Master of Theological Studies (MA-TS)
Admission Requirements
A baccalaureate degree from a recognized university or college with a minimum GPA of 3.0 ('B'). For full admission requirements, see the Admissions Requirements and Deadlines page.
Residency Requirement
30 credit hours must be CMU courses
Curriculum Requirements
A minimum of 60 credit hours
Core requirements—30 credit hours in the following areas
- Bible – 12 credit hours (minimum 3 ch of Old Testament and 3 credit hours of New Testament)
- Theology and History of Christianity – 12 credit hours (minimum 3 credit hours in each area)
- Practical Theology – 3 credit hours
- Methodology – 3 credit hours
Electives—as required to reach a total of 60 credit hours
Thesis Option: Students may propose to write a thesis equivalent to 6 credit hours. Credits earned by way of the thesis will reduce the elective requirement. See note 4, below.
Notes
- For courses presented for graduation, students must achieve a minimum grade point average of 3.0, with no course below a 'C+'. This includes any additional courses required as a condition of admission.
- Courses offered by CMU faculty or by instructors visiting at CMU, whether on campus or online, will count toward the residency requirement. Courses taken from MB Seminary to meet the MB GTE requirements will also count toward the residency requirement to a maximum of nine credit hours.
- Normally, students wishing to write a thesis in the area of biblical studies must demonstrate an appropriate level of competence in the pertinent biblical languages, whether Hebrew or Greek.
- A student may consider writing a thesis or field research project as an elective equivalent to 6 credit hours. A student who wishes to write a thesis or field research project should contact their faculty advisor in the first semester of their program. Normally, students wishing to write a thesis in biblical studies must demonstrate an appropriate level of competence in the pertinent biblical languages.
- Students may include up to 6 credit hours of field education after completing 18 credit hours of the program. They may earn these credits through CMU or through another post-secondary institution by Letter of Permission. Programs outside of CMU will be evaluated based on the nature of instruction, ministry experience, and supervision. Students enrolled in Clinical Pastoral Education may earn 6 credit hours for one unit of CPE.
- Students may include up to 9 credit hours of electives outside of Biblical and Theological studies. Students will submit the proposed course(s) and rationale to their faculty advisor for approval. If the course is normally delivered at the undergraduate level, the instructor needs to be willing to have a graduate student in the class and develop a graduate-level syllabus.
- Students may take up to 6 credit hours in biblical languages to meet their core Bible requirements. Additional biblical language courses may be taken as electives.
- Students who are in the MB GTE track must complete three courses with MB content as determined by the MB GTE Committee. The list of such courses can be obtained from the GSTM Director or from MB Theological Faculty.
- A maximum of 3 credit hours can be earned from one credit hour modular courses.
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