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Expand your spiritual and academic understanding
Housed under ACU’s Graduate School of Theology, the master’s degree in Theological Studies provides students like you the opportunity to build off your love of theology, history, and Scripture in an online environment. ACU is proud to be one of the select number of institutions among Churches of Christ to offer a degree designed to prepare graduate students for doctoral work in religious studies at any competitive university around the world.
Introducing
Locked-In Tuition.
ACU’s Locked-In Tuition program guarantees you’ll pay the same price for your entire undergraduate degree.
About the Program
The Master of Theological Studies program aims to propel your vocational calling by offering you the best curriculum designed by religious researchers and theological scholars. As the church becomes less focused on truth and scriptural understanding, it is up to theological experts to dig, observe, and research the issues faced by Christians. Whether your interests lie in Old Testament, New Testament, Ancient and Medieval Church History, Modern American Church History, or General Theology, this degree is ideal for those seeking to pursue a future career within private academies, in specialized ministry areas, or at research-based universities. Adapting to the changing realities of ministerial and academic practices, this Master of Theological Studies program will mold scholars to serve the needs of both the church and the world.
Program Structure
All the Details on Your Degree
Throughout the required 48 credit hours, this online degree will develop future academic professors, researchers, writers, and thinkers through critical and constructive engagement with tradition and contemporary scholarship in systematic theology, Christian ethics, philosophy, and church history. Accordingly, this degree will cultivate fair-minded, informed, spiritually sensitive, and well-prepared students for academic work and ministry.
Required Hours
Total: 48 hours
Example Coursework
Critical Interpretation of the Old Testament
Research Problems in Theology
History of Christianity I & II: Early to Medieval, Reformation to Present
Department
Upcoming Start Dates
May 6, 2024
August 26, 2024
Curriculum
ACU’s online Master of Theological Studies degree will teach you how to actively research primary sources and issues of scholarly discussion in biblical studies, theology, or church history to advance the field and collaborate with other religious scholars around the world. Throughout the program, you will also gain the ability to use the latest research methods to produce original research in one of the following concentrations:
Old Testament
Designed to equip you with a solid foundation in Old Testament studies, this concentration will train you how to think, not what to think. You will gain proficiency in appropriate exegetical tools and languages, as well as a broad understanding of textual and theological issues while improving your ability to interpret a variety of Old Testament texts.
New Testament
Focused on deepening your understanding of New Testament studies, this concentration will train you how to use exegetical tools and languages to better comprehend, exegete, interpret, and teach a variety of New Testament texts within their larger theological contexts for a richer knowledge base.
General Theology
Diving into more theological study tools and scholarship, this concentration will help you gain the skills and knowledge necessary to engage and deploy the resources of the Christian tradition in order to advance the practice of theology in the church, academia and society.
Ancient and Oriental Christianity
Exploring the roots of the Christian religion, this concentration is ideal for those who have a knack for languages, enjoy reading ancient texts, and wish to enrich their theological foundations for ministry, teaching, or further study. The coursework will provide you with the foundations of historical research and integration to further sharpen your writing and teaching skills.
Modern and American Christianity
Within the last five centuries, scholars have witnessed the fascinating and complex development of global Christianity. Geared within a more research-centered focus, this concentration aims to deepen one’s historical understanding of Christian expressions and traditions spanning from the 16th to the 21st Century, with a hyper-focus on the beginnings of America’s Christian foundation.
Meet the Program Director
Dr. Tera Harmon, Master of Theological Studies
Dr. Tera Harmon is an assistant professor in Abilene Christian University’s Graduate School of Theology. After receiving a BA in Biblical Text and an MDiv from ACU, she went to the Catholic University of America to study patristics, completing a Ph.D. in Church History in 2016. Her major field of study is Greek patristics and has done work on Gregory of Nyssa. She teaches courses on the history of Christianity and is the Director of Distance Learning for the Graduate School of Theology. She has lived in Washington D.C.; Charlotte, North Carolina; Los Alamos, New Mexico; and now lives in Abilene, Texas with her husband, David Todd, and their three children.
Spotlight
The Insider Details of a Theology Degree
Whether you consider yourself a curious person or simply someone who has always looked for ways to grow spiritually, gaining a theological studies degree is nowadays seen as substantially more practical and meaningful than one might think. Housed within our Graduate School of Theology, the online Master of Theological Studies degree is open and available to anyone who is interested in broadening their horizons about God and His character.
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As the new executive director for the Center for Vocational Formation and dean of vocational formation, Dr. Christopher Cobbler is already making moves across the ACU Online community by showcasing what it means to love and receive love earnestly. Hoping to make ACU a more accepting and formative place, Dr. Cobbler is eager to see where his role can touch the lives of students and employees alike.
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There are four benefits to studying in ACU’s Graduate School of Theology. Learn what they are now, in our latest blog post!
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From firefighter to theology professor is quite a career transition, but if anyone can pull it off, Andrew Jones can. Currently tackling two graduate programs with seeming ease, Andrew estimates he’s about halfway through ACU’s online Master of Divinity (M.Div.) and the residential Master of Arts in Theology (MAT) programs.
Four Benefits of Getting a Theology Degree at ACU
When it comes to theology master’s programs, what makes ACU’s stand out? Hear directly from Dr. Myles Werntz, Director of ACU’s Baptist Studies Center, in a recent blog post.
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After completing this degree, graduates will be well-equipped to pursue a Ph.D. program at any top-tier university of their choosing including Boston University, Yale, Catholic University of America, Princeton, Duke, Vanderbilt, Emory, and Baylor University. Graduates not interested in seeking a doctoral degree will also be suited to teach in other settings including private Christian schools, church ministries, and research-based institutes.
To be considered for admission, students must:
- Complete their online application and pay their processing fee.
- Submit official transcripts showing earned bachelor’s from a regionally accredited college or university or the equivalent.
- Have a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or above, probationary status may be granted for those with a 2.5 to 2.99 GPA.
- Two letters of recommendation
- A reflective essay, three to five pages in length (typed, double-spaced) following the guidelines on the GST website, www.acu.edu/gst
- An academic writing sample following the guidelines on the GST website: www.acu.edu/gst
The Graduate School of Theology is accredited by the Commission on Accrediting of the Association of Theological Schools, an organization of more than 250 graduate schools that conduct post-baccalaureate professional and academic degree programs to educate persons for the practice of ministry and for teaching and research in theological disciplines. Abilene Christian University enjoys a strong national reputation as one of the leading private Christian universities in the west and southwest, indicated by various ratings (such as U.S. News and World Report and other reports).