Master of Arts in Christian Ministry — Program of Study
The Master of Arts in Christian Ministry is a non-thesis, 42-hour degree. Students
must complete four CORE courses (12 hours), nine electives (27 hours) and the Ministry
Project Capstone (3 hours). The program of study will be designed by the student in
consultation with the faculty advisor, informed by the student's ministry goals and
the courses offered. A typical full-time student will enroll in nine to twelve credit
hours per fall and spring semester, three credit hours per summer term, and three
credit hours per Winterfest term.
Prerequisites
The Master of Arts in Christian Ministry program requires that students have prior
knowledge in certain areas of study before fully pursuing the M.A. Full admission
to the program requires either (i) a major in biblical studies, theology, philosophy, ministry, intercultural studies,
Christian studies, or religious studies, or (ii) 30+ hours of undergraduate coursework in these areas. The coursework completed
in the aforementioned areas must include the following courses or some transfer equivalency:
- BIB 1013 Old Testament History
- BIB 1023 New Testament History
- SPF 2012 Introduction to Spiritual Formation
- BIB 2093 Methods of Biblical Interpretation
- CHR 3013 Introduction to Ministry
- PHI 2013 Philosophical Foundations for a Christian Worldview
- THE 3113 Christian Doctrine
- THE 3463 History of Christianity I or THE 3673 History of Christianity II
In addition, a minimum undergraduate grade point average of 2.75, overall, and 3.00
within major (on a 4.00 scale) is required for full admission to the program.
Students who have not completed all of the academic program prerequisites and/or whose
GPA is lower than that specified above may be conditionally admitted to the program.
See the SBU Graduate Catalog for further details.
CORE Courses
Students in the Master of Arts in Christian Ministry program are required to take
four CORE courses, one from each of the following categories: Leadership, Theology, Community, and Service. For each category, students will choose between two courses that are eligible to
fulfill the requirement.
Leadership: Leadership and the Old Testament or Preaching and Teaching the Bible
Theology: Christian Theological Traditions or Contemporary Christian Theologies
Community: Kingdom and Society or Church and Community
Service: Theology and Practice of the Local Church or Disciple-Making in Context
Electives
Students are required to take at least nine elective courses. The M.A. in Christian
Ministry is designed to be a flexible program, allowing students to select courses
that emphasize areas of study that are conducive to attaining the student's own vocational
and ministry goals. Toward this end, each student will work closely with a faculty
advisor in designing an appropriate schedule.
The following is a list of courses from which students will choose to fulfill the
degree's elective course requirements:
- MIN 5043 Christ and Salvation (concurrent enrollment)
- MIN 5053 Early Pauline Epistles (concurrent enrollment)
- MIN 5033 Old Testament Hymnic and Wisdom Literature (concurrent enrollment)
- MIN 5023 Indigenous Christian Community (concurrent enrollment)
- MIN 5183 World Religions (concurrent enrollment)
- MIN 5063 Youth Discipleship and Evangelism (concurrent enrollment)
- MIN 5093 Youth Ministry in the Church (concurrent enrollment)
- MIN 5003 Ethics (concurrent enrollment)
- MIN 5013 The Problem of Evil (concurrent enrollment)
- MIN 5083 The Problem of Hell (concurrent enrollment)
- MIN 5103 Leadership and the Old Testament (CORE)
- MIN 5113 Preaching and Teaching the Bible (CORE)
- MIN 5143 Kingdom and Society (CORE)
- MIN 5153 Church and Community (CORE)
- MIN 5123 Christian Theological Traditions (CORE)
- MIN 5433 Contemporary Christian Theologies (CORE)
- MIN 5163 Theology and Practice of the Local Church (CORE)
- MIN 5173 Disciple-Making in Context (CORE)
- MIN 5203 The Teaching Ministry of Jesus
- MIN 5213 Equipping to Serve
- MIN 5223 A Practical Theology for Youth Ministry
- MIN 5233 Issues in Global Christian Theologies
- MIN 5303 Apologetics
- MIN 5403 Knowledge and Mystery
- MIN 5113 Christian Theological Ethics
- MIN 5453 The Ministry of Leadership
- MIN 5073 The Ministry of Worship
Ministry Project Capstone
The ministry capstone course and project serves as both an application and substantive
assessment of what the student has learned in the Master of Arts in Christian Ministry
program. It is comprised of an in-class component and an off-site component. The former
is a team-taught course involving regular meetings throughout the semester in a classroom
setting. The latter is a student-designed project, developed in consultation with
the student's advisor, the Graduate Program Director, and an on-site supervisor at
a church or parachurch organization where the ministry will take place.
Program Summary
CORE Requirements (12 Hours)
| Course Number |
Course Name |
Credit Hours |
| MIN 5103 or MIN 5113 |
Leadership and the Old Testament or Preaching and Teaching the Bible |
3 |
| MIN 5123 or MIN 5433 |
Christian Theological Traditions or Contemporary Christian Theologies |
3 |
| MIN 5143 or MIN 5153 |
Kingdom and Society or Church and Community |
3 |
| MIN 5163 or MIN 5173 |
Theology and Practice of the Local Church or Disciple-Making in Context |
3 |
| Total hours |
12 |
Electives (27 Hours)
Ministry project capstone (3 hours)
| Course Number |
Course Name |
Credit Hours |
| MIN 5983 |
Ministry Project Capstone |
3 |
