Master of Arts
Admission Requirements
Applicants must possess a Bachelor of Arts degree or its academic equivalent from an accredited college with a minimum grade point average of 3.0 (on a 4.0 scale). All applicants must submit a written statement outlining their vocational objectives and how the degree might relate to those objectives. For special admissions deadlines and requirements involved in the Spiritual Formation concentration, contact Graduate Admissions. Due to the limited enrollment in this concentration, all applicants will be personally interviewed.
Alan Hultberg, Ph.D.
Director
264
Mission & Learning Outcomes
The mission of the Master of Arts program is to produce biblically, theologically, and spiritually discerning Christian thinkers who can serve the body of Christ in lay, parachurch or academic ministries. The Master of Arts program provides both a general biblical, theological, and spiritual foundation for reflection and a specialized focus on a discipline crucial to fulfilling Talbot’s mission and from which students can serve or go on for advanced study. These disciplines include Bible Exposition, Biblical & Theological Studies/Diversified, New Testament, Old Testament, Philosophy of Religion and Ethics, Spiritual Formation and Theology.
Academic Probation
Students are placed on academic probation if their grade point average for any semester falls below 3.0 and will remain on probation as long as the single semester or cumulative grade point average remains below 3.0. Probation students are granted one semester in which to bring their academic work up to the required level (3.0) for continuance in the seminary. A student cannot graduate while on probation.
More specifically, the learning outcomes of the Master of Arts program are as follows:
Biblical Knowledge: Graduates will know the basic contents of all books of the Old and New Testaments and the broad historical and cultural background information relevant to study of the Old and New Testaments. Biblical Interpretation: Graduates will be able to exegete and apply a biblical text properly through application of historical-grammatical hermeneutics. Biblical Doctrine: Graduates will know the broad history of the Church and the major elements of orthodox Christian theology, including biblical foundations, and students will be able to integrate their interpretation of a biblical text within a larger biblical and systematic theology. Spiritual Formation: Graduates will more deeply understand and participate in life in Christ, cooperating with the transforming work of the Holy Spirit, for the purpose of transformation into the image of Christ through union with Him. History of Discipline: Graduates will be able to explain and evaluate the major trends in the history and current state of their respective emphasized disciplines, including important persons, works and issues. Research and Writing: Graduates will be able to perform and report research in their respective disciplines at a first-year doctoral level.
Graduation Requirements
A. Satisfactorily complete 64-66 semester units as outlined in the curriculum charts below.
B. Submit an acceptable thesis, chosen in consultation with the major advisor, or at the option of the major advisor and in lieu of the thesis, complete two additional units of electives. Students who write a thesis will have a total requirement of 64 units and those who take two additional units in lieu of a thesis will have a total requirement of 66 units. Students in Spiritual Formation concentration submit an acceptable Spiritual Formation Master’s Project-Thesis, which includes 3 units for writing and one unit for personal growth exploration. The Project-Thesis must involve both a theoretical and practical-experiential dimension in consultation with thesis advisor. C. At least 24 of the total units required for the degree program must be completed in residency at Biola. Advanced Standing, Reduction and transfer credit are not considered residency units.
D. Obtain a 3.0 average with no grade below a “C-” in all courses to be credited toward graduation.
E. Complete the entire program in no more than five years.
Made with FlippingBook flipbook maker