Accelerated B.C.M. Christian Ministry + M.A. Christian Ministry

Wayland Baptist University’s accelerated programs allow high-achieving, motivated students the opportunity to combine undergraduate and graduate coursework in an academically rigorous yet efficient, cost-effective program of study. The School of Christian Studies accelerated programs reduce time in school through an integrated curriculum that avoids duplicated courses, maximizing academic coursework and experiential learning opportunities. Each program, undergraduate and graduate, maintains distinctive requirements students must meet to participate in the accelerated program. Undergraduate students must apply and be admitted to an accelerated program.

The B.C.M. in Christian Ministry + M.A. in Christian Ministry is an accelerated 148-hour program, offering students either a non-thesis track or a thesis track.

Full-time students transition from bachelor-level coursework to master-level coursework in years three to four and complete both degrees simultaneously in years five to six (depending on hours taken)
A minor is not required in the professional development block for the thesis track
Graduate coursework taken as an upper-classman cross-lists on the baccalaureate degree plan
- 6 hours for non-thesis track
- 12 hours for thesis track
No more than 6 hours (or 12 hours for thesis track) can be cross-listed, though graduate courses can be taken concurrently if needed in the last term of the B.C.M. for financial aid
Cross-listed courses in the major are 6 hours from the following:
Cross-listed courses for the thesis track are 12 hours from those listed above or MNST electives toward a specialization (in consultation with faculty mentor)
MNST 3260 - Practicum and MNST 4100 - Senior Ministry Capstone are replaced with a 3-hour THST or MNST elective

To remain in good standing for accelerated program

Student must make C or better in all major coursework in the B.C.M. degree
Student must maintain a 2.5 overall GPA in first sixty hours of B.C.M. degree
Student must maintain a 3.0 GPA in last sixty hours of B.C.M. degree
Student must earn B or better in cross-listed graduate courses

B.C.M. Christian Ministry

The Christian ministry major focuses the student’s ministerial training on cultivation of leadership skills, understanding of the various ministries of the church, acquisition of basic skills in conflict resolution and pastoral counseling, and effective teaching of biblical and discipleship concepts. To complement the major, the student will complete a minor as a portion of the professional development hours in the degree unless the student enters the university with substantial ministry-related transfer credit, as determined by the dean of the school.

Bachelor of Christian Ministry Degree Specific General Education Core Course Requirements - 44 hrs

The Bachelor of Christian Ministry Degree (B.C.M.) is a minimum 124-credit hour degree designed to afford both academic and professional depth for individuals who express a call to ministry. The degree integrates university degree requirements with appropriate experience. A minimum of 36 credit hours must be upper-level credit (courses numbered 3000 and above). Components of the Bachelor of Christian Ministry degree include:

