Rollins |
| Techno-Theology | Barry Taylor |
| Continental Theology | Rocky Gangle |
| Figures in Philosophy and Theology | Creston Davis |
| Art and the Theological Imagination | Barry Taylor |
| Ecological Theology: Face of the Deep | Clayton Crockett |
| Independent Research | Faculty |
| New Materialisms | Jeffrey W. Robbins |
The programme is taught 100% online. Classes will meet twice per week for circa six consecutive months. MA researchers have to take two classes per month meaning the synchronous class time will be circa 10 hours per week*. After the teaching period, MA researchers will work on their dissertations. Each MA researcher will be assigned a supervisor that can best accommodate the topic and aim of the research project. GCAS has access to a wide range of supervisors internal and external to the institution. MA researchers’ input on this decision is welcome. During the dissertation period of the programme, MA researchers will regularly meet with their supervisor and their cohort. Throughout the entire programme, the minimum total workload required to complete the programme is 40 hours per week for full-time enrollment. You may also take this degree on a part-time basis.
Researchers in the MA in Theology programme have access to the entire GCAS ecosystem. This includes all courses offered in the E-School as well as on-site seminars. Furthermore, students will have access to all material recorded and stored in the GCAS library including courses taught by world-leading thinkers in the fields of economics, the natural sciences, sustainability, cryptocurrencies, artificial intelligence, and others.
Our researchers come from some of the best academic institutions in the world, including UC Berkeley, Columbia University, London School of Economics, Swarthmore, Yale, New York University, and Case Western Reserve University, to name a few. However, as a research institute and college that is challenging traditional academia, we attract applicants who bring diverse backgrounds, experiences, and fresh perspectives to the conversation and research. If you are passionate about learning new skills and want to help reshape the future of learning, then we invite you to join our intellectual community by applying.
Our degree programme is rigorous and applicants must possess an accredited Bachelor’s degree to be considered for admission. Most applicants hold a first-class or strong upper-second-class undergraduate degree. For applicants with a degree from the USA, most applicants hold a minimum GPA of 3.3 out of 4.0. If your degree is not from the EU or the USA, contact our admission team for more information.
Entrance is very competitive and most successful applicants have a first-class degree or the equivalent. Most successful applicants hold degrees in philosophy, psychology, neuroscience, psychoanalysis, or a similar field of study. However, applications from all backgrounds are encouraged if sufficient motivation and interest can be demonstrated.
Tuition Fees for the 2024 intake are EUR 5,000 for national and international students. Financial aid for a tuition fee reduction of up to 50% is available to all students upon application. Visit our scholarship page for more information. To help us accomplish our goal of truly accessible education, the application does not have a fee.
In addition to the available financial aid, GCAS offers the opportunity for students to earn GCAS Tokens, the college’s crypto token, by completing certain tasks such as publishing papers or helping out within the GCAS community. The token can be used to purchase products in the GCAS store or used towards tuition payments.
The programme is currently accredited by the European Union. Once completed, the degree can be used to continue into post-graduate education and apply for corporate or other positions. GCAS also offers a Ph.D. specialization in theology to which graduates of the MA in Theology are invited to apply.
*subject to change depending on EU regulations.
We anticipate graduates from GCAS’s programmes to go onto a variety of careers and positions. These include working on policy for nonprofits and NGOs, as well as in academia, and other sectors where an independent and critical mind is needed. The degree’s emphasis on critical thinking makes it useful for entrance into almost any position.