Religion, M.A.

Stephen T. Franklin, Ph.D., Coordinator

The rich heritage of academic excellence that defines Olivet Nazarene University is clearly manifested in Olivet’s Master of Arts degree in Religion. It comes to life in the relevant, real-world content of the coursework, in the impeccable credentials and sense of commitment of faculty, and in the impressive achievements of the program’s alumni.

The Master of Arts degree in Religion program is taught by leading scholars in the Nazarene denomination with some scholars from other traditions as well. They are very active in professional organizations and scholarly research, contributing original work to the academic community. The M.A. in Religion provides professional knowledge, practical decision-making abilities, and vision to handle a variety of leadership positions for leaders in today’s church or for those preparing for leadership in tomorrow’s church.

The strong academic focus of the M.A. program in Religion at ONU provides a solid foundation for further graduate work and for Christian ministry. Flexibility in required courses allows you to customize your program, including a concentration in biblical studies, a concentration in theology, or a personalized, general program in biblical studies and theology. A small student/professor ratio allows for wholesome interaction with both professors and other students.

30 hours

Required:

BLIT 632 - Cultural/Historical Influences and Biblical Interpretation
THEO 606 - Introduction to Theological Research
THEO 693 - Contemporary Issues in Theology
BLIT electives (6 hours)
THEO electives (6 hours)
Additional electives from the School of Theology and Christian Ministry (9 hours)

Note:

A cumulative GPA of 3.0 is required for graduation from the program, and no course counting toward graduation may carry a grade of less than a B-.

Program Format

Students will select, in consultation with the adviser or program coordinator, the courses required to fulfill the degree requirements. Normally, however, the courses are to be chosen from the graduate-level courses in biblical literature and theology offered at Olivet. Students may, with the guidance of their adviser, include up to three graduate-level ministry courses (9 semester hours) in their M.A. program. Ministry courses bear the prefixes CMIN, YMIN, or CHED. A concentration in either biblical studies or theology requires 18 semester hours in the respective area of concentration (and for the biblical studies concentration, one year of a biblical language prior to beginning the program).

Most courses in the M.A. in Religion program meet in traditional formats. The program also requires one module, although students have the option to take additional modules as electives. For a more detailed explanation of the different course formats, please refer to “Academic Policies - SGCS: Program Formats ”.

Program Objectives

The M.A. in Religion program aims to:

Assist students in developing advanced skills for exegesis, interpretation, and theological understanding of the Bible.
Encourage students to do competent research and writing.
Develop in students an appreciation for and understanding of the history and theology of the Christian tradition.
Develop in students an appreciation for and understanding of the history and theology of the Wesleyan holiness tradition.
Develop in students an understanding of contemporary issues in Biblical studies and theology.
Motivate students to become lifelong learners who grow spiritually, think clearly, and serve redemptively.