The Work of a Church Administrator
A college-accredited course designed to strengthen your skills in church-based administration and support
This ten-unit distance learning course, delivered in partnership with Cliff College, is designed for those in non-managerial administrative roles. Whether you’re a church administrator, clerk or PA, it offers practical, faith-rooted training to support your work in a local church office.
Cliff College is a respected centre of theological learning with a passion for equipping Christians in ministry. Together, we value and celebrate the gift of administration in the life of the church.
About the course:
Written by church consultant John Truscott and delivered by a team of UCAN Tutors, this course provides a practical and theological foundation for office-based church administration in the UK.
It is nationally recognised and has equipped over 100 administrators since its launch in 2014. Participants gain a deeper understanding of both the organisational and spiritual aspects of their work, and a qualification that demonstrates their competence and commitment to the role.
Download the Course Handbook to explore the topics and structure in more detail.
Who is it for?
This course is open to UCAN Administrator members and is designed for non-managerial church office staff serving in the UK and looking to deepen their understanding of church-based administrative work. It is ideally suited to:
Church or Parish Administrators
Administrative Assistants or PAs to church leaders
Ministry Support Assistants
Anyone in an employed or voluntary administrative role in a local UK church (both Anglican and non-Anglican)
(Not a UCAN Administrator level member? Click here to join UCAN or get in touch with us via info@churchadministrators.net to upgrade an existing membership. UCAN Manager level members are also welcome to take part in this course, but you might find our other accredited courses more suited to your role. Check out our Managing Church Well and Altitude Training courses for more details).
What to expect:
Click here to download the course handbook. Each of the ten units focuses on a different area of church-based administration and includes:
A study section relevant to your daily work
Exercises and reflective activities
Recommended background reading
Personal applications (such as Bible study, mentoring or church visits)
This is an independent, self-study course, with materials for you to work through at your own pace. Each student is assigned a tutor who is available to answer questions and provide guidance when needed. You will also join a study group with other administrators taking the course, offering opportunities to connect, share experiences, and encourage one another. Please note, there are no group seminars or tutorials.
As you progress, you will complete three assignments that help you reflect on your learning and apply key insights to your role and context. These assignments are marked by your Tutor and form the basis for gaining your final certificate.
Time commitment:
You are expected to complete the course within 12 to 15 months. Each unit takes a minimum of 12 hours to complete. We recommend setting aside around 5 hours a week to make steady progress, with breaks factored in.
If you're employed by your church, we encourage you to explore whether some study time can be taken during working hours.
Next Cohort:
Each year we offer three termly start dates: January, April and September. The next start date is 15th September 2025
Course Cost:
The course fee is £450. You must be a UCAN Administrator or Manager level member to join the course. Find out more about UCAN membership here.
Payment is either via credit or debit card, or you can request an invoice by using the discount code PAYBYINVOICE at checkout (once you add the course to your basket, you may need to click in the top right of the screen to complete the checkout process).
Please note: You will also need to purchase a copy of Business & Administration by Nigel Parton and Bernadette Watkins (NVQ Level 3 edition), available new for around £30-40 or second-hand at a much lower price. (Please note some of the weblinks in the book are no longer active, but this does not affect its application for the course).
If cost is a barrier, UCAN offers a limited bursary fund to help support individual post-holders or churches who do not have sufficient resources to pay the fee in full. Contact us at info@churchadministrators.net to find out more.
Got questions?
We’re happy to talk it through with you. If you’d like to chat about the course before signing up, just email info@churchadministrators.net.
This nationally recognised course has been equipping and encouraging church administrators for over a decade. Hear from some of them below:
Katie Grindrod | Church Administrator & Hall Manager | Wadsley Parish Church, Sheffield
“I feel much more equipped in my role. I also enjoyed thinking through and reflecting on some of the theological aspects of administration which I wouldn’t have had the opportunity to without doing the course.
I feel better placed to implement changes and improve our office systems and processes as a result of what I’ve learned.”
Nina McMahon | Church Administrator | St John’s, Ealing
“The UCAN course was both stimulating and beneficial. It enabled me to look deeper into the role of being a Church Administrator, especially from a theological perspective.
It is designed to use the skillset that you already have whilst providing the tools you need to work smarter and more efficiently. I felt a real sense of achievement when I passed.”
Patricia Prescott | Administrator | The United Parish of Chinnor, Sydenham, Aston Rowant & Crowell
“I found the course extremely helpful; I had been a teacher for over 30 years and had no experience of working in an office environment. However, the course helped me to apply the experience I had previously gained in teaching to my new role as Church Administrator. I also developed new skills and my confidence increased.”