Religion Degrees Online

The Master of Divinity (M.Div.) is a professional-level degree program for individuals planning to enter or continue careers in full-time ministry. A major element of this program provides students with extensive studies in the biblical text and thorough preparation in theology and various areas of practical ministry. Through completion of this program, graduates will be able to conduct their ministry at the highest level of professional competence and communicate in a manner that is intellectually articulate. Also, graduates will be committed to, and effective in, evangelism. Finally, graduates of the M.Div. Degree will be able to conduct themselves and relate to others in a way that is spiritually mature and morally sensitive.

Upon completion of the Master of Divinity Program the graduates will have:

1. Acquired a more in-depth knowledge of the Bible to more effectively function in various roles in a church setting;

2. Skills in studying the Bible;

3. A sound foundation for continuing scholarly biblical studies such as a Ph.D. in Biblical Studies; for advanced education; and

4. Preparation for job opportunities such as minister or ministerial related works, teacher in a school, college or university.

These outcomes are assessed through a comprehensive examination. A student may demonstrate achievement of these outcomes by receiving a passing grade (i.e., Qualifying or Qualifying with Distinction) for the comprehensive examination given for this degree.

Because of the lack of a specific language requirement, this degree is not recommended for those seriously considering graduate school as a future option. The degree will serve well those who plan to begin full-time ministry upon graduation. The degree program includes a core curriculum of textual, practical, doctrinal, and historical courses.

Completion of 8 hours of Bible survey courses (BIB 105, 106, 107, 205, 206 or approved equivalents); these are not included in the credit hours required for the major program and which must be completed before program admission.
Formal admission to the Bible program as soon as requirements can be met, ideally no later than the end of the sophomore year.
Textual studies: 18 hours, with at least 9 hours in New Testament and 6 hours of Old Testament. BIB 343 and 345 may count toward this requirement.
Practical ministry studies: 14 hours, including BIB 225, 320, 322, 323, and 425. Women will take 327 instead of 323. Students who have worked for at least five consecutive years in full-time preaching or in the ministry area for which they are receiving training may petition for a waiver of BIB 323 or 327 by independent study and may petition for a waiver of BIB 425. Waivers or petitions granted do not alter the number of required hours which must be completed in the practical ministry field.
Doctrinal and historical studies: 8 or 9 hours, including BIB 347, either REL 341 or REL 342 and 2-3 elective hours in this area.
Elective hours: 2-3 elective hours in the area of Bible.
Language studies: No languages studies are required, but one year (6 hours) of New Testament Greek is recommended.
Senior seminar: two hours of capstone course work.
Upper-level requirement: of the 45 hours in the Bible area, 24 must be upper-level course work. At least 23 upper-level hours of Bible (BIB prefix) must be done at OVU, including 9 hours of textual courses.
A minor is required. A student may complete a minor offered in the Bible program or in another area of study. Where minors overlap in requirements, students will have room in their program for multiple minors.
Satisfaction of the general institutional requirements for a baccalaureate degree, including the general education requirements.
Satisfaction of the English competency requirement of the Bible program

Students who plan to pursue graduate study or who would like to keep graduate study as a future option should complete this degree. This degree will also serve those who plan to begin full-time ministry upon graduation. The degree program includes a core curriculum of textual, language, practical, doctrinal and historical courses:

Completion of 8 hours of Bible survey courses (BIB 105, 106, 107, 205, 206 or approved equivalents); these are not included in the credit hours required for the major program and must be completed before program admission.

Formal admission to the Bible program as soon as requirements can be met, ideally no later than the end of the sophomore year.

Textual studies: 18 hours, with at least 9 hours in New Testament and 6 hours in Old Testament. BIB 343 and 345 may count toward this requirement.

Practical ministry studies: 14 hours, including BIB 225, 320, 322, 323, and 425. Women will take 327 instead of 323. Students who have worked for at least five consecutive years in full-time preaching or in the ministry area for which they are receiving training may petition to take BIB 323 or 327 by independent study and may petition for a waiver of BIB 425. Waivers or petitions granted do not alter the number of required hours which must be completed in the practical ministry field.

