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Midwestern Seminary Announces Three New Degrees and Fourteen New Emphases

Posted April 10, 2023 by Brett Fredenberg

KANSAS CITY, Mo—Midwestern Seminary faculty approved curricular changes and added mentorship opportunities to its master’s program on March 30. The newly approved structure features double the number of available emphases, clear and attainable pathways to doctoral programs, and discipline-specific cohort offerings for Global Campus students.

“I am grateful to be able to announce these new degrees and new emphases in our Master’s programs at Midwestern Seminary,” said President Jason Allen. “These additions and changes will allow our students more focused mentorship by their professors, more focused study in the disciplines they desire, and more flexibility in moving between degree programs.”

The curricular changes consist of three main features: (1) the addition of a 36-hour Master of Christian Studies; (2) the reconfiguration of the Master of Theological Studies into three 45-hour degrees: Master of Biblical Studies, Master of Theological Studies, and Master of Applied Theology, with all 4 programs sharing a 30-hour core; and (3) revised and expanded Master of Divinity emphases.

The 36-hour Master of Christian Studies (MCS) is designed for those who want to take a first step in advancing their ministry or deepen their Christian walk. Students who complete the MCS can serve their churches more effectively and consider further theological education. All credits from the MCS can be applied to the M.Div. or other select master’s degrees.

The 45-hour Master of Biblical Studies, Master of Theological Studies, and Master of Applied Theology are designed for those who want to enrich their understanding of biblical and historic Christian doctrine and its application to the Church and the world today. Upon completion, students will be equipped for Christian leadership, teaching ministries, or further theological education. All credits from the 45-hour programs can be applied to the M.Div. Standard, the corresponding M.Div. emphasis, or other select master’s degrees.

The curricular updates also include the addition of several emphases to each master’s degree offering. The Master of Biblical Studies and Master of Theological Studies each contain four emphases and the Master of Applied Theology contains 13 emphases.

Each degree (in bold) with their corresponding emphases (in italics) is listed below:

Master of Biblical Studies
Biblical Hebrew
Biblical Greek
Biblical Theology
Biblical Languages

Master of Theological Studies
Standard
Christian Theology
Historical Theology
Apologetics and Evangelism

Master of Applied Theology
Standard
Preaching (male students only)
Missions
Discipleship
Christian Education
Pastoral Ministry (male students only)
Ministry Leadership
Student Ministry
Worship Ministries
Biblical Counseling
Ministry to Women (female students only)
Church Planting
Church Revitalization

Moreover, the seminary also expanded the Master of Divinity to offer 15 emphases and a revised 72-hour core. The new Master of Divinity emphases include Biblical Theology, Christian Theology, Ministry to Women, and more.

The seminary’s effort to restructure the Master of Theological Studies mirrors the recent restructuring of the Ph.D. program into the same three areas of emphases: Biblical Studies, Theological Studies, and Applied Theology.

For those preparing for further master’s studies or doctoral research, the expanded structure gives students more specialized training in their future areas of discipline. Each 45-hour degree offering can now be transferred into the corresponding Master of Divinity emphasis or Ph.D. emphasis, allowing more pathways to continuing education.

Midwestern Seminary Provost Jason Duesing commented on the recent announcements, “I am thrilled with these updates to our programs as they provide clearer paths toward degree completion or further study, which aids us in our ultimate goal of equipping men and women to serve churches.”

He went on to say, “Further, it allows students to get the most out of the learning experience while building relationships with faculty members beyond even the online classroom. I am thankful for the hard work done here by our faculty and our Global Campus team to serve students for semesters of study and beyond.”

Assistant Dean of the Global Campus Travis Montgomery also expressed how these changes will benefit students. He said, “I’m excited about the opportunity for more students around the world to study what will most serve the ministries to which God has called them.”

To learn more about the recent master’s restructuring or view the new offerings, visit mbts.edu/degrees


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