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Master of Arts (Theological Studies
Aims of the Program
THE MASTER OF ARTS (THEOLOGICAL STUDIES) (MA[TS]) IS A FLEXIBLE DEGREE PROGRAM THAT PROVIDES THEOLOGICAL STUDIES FOR PERSONS WHO ARE EXPLORING CAREER OPTIONS OR WHO ARE PREPARING FOR DOCTORAL STUDIES, CHURCH LEADERSHIP POSITIONS, OR SPECIALIZED FORMS OF LAY MINISTRY.
The MA(TS) program is also for those persons who wish to engage theological issues of faith and the modern world in relation to their current professions. While this program is not designed to prepare persons for ordained ministry, it may be useful for those ministers who serve in traditions that do not require a degree in divinity for ordination, but who nevertheless wish to develop their formal knowledge of theological studies. The degree can be completed in two years of fulltime study but may take longer if pursued online or on a part-time basis.
Once a student has concluded the degree program, the student is expected to be able to: 1. Articulate an intersectional understanding of their cultural context, theological convictions, and vocation in response to the needs of God’s changing world. 2. Critically engage contemporary issues in church and society with biblical and theological acuity. 3. Demonstrate competence in an area of theological study (New Testament, Old
Testament/Hebrew Bible, Theology, Ethics, or
Church History) to support the flourishing of the Church and the world.
These are the student learning outcomes for the Master of Arts (Theological Studies) degree program.
Components of the Program
Because students enroll in the MA(TS) program for a wide variety of reasons, they enjoy an extremely flexible course of study. Indeed, the only class they must all take is the MA(TS) Seminar (I500), normally during their first year of study at the seminary. Among its primary purposes, this seminar helps students to clarify their plans for the degree, structure their coursework accordingly at the seminary, and confirm their area of specialization. The seminar will also help students explore various career options.
The MA(TS) degree is offered in two modalities: residential and online. Residential MA(TS) students must choose one of five disciplines as a concentration: Old Testament, New Testament, Theology, Church History, or Ethics. In addition to their primary area of specialization, residential MA(TS) students must choose a secondary discipline other than their area of specialization and take any 9 credit hours in it. Additionally, they must take at least 3 credit hours in yet a third discipline. Beyond these requirements, students are invited to take any courses offered, including courses in Practical Theology. Courses that are either Interdisciplinary or in Supervised Ministry may be allowed with the prior approval of the MA(TS) Director.
Near the end of their degree work, typically in their final semester, they will complete an additional 3 credit hours in the course B699 or HD699 MA(TS) Independent Study, which is done under the supervision of a faculty member in their area of specialization. This course requires the production
of a 25-35 page thesis or praxis-focused project. Students will choose to complete a thesis or praxis- focused project in consultation with the MA(TS) director and a faculty member in their primary area of specialization who will serve as the thesis/ project supervisor. This course provides students the opportunity to explore a critical issue in their field, thus revealing their ability to do in-depth and independent research, to critically engage and analyze that research, to think constructively and do original work, and to write at a master’s level. Ordinarily, residential MA(TS) students shall take only one independent study (which is B699 or HD699).
Note: Students specializing in Old Testament must take Hebrew; likewise, students specializing in New Testament must take Greek—either through coursework at CTS or through coursework prior to matriculation. Students undertaking a praxisoriented project must have taken P 500 - Introduction to Practical Theology, which is offered each August as a one-week intensive course with monthly class sessions held throughout following fall semester.
Students in the Online MA(TS) Program have the flexibility to take courses in any MA(TS) discipline area (Old Testament, New Testament, Theology, Church History, or Ethics), as well as courses in the Practical Theology area. Near the end of their degree work, typically in their final semester, online students will complete 3 credit hours in B699 or HD699 MA(TS) Independent Study. The Independent Study must be in a MA(TS) discipline area in which the online student has taken at least 9 credits and will be done under the supervision of a faculty member in that discipline. B699 or HD699 MA(TS) Independent Study requires the production of a 25-35 page thesis or a praxis-focused project. Students will choose to complete a thesis or praxis- focused project in consultation with the MA(TS) Director and a faculty member in their primary area of specialization who will serve as the thesis/project supervisor. This course provides students the opportunity to explore a critical issue in their field, thus revealing their ability to do in-depth and independent research, to critically engage and analyze that research, to think constructively and do original work, and to write at a master’s level. Courses that are either Interdisciplinary or in Supervised Ministry may be allowed with the prior approval of the MA(TS) Director. Ordinarily, online MA(TS) students shall take only one independent study (which is B699 or HD699).
