Accelerated B.C.M. Theological Studies to M.Div.

To help students to be good stewards of their financial resources, the School of Christian Studies is proud to offer an accelerated B.C.M. Theological Studies to M.Div. program theological studies 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 program would reduce the total hours for the two degrees from 196 hours to 161 hours (208 to 161 for biblical languages track). Undergraduate students must apply and be admitted to this program.

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
35 hours of graduate coursework taken as an upper-classman cross-lists on the baccalaureate degree plan
No more than 35 hours 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 the following:
- 11 hours in the major
  - THST 5302 - Christian Theology for THST 4302
  - Graduate Old Testament elective for Old Testament elective
  - Graduate New Testament elective for New Testament elective
  - MNST 5260 - Practicum for MNST 3260
- 24 hours in the professional development block (student’s choice in consultation with faculty mentor)
Changes to the M.Div. requirements:
- THST 5303 - Old Testament Foundations replaced by Old Testament elective
- THST 5304 - New Testament Foundations replaced by New Testament elective
- MNST 5300 - Foundations in Ministry , THST 5300 - Foundations of Biblical Interpretation , and THST 5330 - Christian Ethics
  - 9 hours added to the electives block in the M.Div. non-language track
  - 3 hours added to the electives block in the M.Div. biblical languages track; overall hour requirement lowered from 78 hours to 72 hours
Other requirements:
- Complete MNST 5301 - Spiritual Formation or THST 5301 - Christian Spirituality , whichever related course is not completed in the undergraduate major
- Complete MNST 5302 - Principles of Biblical Teaching or MNST 5303 - Preaching , whichever related course is not taken in the undergraduate major
- Must take THST 5351 - Baptist History in M.Div. faith heritage section of the core; non-Baptist students may petition for substitution, if desired

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 the B.C.M. degree
Student must maintain a 3.0 GPA in last sixty hours of the B.C.M. degree
Student must earn C or better in the 35 hours of cross-listed graduate courses

B.C.M. Theological Studies

The theological studies major focuses the student’s ministerial training on exploration of the world of the Bible, deepening his or her understanding of Christian doctrine, ethics, and church history.

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:

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 1303 - Old Testament for Majors and Minors 3 hrs ³ and RLGN 1304 - New Testament for Majors and Minors 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 1303 - Old Testament for Majors and Minors or RLGN 1304 - New Testament for Majors and Minors , 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 1303 - Old Testament for Majors and Minors and/or RLGN 1304 - New Testament for Majors and Minors , or their equivalents, at any institution except other Baptist institutions, then the student has two options to meet the core requirement: (1) take RLGN 1303 and/or RLGN 1304 at Wayland or (2) take THST 4310 , THST 4311 , THST 4312 , THST 4313 , or THST 4320 in lieu of RLGN 1303 ; and/or take THST 4320 , THST 4321 , THST 4322 , or THST 4323 in lieu of RLGN 1304 . THST 4320 may be an option for either RLGN 1303 or RLGN 1304 as stated above, but may not count for both on the same degree plan. No other THST/MNST courses may substitute for either RLGN 1303 or RLGN 1304 . The Dean of the School of Christian Studies must approve any exception to this policy. RLGN 1303 - Old Testament for Majors and Minors or RLGN 1304 - New Testament for Majors and Minors , 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. Remedial level 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.

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.

Theological Studies - 36 hrs

The theological studies major requires a minimum of 36 hours from the following courses, of which 11 hours will be cross-listed for the M.Div.:

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 5302 - Christian Theology 3 hrs (for THST 4302 - 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 4303 - Preaching 3 hrs
MNST 5260 - Practicum 2 hrs (for MNST 5260 - Practicum 2 hrs)
MNST 4100 - Senior Ministry Capstone 1 hrs

Theological Studies - 18 hrs

THST 4330 - Christian Ethics 3 hrs
THST 4350 - Church History 3 hrs
Graduate Old Testament Elective - 3 hrs (for Upper-Level Old Testament Elective - 3 hrs)
Graduate New Testament Elective - 3 hrs (for Upper-Level New Testament Elective - 3 hrs)
THST Elective - 3 hrs
THST or MNST Elective - 3 hrs

Master of Divinity

The Master of Divinity is the standard professional degree for individuals entering Christian ministry. For a variety of reasons, however, many individuals find themselves actively engaged in ministry and unable to relocate to a school providing the M.Div. The School of Christian Studies offers a Master of Divinity program that can be completed fully online or through a combination of face-to-face classes at one of Wayland’s many campuses.

The program prepares the student for effective ministry in the twenty-first century, whether serving in the church, on the mission field, in a denominational institution, or through a parachurch organization. The program seeks to prepare the entire person for service in the kingdom of God, by connecting the intellectual disciplines with practical training and spiritual development.

Core Classes - 51-57 hrs

Spiritual Formation - 10 hrs

MNST 5301 - Spiritual Formation 3 hrs or THST 5301 - Christian Spirituality 3 hrs (whichever related course is not completed in undergraduate major)
MNST 5323 - Christian Worship 3 hrs
Combination of four courses:
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)

Biblical Foundations - 12-18 hrs

Graduate Old Testament Elective - 3 hrs (for THST 5303 - Old Testament Foundations 3 hrs)
Graduate New Testament Elective - 3 hrs (for THST 5304 - New Testament Foundations 3 hrs)
Non-Language Track:
GREK 5303 - Greek Tools for Ministry 3 hrs
HEBR 5303 - Hebrew Tools for Ministry 3 hrs
OR Biblical Languages Track:
GREK 5301 - Biblical Greek I 3 hrs and GREK 5302 - Biblical Greek II 3 hrs*
HEBR 5301 - Biblical Hebrew I 3 hrs and HEBR 5302 - Biblical Hebrew II 3 hrs
* GREK 1301 - Elementary Greek and GREK 1302 - Elementary Greek are prerequisites and should be taken in the Math/Science/Language core requirement or as an undergraduate elective.

Electives - 15-21 hrs

Students in the non-language track must complete 21 hours of electives. Students in the biblical languages track must complete 15 hours of electives.