On 11 September 2007 the then Archbishop of Canterbury announced a new higher degree programme as an expansion of the Archbishop’s Examination in Theology. Applications for PhD and MPhil degrees in theology were accepted from early 2008 with the first awards of the new MPhil degrees anticipated in 2012 and doctorates shortly afterwards. The MA was to be phased out, but the STh would continue. However, in 2009 it was decided to also phase out the STh and focus entirely on the new research degrees.