Note: Students wishing to write a thesis in Old Testament must take Hebrew; likewise, students wishing to write a thesis in New Testament must take Greek—either through coursework at CTS or prior to matriculation. Students undertaking a praxis- oriented project must have taken P 500 - Introduction to Practical Theology, which is offered each August as a one-week intensive course with monthly class sessions held throughout following fall semester.
Requirements for the Degree
To be eligible for graduation with the MA(TS) degree, students are required to: • Have on file with the seminary a complete and official transcript of credits showing graduation with a bachelor’s degree from an accredited university or college of liberal arts and sciences, a completed health form, and any required standardized test results; • Be tested for and achieve competency in English writing skills (see TOEFL requirements below); • Satisfactorily complete all the requirements of the degree with a total of 48 credit hours within five years of the date of matriculation, 30 of which must be completed at Columbia (excluding cross-registration courses); • Maintain a minimum overall grade point average of 2.30; • Be enrolled as a degree-seeking student and registered for classes); • Demonstrate to the faculty that they have sustained a sound moral and religious character in seminary life and give promise of useful service in the ministry or other church vocations; and
• Pay all bills to the seminary and give assurance that all open accounts in the community and elsewhere have been satisfied. Students with education loans must agree to make prompt and regular payments.
Details of the program are available from the director of the Master of Arts (Theological Studies) program and in the MA(TS) Handbook.
Admission to the Master of Arts (Theological Studies) (MA[TS]) program requires a bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited college or university with a cumulative grade point average of 2.75 or higher on a 4.0 scale. All prospective students are strongly encouraged to apply regardless of their GPA or prior area of academic focus; all applications will be thoroughly reviewed and considered for admission.
Offers of admission to the MA(TS) program are made are made on a rolling basis between November 15 and June 30. Applications that are completed by November 15 will receive an admissions decision by December 15. Students who also submit their FAFSA by November 15 will also receive a preliminary scholarship decision. Additional scholarship review for the seminary’s largest scholarships and fellowships will begin on January 15. Applications received after January 15 will be considered for scholarships as funds are available. In order to enroll at the Seminary in the fall semester, applications must be completed by June 15.
Students who are unable to matriculate during the semester for which they were admitted may defer their admissions decision for up to one academic year. Deferral requests must be submitted in writing to admissions@ctsnet.edu. Incomplete applications and/or admitted students that do not matriculate and do not submit a deferral request will be administratively withdrawn from the admissions process with Columbia retaining application materials for at least one academic year. After one academic year, applicants may be required to submit new application materials to be considered for admission.
Application Requirements
The application process in entirely online. Applicants can apply by visiting https://ctsnet.edu/apply.
To be considered for admission to the MA(TS) program, an applicant must submit to the admissions office the following materials:
• Online application for admission • $50 nonrefundable application fee • Resume / CV • Autobiographical Statement: a three-four page, typed, double-spaced autobiographical statement serves as an introduction to the admissions team.
Applicants should carefully write their statement considering content, style, grammar, and organization. Ordinarily, applicants write about their personal life, sense of vocation/call, academic interests, and their reason for applying to
Seminary/Columbia. A guiding document for the autobiographical statement can be obtained online or by emailing admissions@ctsnet.edu. • Plan of Study: one – two pages, typed, double- spaced that identifies their area of concentration and clearly outlines the applicant’s plan for achieving their research goals within the MA(TS) program. • Academic Writing Sample: this should be a recent sample of the applicant’s writing that clearly demonstrates ability to write and critically engage an argument. Recent is defined as having been written in the last 3-5 years. If a recent sample is not available, the applicant may choose to submit an alternative writing assignment for which a prompt can be found online. Students seeking guidance concerning the academic writing sample or alternate writing assignment should email admissions@ctsnet.edu. • Official Transcript(s): applicants must submit transcripts from all colleges, universities,
seminaries, and graduate schools attended by the applicant for at least one course whether or not a degree was granted. Official transcripts should be sent directly from the institution to
Columbia Theological Seminary. If an applicant is currently enrolled in a degree program, the applicant should send an official transcript that includes all work to-date. Such applicants will be admitted provisionally contingent upon receipt of the final transcript post-graduation. • Three Letters of Recommendation: recommendations may be academic, pastoral, or professional. At least two letters of recommendation must be academic.
INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS | HEALTH INSURANCE REQUIREMENT
International students will automatically be billed for health insurance unless they can meet the insurance requirements outlined by the seminary with an alternative provider.
