School of Divinity, New College, University of Edinburgh

What School of Divinity, New College, University of Edinburgh does

School of Divinity, New College, University of Edinburgh is the theology and religious studies school within the University of Edinburgh, a public Scottish university. It was founded in 1843 as the Free Church of Scotland's training college on George Street and moved to its current iconic building on the Mound in central Edinburgh; New College merged with the University's Faculty of Divinity in 1935 and was formally ceded to the University in 1961. The School is now one of the largest centres for theology and religious studies in the UK, teaching approximately 430 undergraduate and postgraduate students with around 40 full-time academic staff, and it retains a structurally embedded role as the principal training centre for Church of Scotland ministerial candidates — a partnership that dates back to the institution's founding.

The School's core offering is its academic portfolio: undergraduate programmes (MA in Religion, Society and Culture; MA in Theology; BD in Divinity; MDiv for graduate entry; combined degrees in Religious Studies with English or Scottish Literature, and Philosophy and Theology; plus a Graduate Diploma), and postgraduate programmes including taught MTh/MSc, research Masters (MThR/MScR), on-campus and distance-learning PhDs, and a Doctor of Ministry with a Reformed focus. It supplements degree teaching with online short courses (e.g., Introducing Classical Tibetan), church-community short courses, an extensive schools outreach programme aimed at prospective undergraduates, and a visiting scholar programme for postdoctoral researchers (1-12 month stays at £200/month). Research is organised through a network of specialist centres covering Christian Origins, World Christianity, Theology and Public Issues, Christian-Muslim Studies, Edinburgh Buddhist Studies, Edinburgh Jewish Studies, the Long Reformation, and Religion and Literature.

The School's revenue model is academic: tuition fees from undergraduate and postgraduate students (set at the University level and varying by domicile and programme) supplemented by visiting scholar fees and modest short-course income. The School operates within the University of Edinburgh's central infrastructure — library systems, LMS, SharePoint — with New College Library (over 250,000 printed items, including rare books and named manuscript collections) reopened in September 2023 after a comprehensive refurbishment. Distribution is through the University's centralised admissions (UCAS for undergraduates, Edinburgh postgraduate portal) plus open days, virtual tours, and a multi-platform social media presence; recruitment and admissions are run as part of the University rather than independently.

Name

School of Divinity, New College, University of Edinburgh

Legal name

The University of Edinburgh

Website

https://divinity.ed.ac.uk

Company type

Public

Founded year

1843

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The School of Divinity, part of the University of Edinburgh, is one of the UK's largest centres for theology and religious studies. It teaches roughly 430 students across undergraduate, postgraduate and doctoral programmes, supported by around 40 academic staff and a 250,000-item specialist library.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Higher Education - Theology and Religious Studies

NAICS

Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (611310)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Seminaries (Graduate Theology & Ministry) (EDAHAKAA)

akta.pro secondary industry

Christian Colleges with Theological Programs (EDAHAKAG)

Keywords

• Theology education
• Religious studies
• Higher education
• Divinity programs
• Graduate research

Headquarters

HQ city

Edinburgh

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Tuition Fees: The School generates revenue through tuition fees from undergraduate and postgraduate students, funded through UK/EU government support for eligible students, international student fees, and self-funded arrangements.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

The School of Divinity delivers undergraduate and postgraduate degree programmes in theology, divinity, and religious studies, including MA, BD, MDiv, MTh, MSc, MThR, MScR, PhD, and Doctor of Ministry degrees. It also operates New College Library, research centres, visiting scholar opportunities, online short courses, and schools outreach, serving approximately 430 students and a community of visiting researchers.

