Master of Theological Studies

As the Director of Bakke Graduate University's academic programs, I would like to welcome you to this website and the description of our Master’s Degree in Theological Studies in Global Urban Mission.

Today we live in a turbulent world full of change, conflict, challenge and yet possibility. These realities can produce fear, anxiety or excitement, enthusiasm and hope.  Today, like never before, we have the opportunity to catch God’s global Kingdom Tsunami spreading throughout the world.  

For people to cope and work effectively and creatively within current world trends, leaders need to possess new knowledge, skills, emotional and spiritual wisdom. Clarifying one’s vocation, exploring personal leadership development, demonstrating leadership that models integrity and good character, becoming mentors that will empower future generations of families, organizations, communities and nations throughout the world, requires the need to learn to be better followers, peacemakers, change agents and servant leaders.

I would like to invite you to this adventure of life long learning with committed, well trained, faculty and staff, along with your own mentors and support people to guide you along the way.  Let us know how we can assist you in this process. 

Grace Preedy Barnes, PhD
Academic Dean
Professor of Leadership Studies

A. PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

The Master of Theological Studies (MTS) degree in Global Urban Mission is designed to enhance the skills and knowledge of individuals engaged in some aspect of Christian Ministry. The program provides a broad foundation in biblical, theological and historical studies. The MTS degree also addresses global and urban perspectives and allows each student to focus in an area of specialization of his/her choice.  The student may take two or three courses from the specialization of their choice:

1.     Community Leadership & Organization

        LDR 602 Organizational Leadership

        LDR 604 Strategic Change Leadership     

        PRM 608 Community Development &

                    Organization

2.     The Emerging Church

        PRM 604 Emerging Church

        PRM 605 Healthy Leaders in the Emerging

                    Church

        PRM 617 Worship & Communication in the

                    Emerging Church

3.     Practical Ministry

        PRM 610 Personal Gifts & Calling

        COM 601 Preaching & Communication

        SFM 601 Spiritual Formation Practice &

                     Theology

4.     Urban Youth

        PRM 607 Urban Youth at Risk

        PRM 611 Global Youth Trends

        THE 604 Exegesis: Reading the Word,

                   Reading the Street

The degree may be structured around the student’s ministry needs.  Course offerings are structured in four semester credit hour modules which include the format as described on page 17 of the BGU Catalogue.

The MTS program concludes with a thesis or final project, which focuses on a contemporary theological issue relevant to the Church or a topic related to the student’s area of concentration in the MTS program.

B.  PROGRAM OBJECTIVES

The objectives of the MTS program are as follows:

1. To give students a biblical and theological foundation for effective ministry;

2. To broaden the student’s ministry perspective to include urban and global realities with a Christian worldview;

3. To build the student’s understanding and application of the missional aspects of ministry;

4. To empower students for transformational leadership within their ministry context; and

5. To enable each student to do a significant graduate integration project or thesis within their ministry setting, applying what they have learned during the course of their MTS studies.

C. DEGREE REQUIREMENTS

Standard requirements for regular admission to the MTS include a baccalaureate degree or its equivalent and involvement in ministry. The applicant will generally be involved in ministry, although students seeking understanding and training in ministry may be accepted when there is evidence of sufficient maturity.

D. ADMISSION AS SPECIAL STUDENT

     Applicants not holding a baccalaureate degree or its equivalent (defined as a student who has taken the equivalent number of hours that would normally represent a baccalaureate degree in one or more United States Department of Education (USDE) recognized accredited programs, yet was not awarded

may apply to the MTS program as a Special Student.

        Only a limited number of applicants will be admitted as Special Students (not more than 10% of the total student body). The assessment to be conducted by the Academic Affairs Committee (AAC) may determine extra courses required for the student outside of the degree requirements as stated in this Catalogue.

        The criteria by which the AAC will evaluate candidates for the MTS degree as a Special Student shall include:

a.  Academic knowledge, achievement and competence, as evidenced by previous writing, speaking, research and project management either inside or outside of formal academic programs;

b.   A proven record of previous leadership experience;

c. Two additional recommendations from his/her community indicating at a minimum a rating of “good” to “excellent;”

d.   Two to four Personal Learning Community (PLC) contracts submitted by support system, e.g. church, family, organization, etc.;

e.   A paper describing a good rationale for the student not having had access to higher education, e.g. religion, culture, geographic, etc. This paper must demonstrate that the student does not have reasonable access or cannot be reasonably expected to complete a bachelors degree through a distance provider. Students who meet all other criteria, but do have access, may be required to complete three courses in upper level relevant areas, e.g. Bible, theology, etc., to verify their ability to do graduate work.

f.   A minimum of five years of ministry experience; and

g.  An assessment conducted by a subcommittee of the AAC in which a review of the documentation in the six areas of criteria listed above has been conducted and possibly a personal interview with the applicant and/or references, ministry colleagues, and members of the applicant’s support system. 

E. DEGREE REQUIREMENTS

Students working toward the MTS degree shall complete 48 semester credit hours by taking coursework in the four core theological courses, four core perspectives courses, two courses in their specialization, one elective and a final project. Students must maintain a 3.0 grade point average to meet MTS degree requirements.  See the section on Grades in the current Catalogue for policies related to grade changes.

Students who have completed approximately three quarters of their degree program may apply for candidacy.  The Academic Affairs Committee will oversee the qualifying of students for candidacy.  Request for candidacy will include the following procedures:

a. The prospective candidate will have fulfilled all entrance deficiencies and other conditions stipulated at the time of admission into the program;

b. The prospective candidate will have demonstrated a capacity for individual research, indicated by the quality of written work submitted in conjunction with course work;

c.  The prospective candidate will submit a Request for Candidacy form to the Office of the Registrar;

d. The prospective candidate will submit a project proposal to the Academic Affairs Committee for approval.  A sample proposal is available from the Registrar’s Office.  A project fee equal to the current course tuition for a four-credit course is to be submitted with the project proposal; and

e. All candidacy requirements must be completed by the second week of May in the year prior to graduation (see Chapter 9, Academic Calendars).

F. THESIS POLICY

The MTS program concludes with either a final thesis or Philosophy of Ministry project that integrates both theory and practice of ministry.  It is this combination of theory and practice in the field of the candidate’s ministry which distinguishes this program from other programs that focus only on academic and experimental research.  Before actual candidacy is received, students are allowed and encouraged to submit final project proposals early in their degree program in order to allow sufficient time to complete specialized work related to their project.  The final project is to be written in proper form and must make a unique contribution to the body of Christian ministry knowledge.  An advisor will be selected by the student from an “Approved Advisor” list to function as the primary mentor on the final project.  The Academic Dean will also be available for consultation. (See Dissertation & Thesis Handbook for details or the Philosophy of Ministry syllabus on the BGU website.) 

G. CURRICULUM

The MTS curriculum at BGU is designed to encourage a theological, missional and practical life of ministry. Courses at BGU are fluid and experience-based, while reflective in nature.

** Students may select a field experience of their choice to fulfill this requirement in consultation with the MTS Director.

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