TRANSFER STUDENTS | LETTER OF GOOD STANDING
Students transferring from another seminary or graduate school are required to submit a letter of good standing that certifies the student will leave their current school in good standing with the institution – academic, financial, and otherwise.
CRIMINAL BACKGROUND CHECK
Additional Requirements
INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS | TOEFL REQUIREMENT
English Language Learners (ELL) and persons whose first language is not English are required to submit recent test scores, ordinarily taken within the last two years, from the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL). In most cases, students accepted to Columbia’s first-level master’s degree programs submit a TOEFL score of 84 or higher on the internet-based TOEFL (iBT, iBT Home Edition, or Paper-delivered) with a minimum score of 21 in each of the skill sections. TOEFL scores should be submitted by TOEFL directly to Columbia (Institutional Code: 5118). All test fees are the responsibility of the applicant.
INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS | I-20S AND FINANCIAL CERTIFICATION
All international students are required to complete Columbia’s financial certification process upon admission and prior to applying for a visa. The process will ensure the student has adequate financial resources to cover tuition, fees, travel, and living expenses for the duration of their study in the United States. The I-20 will not be issued until the financial certification process has been completed. For fall enrollment, the certification process must take place by May 30 for those living abroad, and no later than June 30 for those currently in the United States who are transferring from another institution. After admission and prior to enrollment, all admitted students must complete a background check that will be conducted via a Columbia-approved third-party. All admissions decisions are contingent upon the successful completion of the criminal background check.
TITLE IX TRAINING BY EVERFI
All admitted students are required to complete an online Title IX training provided by Columbia prior to matriculation. The training will familiarize students with matters related to Title IX, sexual misconduct, and reporting.
ADMISSIONS DEPOSIT
A nonrefundable admissions deposit of $250 is required of all students enrolling at Columbia Theological Seminary. The deposit is due within thirty (30) days of a student’s admission decision and no later than July 30, in order to confirm the student’s place in the program.
GRE TEST SCORES
The Columbia Admissions Office welcomes the submission of Graduate Record Exam (GRE) test scores. However, this is not required to be considered for admission.
DEGREE RECLASSIFICATION FOR CURRENT STUDENTS Students currently enrolled in the MDiv and MAPT programs, or as special students at Columbia, may
also apply for admission to the Master of Arts (Theological Studies) program. A new application with supporting materials must be submitted. If the applicant is admitted to the program, satisfactory coursework from the student’s prior degree program will be considered toward the MA(TS) program. The faculty advisor, program director(s), and academic affairs staff will work with the student to determine which credits may be applied to the Master of Arts (Theological Studies) degree program. A student may transfer no more than 15 credit hours in the five fields of the program from work completed before admission. The credit must be earned from regionally accredited or ATS accredited institutions. No transfer credit may be obtained for work done more than 36 months before admission. Transfer credit will only be given for courses passed with a grade of B or higher. The determination of whether courses taken at other institutions may receive credit is made by the Office of Academic Affairs. All petitions for transfer credit and advanced standing must be made by the end of the student’s first academic year.
Master of Arts (Theological Studies)
The Master of Arts (Theological Studies) (MA(TS)) is a two-year flexible degree program designed for persons who are exploring career options, preparing for doctoral studies, church leadership positions, or specialized forms of lay ministry.
COMPONENTS OF THE CURRICULUM
RESIDENTIAL PROGRAM REQUIREMENTS Areas of Specialization
· Old Testament · New Testament · Theology · Church History · Ethics
Required MA(TS) Courses
2 COURSES · 6 CREDITS · MA(TS) Seminar (3 credits) · Independent study resulting in a final paper (3 credits)
8 COURSES · 24 CREDITS · 4 courses in area of specialization (12 credits) · 3 courses in second area of specialization (9 credits) · 1 course in third area of specialization (3 credits)
ONLINE PROGRAM REQUIREMENTS Required MA(TS) Courses
2 COURSES · 6 CREDITS · MA(TS) Seminar (3 credits) · Independent study with Thesis or Praxis-Focused Project (3 credits) in any MA(TS) discipline area (NT, OT, Church History, Ethics, or Thelogy) in which the student has taken at least 3 courses
11 COURSES · 33 CREDITS
Electives
3 COURSES · 9 CREDITS
TOTAL: 48 CREDITS
Electives
6 COURSES · 18 CREDITS Up to 3 courses may be from the Practical Theology area.
TOTAL: 48 CREDITS
As an accredited theological school of the Presbyterian Church (USA), we engage students with some of the best faculty anywhere! We host a large table for people from all denominations and backgrounds. For full descriptions of our graduate degree programs and academics, please visit our website, CTSnet.edu.
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