Product overview

The School of Divinity offers a comprehensive portfolio of undergraduate and postgraduate degree programmes in theology and religious studies. Its undergraduate offerings include MA programmes in Religion Society and Culture, Theology, Religious Studies combined with English/Scottish Literature, and Philosophy; BD in Divinity; MDiv for graduate entry; and a Graduate Diploma. At postgraduate level, it provides taught MTh/MSc degrees, research Masters (MThR/MScR), PhD programmes (available on-campus and by distance), and a Doctor of Ministry. The School also offers online and church community short courses for continuing education. Research support is provided through specialist centres and networks focused on Christian origins, world Christianity, theology and public issues, Buddhist studies, Jewish studies, the Long Reformation, and religion and literature. The institution's services are underpinned by New College Library with its extensive collections, a visiting scholar programme, and schools outreach initiatives.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Undergraduate Degree Programmes Undergraduate programmes including MA in Religion, Society and Culture; MA in Theology; BD in Divinity; MDiv (Divinity Graduate Entry); MA in Religious Studies with English or Scottish Literature; MA in Philosophy and Theology; and a Graduate Diploma in Theology and Religious Studies, for prospective undergraduate students.
• Postgraduate Taught Programmes (MTh/MSc) Taught Masters-level programmes covering theology and religious studies disciplines for postgraduate students.
• Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) Research doctorate available both on-campus and by distance learning, with specialisms including Religion and Literature and other research study areas.
• Postgraduate Research Programmes (MThR/MScR) Research Masters programmes for students developing research skills prior to a PhD.
• Doctor of Ministry (Reformed Focus) Professional doctorate for ministry practitioners with a Reformed theological focus.
• Online Short Courses Online continuing education courses for church professionals and general audiences, including Introducing Classical Tibetan and Christian-Muslim Relations.
• Visiting Scholar Programme Non-stipendiary visiting scholar positions for postdoctoral academics to conduct research at the School for 1–12 months, with access to library and computing facilities.

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Church of ScotlandcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNew College serves as the place in Edinburgh where the Church of Scotland trains its ministerial candidates. This partnership dates back to the establishment of New College in 1843 and continues today, with the Church of Scotland's Assembly Hall still located between the two sides of New College building.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves9 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• King's College London Department of Theology & Religious Studies: KCL's theology department is a London-based UK peer with strong multi-faith research and similar postgraduate programmes, competing for international students and research funding in religious studies.
• University of Aberdeen School of Divinity, History and Philosophy: Aberdeen's divinity school is a longstanding UK peer covering theology and religious studies, with comparable undergraduate and postgraduate programmes and overlapping applicant pools in Scotland and the UK.
• University of Glasgow School of Critical Studies: Glasgow's theology and religious studies offerings within the School of Critical Studies are a direct Scottish peer, competing for the same domestic applicants and research council funding in religious studies and theology.
• University of St Andrews School of Divinity: St Andrews' School of Divinity is a closely comparable Scottish faculty covering theology, biblical studies, and religious studies, with a similar Reformed heritage and offering direct competition for Scottish and international students.
• Trinity College Dublin School of Religion: Trinity College Dublin's School of Religion, Theology and Peace Studies is a closely comparable theological faculty with a similar Reformed and ecumenical heritage, competing for international students and visiting scholars across Ireland and the UK.
• SOAS University of London - Department of Religions and Philosophies: SOAS is a UK peer specialising in the study of Asian, African, and Middle Eastern religions, providing overlapping expertise in Buddhism, Hinduism, Islam and Judaism that complements Edinburgh's multi-faith portfolio.
• University of Oxford Faculty of Theology and Religion: Oxford's theology and religion faculty is the most direct UK competitor for top-tier divinity students, faculty, and research funding, offering similar undergraduate and postgraduate programmes in theology and religious studies with a comparable multi-faith orientation.
• Durham University Department of Theology and Religion: Durham's Department of Theology and Religion is a leading UK competitor offering undergraduate and postgraduate programmes in theology and religious studies, including its strong Anglican and Catholic theological formation pathways.
• University of Cambridge Faculty of Divinity: Cambridge's Faculty of Divinity is a UK peer offering BD, MPhil, PhD and theology programmes, and competes intensely with Edinburgh for international students, research rankings (QS and REF), and visiting scholars.

Emerging players

• Princeton Theological Seminary: Princeton Theological Seminary is a North American peer offering graduate-level theology and ministry programmes (MDiv, ThM, PhD), providing a useful international comparator for the School's DMin and postgraduate theological training offerings.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/uoedivinity
• YouTubeyoutube.com/@uoedivinity
• Facebookfacebook.com/uoedivinity
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/uoedivinity
• Instagraminstagram.com/uoedivinity
• TikToktiktok.com/@uoedivinity

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about School of Divinity, New College, University of Edinburgh