English - 6 hrs:
ENGL 1301 - Composition and Rhetoric 3 hrs ¹ and ENGL 1302 - Composition and Reading 3 hrs¹
History - 6 hrs from:
HIST 1301 - Western Civilization to 1648 3 hrs or HIST 1303 - World Civilization to 1500 3 hrs AND HIST 1302 - Western Civilization since 1648 3 hrs or HIST 1304 - World Civilization since 1500 3 hrs; -OR- HIST 2301 - United States History to 1877 3 hrs and HIST 2302 - United States History since 1877 3 hrs
Mathematics - 3 hrs:
MATH 1303 - Mathematics for Liberal Arts 3 hrs - OR - higher
Exercise and Sport Science - 3 hrs:
EXSS courses²
Religion - 6 hrs:
RLGN 1301 - Old Testament History 3 hrs and RLGN 1302 - New Testament History 3 hrs³
Science - 3 hrs:
Science course 3 hrs
Political Science - 3 hrs:
POLS 2301 - American Government 3 hrs
Communication - 3 hrs from:
COMS 1301 - Speech Communication 3 hrs , COMS 1303 - Professional Communication 3 hrs, COMS 2302 - Communication in the Classroom 3 hrs, or COMS 2303 - Public Speaking 3 hrs
Computer Applications - 3 hrs:
COSC 2311 - Computer Applications 3 hrs ⁴
Additional Requirements - 8 hrs:
Math/Science/Language⁵ 3 hrs
Math/Science/Language⁵ 3 hrs
BASC 1200 - Best Achievement Strategies for College 2 hrs -OR- BASC 1201 - Best Achievement Strategies for College 2 hrs
GRAD 0001 - Senior Seminar 0 hrs
NOTATIONS:
1. ENGL 1301 and ENGL 1302 should be taken within first year of enrollment.
2. Students who have served two or more years in the Armed Forces are exempt from the EXSS requirement with DD-214 from basic training.
3. Wayland Baptist University will not accept RLGN 1301 - Old Testament History or RLGN 1302 - New Testament History , or their equivalents, from any institution except other Baptist institutions to meet the core requirement in any Wayland degree. If a student has taken RLGN 1301 - Old Testament History and/or RLGN 1302 - New Testament History , or their equivalents, at any institution except other Baptist institutions, then the student has two options to meet the core requirement: (1) take RLGN 1301 and/or RLGN 1302 at Wayland or (2) take THST 4310 , THST 4311 , THST 4312 , THST 4313 , or THST 4320 in lieu of RLGN 1301 ; and/or take THST 4320 , THST 4321 , THST 4322 , or THST 4323 in lieu of RLGN 1302 . THST 4320 may be an option for either RLGN 1301 or RLGN 1302 as stated above, but may not count for both on the same degree plan. No other THST/MNST courses may substitute for either RLGN 1301 or RLGN 1302 . The Dean of the School of Christian Studies must approve any exception to this policy. RLGN 1301 - Old Testament History or RLGN 1302 - New Testament History , or their equivalents, taken at non-Baptist institutions, may be transferred as elective credit with approval of the Dean of the School of Christian Studies and the Registrar.
4. Students may opt to test out of COSC 2311 ; see course description.
5. Developmental courses may not be used to fulfill the mathematics requirement. Equivalents to MATH 1300 may be used.

Academic Major

Students seeking the B.C.M. degree will complete the appropriate major requirements as outlined in the School of Christian Studies section.

Professional Development

The Professional Development component of the B.C.M. consists of 36 credit hours selected to provide depth or breadth to the major and to provide substantive developmental knowledge for the student’s career or personal goals. Depth and breadth can be met through a major, a specialization, a minor, or ministry-related courses. Student completing Christian ministry or theological studies majors will complete a minor or second major as a portion of the professional development hours unless the student enters the university with substantial ministry-related transfer credit, as determined by the dean of the School of Christian Studies, or they are accepted into an accelerated program that does not require a minor. Students in the co-vocational ministry major will complete a second major or a specialization as part of a composite major in lieu of a separate professional development component. Co-vocational ministry specializations may require additional hours beyond the 36 credit hours, in which case hours will be reduced from the electives block or added to the degree. Students not pursuing a minor or second major must ensure all upper-level academic and cumulative hours are met for the degree.

Up to 12 credit hours of experiential professional development may satisfy this requirement. Experiential learning must be evaluated and approved by the university. Students who have work experience in full-time, part-time or co-vocational ministry positions may have the work experience evaluated if the ministry position is a paid staff position with formal job requirements. Practicums and internships may be placed in this area if they do not relate to the major.

Electives

Students may complete the minimum of 124 credit hours required for the degree with courses which complement or extend career preparation or pursue subject fields which hold special appeal. However, before using elective credit hours, students should check with their advisor to ensure that the hours are indeed elective and that upper-level credit hour requirements for graduation are being met.

Christian Ministry - 36 hrs

The Christian ministry major requires a minimum of 36 credit hours from the following courses, of which 6 hours may be cross-listed for non-thesis track and 12 hours may be cross-listed for thesis-track M.A. Christian ministry (indicated in parenthesis):

Christian Studies Common Core - 18 hrs

The School of Christian Studies seeks a holistic approach to ministerial training, preparing the head (knowledge), the heart (devotion), and the hands (service). This holistic approach begins with a common core for all Christian Studies majors.

