Master of Arts in Theology

Concentrations
Any student may informally focus on an area of the curriculum by choosing departmental courses and electives according to his or her interests. Students who enter with a minimum undergraduate GPA of 3.5, or who have completed at least four E.I. courses with a minimum GPA of 3.5, may petition the Committee on Admissions and Academic Standing to concentrate formally in one area. Formal concentrations are available in biblical studies, history, moral theology, and systematic theology. A concentration consists of eight courses (nine if a thesis is written), primarily in one department, but also includes related courses in other departments.

The requirements for concentrations in the M.A. in Theology program follow:

BIBLICAL STUDIES CONCENTRATION

BS625 The Pentateuch
BS630 The Prophetic Literature (or approved substitute)
BS635 The Gospels and Jesus
BS715 The Letters & Theology of Paul (or approved substitute)
ES701 Judaism and Christian Beginnings

Two BS electives (may be fulfilled by two terms of a biblical language)

One BS elective other than biblical languages (may be the first thesis course)

Students who wish to do biblical language work and a thesis may petition to be excused from one of the three total required electives in history, moral theology, and systematic theology.

HISTORY CONCENTRATION

H601 The Early Christian Church
H602 Medieval Church History
H603 Modern Church History

One of the following two courses:

H/ES611 The American Religious Experience

H731 The Black Churches in America

One of the following two courses:

H/ST605 The History of Theological Systems
SP610 Spiritual Traditions for the Contemporary Church

Three H electives (one of which may be the first thesis course)

MORAL THEOLOGY CONCENTRATION

MT600 Fundamentals of Theological Ethics
MT/ST755 God and the Problem of Evil

Two of the following three courses:

BS/MT739 Ethics in the New Testament
BS/MT756 The Gospels and Social Justice
BS/MT757 Ethics and Social Justice in the Hebrew Bible

One of the following two courses:

MT721 Medical Ethics
MT751 Christian Social Ethics (or approved substitute)

Three MT electives (one of which may be the first thesis course)

SYSTEMATIC THEOLOGY CONCENTRATION

ST601 Foundations of Systematic Theology
H/ST605 The History of Theological Systems

One of the following two courses:

BS715 The Letters & Theology of Paul
BS733 Romans

Two of the following three courses:

ST611 The Person and Work of Jesus Christ
ST721 The Triune God
ST724 The Person and Work of the Holy Spirit

Three ST electives (one of which may be the first thesis course)