School of Mission and Theology

MHS – School of Mission and Theology is a private, specialised university owned by the Norwegian Mission Society (NMS), committed to high-quality education and research related to global perspectives on the church's mission as well as religious and cultural encounters.

MHS – School of Mission and Theology was founded in 1843 and is the third oldest institution of higher learning in Norway, next to the Norwegian Military Academy (1750) and the University of Oslo (1811). In spite of being an old institution, it has a radical scholarly tradition: It was the first institution of higher learning in Norway to admit students from Africa (from the 1860s), and it was also a pioneer in enabling students from poor layers of society here in Norway to become pastors. MHS is today a specialised university with a broad range of study programmes within the fields of theology, religion, culture and social studies.

MHS is located in Stavanger, on the West Coast of Norway, with immediate access to beautiful and breathtaking nature, as well as a vibrant church life and cultural attractions in the city and the region.

MHS has around 350 students, including around 70 Master’s students and 23 PhD students. The school has 40 employees, including 24 in academic positions. The body of international students is significant, often with students from 15-20 countries. All Masters' and PhD programmes are taught in English.

The Board of the MHS has decided the following strategic aim of the MHS for the current strategic period (2011-2014):

As a global node in the infinite world wide web of relations in which we live, MHS aims to provide high-quality study programmes (Bachelor, Master, PhD) that reflect how knowledge and insights, religious and cultural encounters, as well as church ministries are taking place within a globalised context. Besides, you will meet people from all over the world at MHS!

You may obtain further information about our programmes here.

MHS – School of Mission and Theology has a research profile that reflects the school’s general and global focus on the missional calling of the church, as well as religious and cultural encounters. Researchers at the MHS are directing several multinational and multi-institutional research projects, and has a high reputation of comprehensive publishing, nationally as well as internationally, with international journals and publishing houses.

As far as recruitment of new researchers is concerned, the school emphasizes the need to train female scholars, both for the school itself and for its international partners.

The Mission Archives – with valuable collections of texts (from the 1820s) and pictures (from the 1860s) – is part of the Department of Documentation and Library, and includes the historical archives of the Norwegian Mission Society and a number of other mission organizations. The Mission Archives attracts international as well as Norwegian researchers and it participates in international research and documentation projects.

MHS – School of Mission and Theology is a joint owner – together with the Norwegian Mission Society – of Centre of Intercultural Communication (SIK).