All MA students enter into one degree program - the Master of Arts in Church Ministry. However, in addition, each student will select a desired major that best fits the student's learning and ministry goals. The three majors are as follows: Biblical Counseling, Biblical Literature, and Christian Ministry. Each degree and major will include 34 hours of study and 12 additional requirements/electives in the major field of study. The details of these requirements are given below.
Master of Arts in Church Ministry Course Requirements
Core Courses - 34 hours
| OT 501 Old Testament Studies I | 3 |
| OT 502 Old Testament Studies II | 3 |
| NT 501 New Testament Studies I | 3 |
| NT 502 New Testament Studies II | 3 |
| TH 501 Systematic Theology I | 3 |
| TH 502 Systematic Theology II | 3 |
| TH 503 Systematic Theology III | 3 |
| TH 601 Systematic Theology IV | 3 |
| HT 501 Historical Theology I | 3 |
| HT 502 Historical Theology II | 3 |
| ME 581 Mentored Practicum | 2 |
| ME 681 Mentored Internship* | 2 |
*For Biblical Literature Students, the following applies in place of ME 681:
| ME 580 Master of Arts Thesis I | 1 |
| ME 680 Master of Arts Thesis II | 1 |
Biblical Counseling Major - 12 hours
| BC 501 Foundations of Biblical Counseling | 3 |
| BC 502 Foundational Skills of Biblical Counseling | 2 |
| BC 601 Premarital, Marital and Family Counseling | 3 |
Choose 4 hours from the following:
| BC 503 Group Practice in Counseling | 2 |
| BC 504 Lay Counseling in the Church | 2 |
| BC 602 Counseling with Children and Adolescents | 2 |
| BC 603 Aging, Grief and Loss Counseling | 2 |
| Total Required Semester Hours | 46 |
Biblical Literature Major - 12 hours
| TH 504 Hermeneutics and Biblical Research | 3 |
Choose 9 hours from the following:
- Biblical Languages (must complete course sequences to qualify, i.e., 2 semesters of either Hebrew or Greek)
- Historical Theology electives
- English Bible electives
Unless given special permission to do a mentored internship, Biblical Literature Students are required to write a thesis.
| Total Required Semester Hours | 46 |
Christian Ministry Major - 12 hours
| PT 501 Survey of Ministry | 3 |
| PT 502 Creative Bible Teaching | 3 |
Choose 6 hours from ministry electives, such as (but not limited to) the following:
| TH 602 Apologetics | 3 |
| PT 503 Theology of Biblical Disciple Making | 2 |
| ME 501 Survey of Missions and Evangelism | 2 |
| ME 503 Issues and Trends in Missions Today | 2 |
| BC 501 Foundations of Biblical Counseling | 3 |
| BC 502 Foundational Skills of Biblical Counseling | 2 |
| Total Required Semester Hours | 46 |