Introduction

Mid-America's curriculum aims at providing students with the skills necessary to become effective and sound Reformed ministers. The Seminary's course work achieves this in two important ways: by practically applying academic knowledge to sermon preparation and by building a solid exegetical foundation before exposure to biblical criticism.

In the areas of dogmatics and exegesis, academic study and homiletical application are repeatedly integrated. This enables the student to translate his theological knowledge into the solid content and sound method of well-constructed sermons.

In the area of biblical studies, the student becomes thoroughly acquainted with the principles of interpretation as well as the content of books of the Bible. Course work is carefully sequenced so that the student has a solid exegetical foundation before exposure to courses dealing with modern hermeneutical questions and attacks against the Bible. The heavy emphasis on exegesis of the biblical text equips students to interpret Scripture with independent skill.

The curriculum is arranged in four primary divisions: Biblical Studies, Ecclesiastical Studies, Doctrinal Studies, and Ministerial Studies. Each division has a Divisional Studies section, which contains courses taught by a team of professors. Each division also contains specialized departmental studies, such as Old and New Testament Studies in the Biblical Studies division or Historical Studies in the Ecclesiastical Studies division.

These studies can be differentiated by the two-letter prefixes identifying courses. In the Biblical Studies division for example, BD indicates a Divisional Study course and OT indicates an Old Testament departmental course.

The three digits following the two-letter prefix indicate year, semester, and credit hours. The first digit signifies the year in which the student takes the course (1 = junior, 2 = middler, 3 = senior). The second digit represents the semester (1 = first semester, 2 = interim, 3 = second semester). Interim courses are generally offered for a three-week period in January. The third digit specifies the number of credit hours (1-4) for that particular course. BD 312, therefore, indicates a divisional studies course taught in the Biblical Studies division to third year students, during the first semester, for two hours of credit.

Courses whose second letter is E and whose first number is greater than 3 are electives. For example, BE 442 is a Biblical Studies elective course that is worth two hours of credit.

Biblical Studies	Ecclesiastical Studies
Doctrinal Studies	Ministerial Studies

Course Schedule

Junior Year

Fall Semester
OT 113 Hebrew	3
CH 113 Ancient Church History	3
AS 112 Introduction to Apologetics	2
DD 112 Theological Foundations	2
PS 112 Church Education	2
PS 114 Homiletics/Liturgics	4
Greek 201 (New Testament Greek)	(3)
Total Course Hours	16
Interim
OT 122 Hebrew	2
PP 121 Sermon Types	1
Total Course Hours	3
Spring Semester
OT 132 Old Testament Canon/Interpretation	2
OT 134 Old testament History: Pre-Monarchy	4
NT 133 New Testament Canon/Environment/Interpretation	3
DS 134 Theology and Anthropology	4
PS 133 Pastoral Care and Counseling	3
PP 131 Applied Sermon	1
Greek 202 (New Testament Greek)	(3)
Total Course Hours	17

Middler Year

Fall Semester
NT 213 New Testament History	3
AS 213 Applied Apologetics	3
DS 213 Christology	3
ES 213 Christian Ethics	3
PP 211 Old Testament Sermon	1
Elective	2
Total Course Hours	16
Interim
Elective	2
Total Course Hours	3
Spring Semester
OT 233 Old Testament History/Exegesis: Monarchy	3(+1)
NT 233 New Testament Exegesis	3(+1)
CH 232 Medieval Church History	2
DS 233 Pneumatology	3
PS 232 Pastoral Counseling	2
PP 231 New Testament Sermon	1
Total Course Hours	16

Senior Year

Fall Semester
OT 313 Old Testament History/Exegesis: Post Monarchy	3(+1)
CH 313 Reformation Church History	3
DS 313 Ecclesiology	3
PS 313 Evangelism and Missions	3
PP 311 Catechism Sermon	1
Elective	2
Total Course Hours	16
Interim
Comprehensives	0
Total Course Hours	0
Spring Semester
NT 333 New Testament Exegesis	3(+1)
ED 333 Denominational History/Government	3
CH 334 Modern Church History	4
DS 332 Eschatology	2
PP 331 Occasional Sermon	1
Elective	2
Total Course Hours	16