Staff Care and Wellbeing (MA / PG Dip)
The All Nations MA in Staff Care and Wellbeing is designed to meet the needs of those involved in member care, staff care, HR and wellbeing in mission agencies, member care organisations, churches, NGOs, charities, or similar contexts, who wish to deepen their knowledge and understanding of their role, and develop their expertise in this vital area.
Core Modules
These will equip you to study at Masters level through developing advanced study and research skills, establishing a robust theological and biblical basis for missional engagement and giving you a thorough grounding in the field of social and cultural anthropology.
Holistic Learning Foundations
Students are enabled to develop the study, research and reflective skills required to engage in the theological, missiological and research components of the programme. The module encourages the student to think in a holistic, integrated way about their studies and experience across disciplines, and to develop their skills as reflective practitioners and researchers, with a view to applying these throughout the programme.
Biblical and Theological Foundations for Mission
Provides students with biblical and theological foundations for the study of critical issues in mission, equipping them to apply ideas from the disciplines of biblical studies and theology to the options available within the programme. The module encourages students to engage with a broad range of theological perspectives, highlighting those from the majority world, and to become aware of issues of context, power and voice within the field.
Following a consideration of the missional nature of the Bible, it also explores select biblical themes and key texts with a view to enhance students’ biblical understanding of missiology. This enables them to make strong connections between their particular area of interest and its biblical rationale, and also to apply to their own relevant missional context.
Anthropological Foundations for Mission
Provides a theoretical foundation from the perspective of social and cultural anthropology, as well as other related disciplines, preparing you to understand and engage with issues which may arise in cross-cultural situations. The theories and issues covered are a necessary foundation to developing cross-cultural awareness and sensitivity to the complexities of living and working vocationally in, or with members of, other cultures. The module will also encourage reflection on experience, and may challenge previously held understandings of culture and mission practice.
Specialist Modules
The core modules are built on through two specialist modules:
Staff Care and Wellbeing: Principles and Processes
Explores principles of staff care and wellbeing in mission agencies, churches, and other organisations, with special consideration of your organisational and cultural contexts. The biblical and theological foundations of member care as well as key principles and processes within staff care and wellbeing are examined. Existing models of care are evaluated, and aspects such as suffering and risk, spiritual formation, resilience, and the relationship between HR, member care and wellbeing are explored. There is an important applied component via the assessments, whereby you can reflect on and develop your capacities and competencies in delivering, or ensuring the delivery of, aspects of care in your cultural and organisational contexts.
Staff Care and Wellbeing: Issues and Application
Examines the theory and implementation of staff care and wellbeing in different contexts, including consideration of non-western perspectives. A range of complex issues faced by staff care providers will be discussed, including (but not restricted to): selection and pre-field training, transitions (including re-entry), cross-cultural teams and conflict transformation, debriefing, pastoral and interpersonal issues, generational issues, and third culture kids (TCKs). This module will have an important applied component, enabling you to reflect on and develop your competencies in addressing these and other complex issues of care, in a variety of cultural contexts, for individuals, families, and teams.
Students have an opportunity to audit a third specialist module from the range of MA modules on offer.
PG Diploma students also complete either the Independent Study Module or Research in Mission: Strategies.
Master’s students then complete a dissertation allowing them to undertake in-depth research on a specific topic related to Staff Care & Wellbeing through the writing of their dissertation (15,000 words). This provides you with the opportunity to engage deeply with a subject you are deeply committed to and facilitates the development of skills in research and fieldwork, supported by taught classes and regular interaction with an experienced supervisor.
Who is this course for?
The course is suitable if you are experienced in member care, staff care and wellbeing, the wider human resources sector, or a church context with pastoral oversight or responsibility for sending and supporting cross-cultural workers. The All Nations Christian College MA in Staff Care and Wellbeing guarantees a rich, stimulating and transformative learning experience together with students from across the globe.