Mission Statement
The School of Humanities & Theology seeks to give students a broad basis in the liberal arts tradition from a Christian world view, integrating faith and learning in literature, languages, ethical, and philosophical trends affecting the society of today, enhancing the development of a broad spiritual and intellectual foundation in an environment where academic excellence is emphasized and a biblically-based Christian perspective is maintained.
Applicability to Life: The intellectual discipline of theology has often been separated from the experience of human life which is lived before God. The ultimate concern of theology should be with God in his relationship with humans, and thus with human life as it is lived before God, hence one’s life as lived unto God. Theological study should involve not only correct thinking about God but also good living before God. It should involve a consideration of the question, “How can we use what we learn to glorify God, to live well before him, to do his will, to cause his name to be honored in the world, and to enjoy him?”
Fidelity to the Biblical Revelation: Modern theological study has often taken its cues from the surrounding culture instead of occupying the ground established by divine revelation and thus speaking an alien word to the culture. In recent times this has meant surrendering the concept of “truth” and acceding to the relativism of modern thought, relegating “religion” to the realm of subjective personal preference. In contrast, the core of a common Christian theology must be seen as the expression of divinely-revealed truth, valid for and making claims upon all people.
Master of Arts in Christian Ministry
Online Program: Many classes are offered face-to-face as well as online. Students pursuing the MACM will have the option of completing the program online or through a hybrid approach that blends both online and classroom instruction.
Summary of the MACM Degree Process
To earn the MACM degree, a student must complete each of the following steps:
- The student must develop a comprehensive plan of study with the Graduate Advisor.
- The student must complete all coursework included in the plan of study.
- An Application for Graduation, signed by the student, Graduate Advisor and Vice President for Graduate Affairs, must be filed with the Graduate Office and the Records Office by the deadline. For deadline information, see the Academic Calendar page.
- Students must pay the required graduation fee. All graduate candidates for graduation during an academic year – Fall, Spring, Winter Term, and Summer – are encouraged to attend the commencement exercises which are held at the close of the Spring Semester. Graduate students must have all work completed and a degree conferred. Students must notify the Vice President for Graduate Affairs and the Director of Records if they choose not to participate. Students must pay the graduation fee whether they attend commencement or not.
- All graduate students must have a 3.0 cumulative grade point average in order to graduate from the program.
Transfer Students and Transfer Credit
Transfer credits must have been earned within the seven (7) years prior to entry into the Graduate Studies Program. Transfer credits must be approved by the Graduate Advisor and the Associate Dean or Program Director and must have grades of A, B, S, CR, or P. Students may not take courses from other graduate programs while enrolled at Missouri Baptist without written approval from the Vice President for Graduate Affairs.
Students entering the Master of Arts in Christian Ministry (MACM) degree program may transfer up to nine (9) graduate credits into the Missouri Baptist University Graduate Studies Program from another regionally accredited college or university. The total hours transferred to Missouri Baptist, including courses from other programs while enrolled, may not exceed nine (9) hours. Students must complete at least thirty (30) hours of credit at Missouri Baptist University. Coursework completed at colleges/universities or other postsecondary institutions which are not regionally accredited, but which are accredited by a body recognized by the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA) may be evaluated on an individual basis in keeping with whether or not the course would be appropriate to apply toward a master’s program at Missouri Baptist University.
The University only recognizes institutions accredited by the current edition of Accredited Institutions of Postsecondary Education published by the CHEA and the American Council on Education.
Directed Studies
Qualified students are permitted to engage in directed studies under graduate faculty supervision. Some courses are not available as a directed study. Under this arrangement, students are enabled to explore subjects in depth, or examine new areas of study, beyond the opportunity afforded by the University’s curriculum. In some cases, catalog courses may be offered as directed studies. Graduate students may not earn more than six (6) credit hours of directed study in their master’s program unless special permission is received in writing from the Vice President for Graduate Affairs. Certain courses may not be taken by directed study, as specified in the course description.
Directed study forms are available in the Records Office and approval must be obtained from the student’s Graduate Advisor, the instructor of the course, Associate Dean, and Vice President for Graduate Affairs before the beginning of each term. The student and graduate faculty are expected to present the following items as part of the directed study: objectives, detailed description of the study, procedures for student-instructor interaction, method of evaluation, and anticipated resources needed for the study or a course syllabus may be attached to the directed study form.
Capstone: CSCM 423/523 is the capstone requirement for the Master of Arts in Christian Ministry. Students are required to earn a grade of B or better in this course. The capstone course must be completed through Missouri Baptist University and cannot be taken as a directed study.
Exit Exam: The Master of Arts in Christian Ministry degree does not require an exit exam.
4+1 Accelerated Bachelor of Arts in Christian Ministry to Master of Arts in Christian Ministry
Missouri Baptist University offers an accelerated program for students to complete their Master of Arts in Christian Ministry (MACM) at an accelerated rate. Upon completion of their four-year undergraduate program, students can complete their MACM in one year. Undergraduate students interested in pursuing this program should complete a minor in one of the following areas: Apologetic Studies, Biblical Counseling, Church Planting, Church Revitalization, Family Ministry, Intercultural Studies, Pastoral Ministries, or Worship. During their junior and senior year, students will complete a total of 12 credit hours of senior permission courses. These senior permission courses will contribute to their selected area of emphasis once accepted into the MACM program.
Graduate Certificates
Graduate certificates may be earned in the fields of Apologetic Studies, Biblical Counseling, Church Planting, Church Revitalization, Family Ministry, Intercultural Studies, and Pastoral Ministries. These certificates are stand-alone certificates and may not be earned concurrently with a master’s degree in the same discipline or track. Students who begin a certificate program and wish to switch to a master’s program must make application to the master’s program through the Graduate Admissions Office and submit all documentation for full admission. Classes may not be transferred in for the certificate programs, and students must complete the required twelve (12) hours through Missouri Baptist University.
These certificates are already packaged as an emphasis for the Master of Arts in Christian Ministry program. Students currently pursuing the full MACM degree cannot pursue any of the five Graduate Certificates. If a student earns one of these Graduate Certificates and later chooses to pursue the full MACM, they must choose an emphasis in a different discipline. Students returning to pursue a master’s degree after earning a certificate may transfer up to six (6) hours from their certificate program into the master’s program. Six (6) alternative hours will replace completed core classes. The student and advisor will decide on appropriate classes with the approval of the Dean of the College of Arts & Humanities.
The graduate certificates require a cumulative grade point average of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale to be granted. Students must earn at least three final grades of A or B, and no final grade lower than a C in the four courses that make up their chosen certificate. Only one grade of C will be permitted to complete a graduate certificate program.
Programs of Study
Specific course requirements can be found on the corresponding program page.
Master
Graduate Certificate
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