Welcome from the President

AST President Heather McCance


The Rev. Dr. Heather McCance



Welcome to the Atlantic School of Theology. Whether you’re prayerfully considering joining us as a student, or just curious about what we offer, we’re glad you’re here.

The mission of AST is to serve Christ’s mission by shaping effective and faithful ordained and lay leaders and understanding among communities of faith.

As the world and the Church goes through times of change and uncertainty, the need for such leaders and communities has never been greater. I firmly believe that God calls us into mission and ministry when and where we are. Learning through AST is one of the ways you can strengthen your gifts for this work of ministry.

We are a university that offers both theological education, and training both to lay leaders and to those preparing for ordination. We are ecumenical and we provide a deep formation in the denominational traditions of our school (United Church of Canada, Roman Catholic, and Anglican). We truly value the in-person learning community and we have decades of experience in using the latest technologies to provide distance education opportunities. We offer accredited degree programs and non-degree adult education through diploma and continuing education opportunities.

Our faculty are gifted teachers and respected scholars. Our staff are dedicated and professional. Our campus, on the shore of the Northwest Arm of Halifax Harbour, is a beautiful place to learn and to pray.

Follow the links below to discover more about what we offer. We look forward to you joining the AST community!


The Atlantic School of Theology acknowledges that the land on which we gather and work is located on Mi’kma’ki, the ancestral and unceded territory of the Mi’kmaq people. This territory is covered by the “Treaties of Peace and Friendship” which Mi’kmaq and Maliseet people first signed with the British Crown in 1725. The treaties did not deal with surrender of lands and resources but in fact recognized Mi’kmaq and Maliseet title and established the rules for what was to be an ongoing relationship between nations.


Diploma Programs | Graduate Studies 

Continuing Education Offerings