Doctrinal and historical studies: 8 or 9 hours, including BIB 347, either REL 341 or REL 342, and 2-3 elective hours in this area.

Elective hours: 2-3 elective hours in the area of Bible.

Language studies: 12 hours of New Testament Greek. These hours may be counted toward a minor in Greek and/or a minor in Biblical languages.

Senior seminar: two hours of capstone course work.

Upper-level requirement: Of the 45 required hours in the Bible area (excluding the language requirement), 24 must be upper-level course work. At least 23 upper-level hours of Bible (BIB prefix) must be done at OVU, including 9 hours of textual courses.

A minor is required. A student may complete a minor offered in the Bible program or in another area of study. Where minors overlap in requirements, students will have room in their program for multiple minors.

Satisfaction of the general institutional requirements for a baccalaureate degree, including the general education requirements.

Satisfaction of the English competency requirement of the Bible program.

Master of Divinity

For individuals seeking the most comprehensive preparation offered through a master’s-level degree, the Master of Divinity is generally the degree of choice for those seeking ordination, licensure or devoted to full-time ministry. The overall program requires 90-credit hours and is typically completed in three years.

Students in the program benefit from extensive knowledge gained in theology, biblical languages and church history, as well as the Old and New Testaments. The Master of Divinity program is also designed to provide students with a significant number of elective courses that can be tailored (with approval) toward the specific interests and calling of each individual student.

The Biblical Studies Major is a multi-purpose program which responds easily to the student who has previous college work and desires to invest time in obtaining a foundation in Biblical studies. This degree program is sufficiently flexible that a person who has completed two years of college in a non-religion field can complete the degree with two years of additional study. The student who holds an accredited B.S. or B.A. in a field other than religion can normally complete this second degree in one year of additional study. The Bachelor of Science in Biblical Studies is not designed to prepare the student for a professional ministry career. Students wishing to pursue full-time ministry should continue in a master’s degree program in the selected field. Objectives: A) To offer qualifying transfer students who have two years of applicable college work from an approved institution an opportunity to complete a B.S. in Biblical Studies by completing two additional years in religion at SCU. B) To offer the student who holds an accredited bachelor’s degree in a non-religion major an opportunity to complete another degree with a major in Bible by completing a minimum of 32 hours in religion courses. C) To offer the student who is not seeking specific vocational training for a church-related profession an opportunity to take course work in Bible and theology.

MA in UM Design and Requirements

The MA in UM’s main campus in the city of Chicago offers classes at times conducive for persons engaged in full-time employment. The entire program may be completed at the South Chicago Regional Center; however, many courses are also offered on the Deerfield Campus.

The curriculum design enables completion of the required 48 hours in approximately three years when taking two courses (6-8 hours) per semester, making the emphasis accessible to those engaged in full-time ministry. Upon completion of course work, a written professional project is also required that reflects the engagement of the student’s academic training with ministry experience.

Currently, courses are offered in Dolton across the street from New Life Celebration Church of God at 14200 Dante Avenue. Updated course information may be obtained through Dr. Michael Reynolds, Assistant Dean of Extension and Continuing Education and Director of the MA in UM program at 312.505.8498.
MA in UM Admission Requirements and Prerequisites

In addition to the General Admission Requirements described in the Admissions section of the catalog, the following further requirements are specific to the MA in UM program:

The applicant’s undergraduate grade point average must be a minimum of 2.5 on a 4.0 scale; however, since GPA is not always an accurate indication of an applicant’s abilities for graduate work, those with a lower GPA are encouraged to consult with our admissions counselors. Alternative evaluation is sometimes possible as is admission status that will permit the applicant to demonstrate the ability to do graduate work.

MA in UM Residency Requirement and Continuation

Residency requirements for the MA in UM degree:
Twenty-four hours must be completed through Trinity course work.
The final 8 hours must be taken through Trinity.

