Academic Catalog 2019-2020 
    
    Mar 28, 2024  
Academic Catalog 2019-2020 [ARCHIVED CATALOG]


Accelerated B.C.M. Chrstn Min to M.A. Chrstn Min

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



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To help students be good stewards of their financial resources, the School of Christian Studies is proud to offer an accelerated B.C.M in Christian ministry to M.A. in Christian ministry program for Christian ministry majors who apply as undergraduates. The accelerated program can reduce the financial cost for the student by reducing the time required to complete a master’s degree.

The accelerated bachelor’s to master’s degree program reduces the total hours for the two degrees from 166 hours (non-thesis) or 172 hours (thesis) to 148 hours. Undergraduate students must apply and be admitted to this program.

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-semester 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 semester hours must be upper-level credit (courses numbered 3000 and above). Components of the Bachelor of Christian Ministry degree include:

Academic Major


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

Experiential Professional Development


The experiential professional development component consists of 12 semester hours designed to provide practical experience as an integral part of the student’s career development. Experiential learning may satisfy a portion of 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. Upper-level electives will be used to meet the experiential professional development requirement in cases where work experience is lacking. Practicums and internships may be placed in this area if they do not relate to the major.

Professional Development


The Professional Development component of the B.C.M. consists of 24 semester 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 specialization, a minor, or ministry-related courses. Student completing Christian ministry or theological studies majors will complete a minor 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 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 24 semester hours, in which case hours will be reduced from the electives block or added to the degree.

Electives


Students may complete the minimum of 124 semester 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 semester hours, students should check with their advisor to ensure that the hours are indeed elective and that upper-level semester hour requirements for graduation are being met.

Christian Ministry - 36 hrs


The Christian ministry major requires a minimum of 36 semester 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.

Christian Ministry - 18 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.

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. 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.

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:

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