Theological Studies, M.A.

• School of Theology
• C.P. Haggard Graduate School of Theology
• Master of Arts in Theological Studies

• About the Program
• Coursework
• Faculty
• Tuition and Aid
• Admission
• Contact

Coursework

• Course Requirements
• Biblical Languages
• Advanced Standing
• Transfer Units
• Additional Degree Requirements
• Frequently Asked Questions

Course Requirements

The Master of Arts in Theological Studies Program requires 60 units of coursework, comprising 8-16 units of biblical languages (Hebrew and Greek), 16 units in each of the two core areas of biblical studies and theology and ethics, and 12-20 units of concentration in either biblical studies or theology and ethics, including 4 units for the preparation of a research paper/thesis, which will be defended in an oral examination. Each student is assigned a faculty advisor who will give guidance in the selection of courses and composition of the research paper/thesis.

*Students concentrating in theology and ethics will take one biblical language, and students concentrating in biblical studies will take two biblical languages. Students who demonstrate transcript evidence of a year of undergraduate Hebrew and/or Greek may apply for Advanced Standing of up to 10 units of credit. In the case of students concentrating in biblical studies who have had a year of both undergraduate Hebrew and Greek, courses of advanced language study will be taken for the additional 6 units beyond Advanced Standing credit.

**GBBL 511 is offered as 511A and 511B at some centers.
***Students may substitute GBBL 631 Community of God by petition to the department chair.

Biblical Languages

Master of Divinity (M.Div.) students are required to obtain competence in at least one biblical language for use as an exegetical tool in the study of the Bible. This requirement may be met by the course GBBL 500 (Elements of Greek Exegesis); by transcript evidence of one year of biblical Greek or Hebrew at the undergraduate level; or by GBBL 510, GBBL 520 or GBBL 530, GBBL 540.

It is strongly recommended, however, that students who anticipate further graduate study in theology complete a full-year course in biblical Greek and/or Hebrew. To obtain full benefit from courses in biblical studies, students should enroll in the biblical language course, as well as in GBBL 511 (Seminar in Biblical Interpretation), as early as possible in their academic program.

Advanced Standing

• M.Div. students may petition for up to 15 units of advanced standing from upper-division undergraduate work in religion.
• The number of core courses in any department that may be replaced by advanced standing is limited to two.
• M.A.P.S. students may petition for up to 10 units of advanced standing from upper-division undergraduate work in religion.
• M.A.T.S. students may petition for up to 10 units of advanced standing on the basis of undergraduate biblical language study or upper-division undergraduate coursework in religion.
• M.A.Y.M. students may petition for up to eight units of advanced standing from undergraduate work in religion.
• Prior to formal admission, the Request for Advanced Standing Petition form should be completed.
• All advanced standing examinations are administered in a proctored setting twice a year: the second Friday of October and March.
• Students must pass examinations for advanced standing within 12 months of their admission date. The cost for the exam is $50 per unit. If the student passes the exam(s), then he/she will not be required to pay full tuition for those units.
• A student may repeat advanced standing examinations one time without further charge.
• Courses in which a grade of B-or lower was earned may not be used for advanced standing.
• Students admitted under the exceptional category may not petition for advanced standing units.
• Undergraduate work must be from an accredited college or university.

Transfer Units

A student may petition for up to 45 units for the M.Div., less any advanced standing units (e.g., 30 units transfer and 15 units advanced standing or any other combination totaling 45 units for the M.Div.), 30 units for the M.A.P.S. and M.A.T.S., and up to 24 units for M.A.Y.M., less any advanced standing units, from other regionally or ATS-accredited graduate degree programs. Units transferred are limited to one-third of an earned master’s degree. A minimum of 45 units for the M.Div., 30 units for the M.A.P.S. and M.A.T.S., and 24 units for the M.A.Y.M., must be completed at C.P. Haggard Graduate School of Theology.

Additional Degree Requirements

Advancement to Candidacy

Before students are allowed to enroll in courses beyond a total of 20 units, they must be advanced to candidacy in the Master of Arts in Theological Studies Program. Candidacy is granted by the faculty of C.P. Haggard Graduate School of Theology after a review of the student’s progress in the program. In order to graduate, a student must have at least a 3.0 grade-point average.

Research Paper or Thesis

To receive the Master of Arts in Theological Studies, students must demonstrate the ability to conduct scholarly research and present this in a logically argued and properly documented written form in their area of concentration. Under the supervision of a faculty member approved by the relevant department chair, in a course of independent study (GBBL/GTHE 570 Directed Research/590 Thesis), the student prepares a major research paper/thesis, which is defended in an oral examination before the supervising faculty member and two other faculty members approved by the relevant department chair. The oral defense may be scheduled when the student is within eight units of the completion of coursework, and must be sustained before the degree is awarded. The research paper/thesis must be distributed to the examiners at least two weeks before the date of the oral defense, and a copy must be given to the C.P. Haggard Graduate School of Theology office to be kept on file.

Time Limit

The Master of Arts in Theological Studies must be completed within eight years from the date of admission. APU coursework completed more than eight years prior to completion of degree requirements is not acceptable toward the degree.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many units do I take each quarter/semester?
While there are no minimum or maximum unit requirements, 9 units is considered a full-time schedule.

How long is a semester?
Semesters generally run for 15 weeks.

How many hours does each class session require?
Both once a week classes, which last for 4 hours and 15 minutes, and twice a week classes, which run for 2 hours each, are available.

How many students will there be in my classes?
Most classes will average between 15-18 students.

How many evenings per week do I attend classes?
Classes usually meet once a week, but some are offered twice a week.

Does this program require a thesis, dissertation, or capstone project?
A student’s philosophy of ministry will serve as their master’s thesis.