MNST 3300 - Introduction to Ministry 3 hrs
THST 3300 - Biblical Interpretation 3 hrs
THST 4302 - Christian Theology 3 hrs (or THST 5302 - Christian Theology 3 hrs)
MNST 3301 - Spiritual Formation 3 hrs or THST 3301 - Christian Spirituality 3 hrs
MNST 3302 - Principles of Biblical Teaching 3 hrs (or MNST 5302 - Principles of Biblical Teaching 3 hrs); or MNST 4303 - Preaching 3 hrs (or MNST 5303 - Preaching 3 hrs)
THST or MNST Elective - 3 hrs (replacing MNST 3260 and MNST 4100 )

Christian Ministry - 18 hrs

MNST 3311 - Family Ministry in the Church 3 hrs
MNST 4320 - Christian Leadership 3 hrs (or MNST 5320 - Christian Leadership 3 hrs)
MNST 4330 - Principles of Pastoral Counseling 3 hrs (or MNST 5330 - Principles of Pastoral Counseling 3 hrs)
Upper-Level Bible Elective - 3 hrs
MNST Elective - 3 hrs
MNST or THST Elective - 3 hrs

M.A. Christian Ministry

The M.A. in Christian Ministry is an advanced degree for persons interested in furthering their ministerial education, primarily in the practical and educational disciplines of leadership and administration, age-related ministries, pastoral ministry and counseling, evangelism, and missions. The non-thesis track allows students who elect not to complete a Master of Divinity the opportunity to gain additional ministry training while actively serving in a local Christian ministry. It may also provide interested students an avenue for additional study in the practical ministry disciplines.

The thesis track substantively prepares the student for work on more advanced degrees, such as the Ph.D. or Th.D. in practical ministry discipline, with the addition of a research thesis. (Note, however, that the Doctor of Ministry degree requires a Master of Divinity.) Students considering a career teaching at the college or seminary level should understand that the M.A. in Christian Ministry is a step toward the academic credentials required for college or seminary teaching positions.

Program

The non-thesis track is 30 hours for students with undergraduate work in Christian studies. The thesis track includes an additional 6 hours of graduate work.

Christian Ministry Core - 15 hrs

Praxis - six hours from:

Educational Ministry - three hours from:

Spiritual Formation - three hours from:

MNST 5301 - Spiritual Formation 3 hrs
THST 5301 - Christian Spirituality 3 hrs
Combination of three courses (if one of the above courses was completed as an undergraduate):
MNST 5160 - The Practice of Spiritual Disciplines 1 hrs (may be repeated as topic varies)
THST 5160 - Readings in Christian Spirituality 1 hrs (may be repeated as topic varies)

Electives - 15 hrs (at least 9 hrs MNST)

Fifteen hours of electives, of which at least nine must be MNST

Specialization (Optional)

Students may designate 12 of the 30 hours as a specialization in Practical Ministry or Educational Ministry, or a structured specialization in African American Church Leadership or Hispanic Church Leadership. These hours are neither added to nor deducted from the required hours listed above. Students considering doctoral study should select a specialization in consultation with a faculty mentor.

African American Church Leadership Specialization

Students pursuing the African American Church Leadership specialization will complete the following courses as part of the M.A. in Christian Ministry:

Students considering doctoral study should develop on academic plan in consultation with a faculty mentor.

Hispanic Church Leadership Specialization

Students pursuing the Hispanic Church Leadership specialization will complete the following courses as part of the M.A. in Christian Ministry:

Students considering doctoral study should develop an academic plan in consultation with a faculty mentor.

Thesis (pre-doctoral) track - 6 additional hours

In addition to the 30 hours above, students who wish to prepare for doctoral work in an area of practical or educational ministry are encouraged to complete the thesis (pre-doctoral) track. Students should complete the appropriate specialization for their field of interest in consultation with a faculty mentor.

The thesis requires a student to demonstrate the ability to do independent research. Students should be aware that many doctoral programs require competency in additional modern research languages, and perhaps biblical languages, so advance exploration of doctoral programs is suggested as is consultation with a faculty mentor.

Thesis (pre-doctoral) track additional graduate courses: