University of Edinburgh to Discontinue Divinity Degree Programmes

The University of Edinburgh has announced the closure of its Bachelor and Master of Divinity programmes as part of a broader institutional restructuring. This decision follows the Church of Scotland’s recent selection of the University of Glasgow’s Trinity College as its primary partner for ministerial training, a move intended to centralize the education of Ministers of Word and Sacrament and Deacons by 2027.

University officials stated that the changes are also driven by a £140 million financial deficit, necessitating a review of 90 academic programmes within the College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences. While the specific Divinity degrees are being phased out, the university emphasized that the School of Divinity will remain active. Academic instruction in theology, philosophy, and ethics will continue, with new curricula currently under development for the 2027 and 2028 academic years.

Founded in 1583, the university has long been a significant site for theological study, particularly through its New College. Despite the discontinuation of these traditional degrees, the institution reported that over 200 new students enrolled in the School of Divinity this year.