Master of Theological Studies

The Master of Theological Studies (MTS) degree program is a two-year program for students who desire theological education but do not seek ordination. The purpose of the MTS degree is to prepare students for further graduate study or to impart theological knowledge that may serve to enhance training received in other fields. For example, church leaders (who may serve as elders, deacons, Bible study teachers, or church education teachers), Christian school teachers, and others serving in Christian ministry may wish to complement their training and experience with graduate-level theological education. Students choose a concentration in either biblical studies or doctrinal/ecclesiastical studies.

The MTS program consists of the same rigorous academic work as the M.Div. program, but without the requirements associated with preaching and ministerial studies. The MTS program offers flexibility by allowing students to concentrate on one of the two areas: biblical studies or doctrinal/ecclesiastical studies.

The biblical studies concentration provides a thorough acquaintance with Hebrew and Greek language study, together with in-depth study of the canon, history, and interpretation of both Old and New Testaments. The concentration is filled out with course work in the ecclesiastical and doctrinal divisions of the curriculum.

The doctrinal/ecclesiastical concentration includes biblical language courses (Hebrew and Greek) and emphasizes church history, apologetics, and theological doctrines.

The applicant for the MTS program must be a dedicated Christian who has earned a Bachelor of Arts degree or its equivalent with a cumulative grade point average of 2.67 (B-) or higher. Pre-seminary education should ordinarily include work in English (including grammar and composition), philosophy (including a survey of ancient philosophy), natural sciences (2 courses), and social sciences (2 courses). An applicant whose academic history shows insufficient breadth in the liberal arts may be requested to do additional work as a condition of admission. For more information on the application process, please check out the how to apply page. This process should be completed before May 1 of the first year of study.