Upon completion of all but 6 hours of course work in a program, continuous registration each fall and spring semester is required. If a student is not registered for remaining course work, a continuation fee is assessed each semester until all program requirements have been met. If the student has not completed the program after four semesters of continuation status, the fee amount is doubled for the next four semesters.

MA in UM Statute of Limitation
All MA in UM program requirements must be completed within five years of matriculation into the program for students enrolled on the Deerfield Campus. Students enrolled at extension sites must complete all requirements within eight years. Petition to extend the statute of limitation may be made by a student to the Academic Exceptions Committee.

MA in UM Candidacy Requirements
Admission to the MA in UM program must be followed by achievement of candidacy for the degree. Program candidacy occurs when
A minimum of 16 hours in the program are completed with a minimum GPA of 2.5 after admission to the program.
All entrance deficiencies and conditions are removed.
Formal action has been taken by the faculty to grant candidacy for the degree.

MA in UM Graduation Requirements
The following requirements must be completed to earn the MA in UM degree:
Complete the General Graduation Requirements for all master’s programs.
Complete a minimum of 48 hours with a cumulative GPA for program course work of at least 2.5, with no course work graded below a “C-” applicable to the degree. A maximum of 33 percent of course work may be completed in an independent study format (Reading, Guided Research, and Distance Education courses).
Meet the general comprehensive requirements in Old Testament, New Testament, and three in Systematic Theology through either successful completion of the exams or parallel course work. See the Academic Handbook for details on these exams.

MA in UM students may complete the general comprehensive requirement through Distance Education courses (OT 5000, NT 5000, ST 5101, ST 5102, ST 5103) when available, which must be passed with a “C” or higher. Failure to pass at this grade level necessitates completion of the classroom course.
MA in UM students must complete an approved professional project (PT 7471, PT 7472), reflecting academic training, practical experiences, and demonstrated ability in the practice of urban ministry.

Major in Theology—B.A.

The B.A. in theology is for individuals who wish to pursue full-time ministry. This degree prepares the student for advanced training in ministry at the seminary.

Thank you for your interest in the Master of Arts in Practical Theology at Barry University. I am excited about the opportunity to meet and work with people who desire to deepen the theological foundations of their faith commitment and to do so in practical ways in a Catholic international university rooted in the Adrian Dominican tradition.

Barry’s MA in Practical Theology features an excellent combination of theological education and ministerial formation in the Roman Catholic and other Christian traditions. Our students represent a diverse community from lay and ordained ministries with various cultural backgrounds and faith traditions. Our fulltime faculty members provide the one-to-one attention and professional expertise that foster our students’ academic, personal, and ministerial growth.

Those for whom the M.A. in Practical Theology is a terminal degree will enjoy the joint benefits of theological education and ministerial formation in a multicultural environment, an invaluable combination for those committed to a Christian community of faith in the 21st century. Those who anticipate the possibility of doctoral studies in a D.Min. or Ph.D. program will find themselves strategically poised to move toward either alternative with solid theological and ministerial competence.

Tuition assistance and a limited number of assistantships are available for those involved in full-time ministry. For qualified students pursuing a Concentration in Hispanic-Latino Theology and Ministry through the Institute, we also offer the Gendron Scholarship.

Explore our website to see the many reasons why a Master of Arts in Practical Theology from Barry University is a valuable means for you to deepen your theological foundations in practical ways. We invite you to join this community of scholars committed to study, exploration, and service!

Beeson Divinity School offers the Master of Divinity (M.Div.), Master of Theological Studies (M.T.S.) and the Doctor of Ministry (D.Min.) degrees. Beeson is accredited with the Association of Theological Schools in the United States and Canada. Additional information regarding specific program requirements and steps to admission are found in the current Beeson Bulletin.

The Master of Divinity (M.Div.) is the flagship degree of Beeson Divinity School. It combines academic and practical training to prepare pastors for full-time ministry. This degree offers a balanced curriculum of Biblical studies, historical and theological studies, spiritual formation, and ministry leadership development.