William Booth College

Distance learning

Open Learning

A women working at a laptop with pen and paper ready

Explore the Bible and learn more about the Christian Church and its beliefs.

Open Learning correspondence courses are available to anyone over the age of 18. Students can be Christians or enquirers, of any religious persuasion or none.

Our courses offer students the opportunity to:

Study the Bible and learn more about God, the Christian faith and Church tradition
Gain insight into your own personal faith experience
Develop resources for practical ministry

With three different levels of study available - Starter, Foundation and Award - it is not necessary to have studied before in order to apply for one of our courses. Bite size courses are also available.

Each student has a qualified personal tutor who provides support, guidance and encouragement as they progress through their course. The tutor will also grade assignments and give feedback on written work.

Work can be completed at your own pace, over a series of weeks or months, and can be submitted online or via post.

Lessons are available in different fonts, large print and printed on off-white or coloured paper for those who have additional needs. Please let us know what you require when enrolling.

If you need support to cover the cost of any of our courses or need additional information, please contact us.

Contact details

Address: Open Learning, William Booth College, Champion Park, London, SE5 8BQ
Tel: 020 7326 2788
Email: openlearning@salvationarmy.org.uk

Apply for a course

Download an application form or contact us.

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Starter level courses require worksheets to be completed for each lesson.

Each course consists of five lessons.

Suitable for

People who don’t have a comprehensive knowledge of the Bible
People who are new to studying
New Christians who want to learn more about the Christian faith
People who want to learn about other faiths

Cost

£40 per course

Foundation level courses require short pieces of written work and aim to stimulate further reading and study.

Each course consists of six lessons.

Suitable for

People who have completed a starter course and are looking to move onto a higher level of study
People who have not studied for some time and would like to ease back into academic learning

Cost

£60 per course

Award level courses aim to encourage and resource you for in-depth study.

Each course consists of six lessons and has a set textbook. Additional reading is also suggested.

Assignments vary and include, but are not limited to, writing essays.

These courses also encourage you to explore and apply what you learn to your own life.

Suitable for

Experienced students
People who have completed a foundation course and are looking to move onto a higher level of study
People who have not studied at a more advanced level for some time and would like to ease back into academic learning

Cost

£80 per course

Bite size courses are short, single pieces of work that aim to introduce you to a range of different topics.

Suitable for:

Students of all abilities - simply select the level that suits you
People with limited time to study
People who want an introduction to a specific topic

Cost

Starter level: £10 per lesson
Foundation level: £15 per lesson
Award level: £20 per lesson

Open Learning courses are not externally validated but are certificated by The Salvation Army's William Booth College.

Individual certificates of completion are awarded after every course is successfully completed.

Additional certificates can also be achieved.

The Starter Course in Christian Studies

Awarded for the completion of:

Any five Starter courses

The Foundation Course in Christian Studies

Awarded for the completion of five Foundation courses:

One Foundation course from each of the four categories
One additional Foundation course of the student's choosing

The Award Course in Christian Studies

Awarded for the completion of four Award courses:

One New Testament Course
One Old Testament Course
History of the Early Church
One additional Award course of the student's choosing

Find a course

A selection of courses are available to browse on salvationist.org.uk.

For the full list of courses, download our course directory.

Understanding the Trinity

This bite-sized Open Learning course introduces you to the Christian understanding of God as Trinity.

Praying the prayer Jesus taught us

This bite-sized Open Learning course introduces you to the prayer that Jesus taught his disciples to say in Luke 11:1–4.

First steps in the Christian faith

This Open Learning course introduces you to some of the passages in the Bible that can help you to grow in your new relationship with God.

A personal journey through five psalms of prayer and praise

This Open Learning course is designed to help you grow in the Christian faith through an introductory study of five psalms.

Old Testament studies on living and growing with God

This Open Learning course introduces five Old Testament characters and explores Psalm 100.

Learning from the lives of six biblical women

This Open Learning course explores how God cared for six women in the Bible and how they all played a part in his plans for the world.

Introducing the Old Testament Psalms

This Open Learning course explores the psalms of the Old Testament to prompt reflection on Christian life and support practical ministry.

Jesus in the Synoptic Gospels

This Open Learning course explores the Gospels of Matthew, Mark and Luke and encourages reflection on Christian faith, life and service.

Distance learning

Explore the Bible and learn more about the Christian Church and its beliefs.

Contact details

Apply for a course

Starter level courses

Foundation level courses

Award level courses

Bite size courses

Certificates

Find a course

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