Gain vocational clarity as you learn to integrate faith into your everyday life and work, whether in the marketplace, academy, home, or church.
Special note
Until January 26, 2013, this program was known as the Master of Christian Studies (MCS). The MA in Theological Studies comes into effect in the 2013–2014 academic year. You can read more about the rationale behind the program change here. We are still fine-tuning the details of the MA in Theological Studies program, and you may see minor edits to this page.
The Program Is
- Foundational: Acquire a solid foundation in the Christian faith through core courses built on theological integration and personal formation.
- Integrative: Learn to relate this foundational core to all areas of life and work.
- Focused: Pursue focused study in an area of concentration that interests you.
Typical Students
- are working/planning to work in the professions
- are preparing for certain types of church or parachurch work
- are pursuing an academic career
Graduates go on to a wide variety of pursuits, including resuming previous careers, following newly discovered interests, undertaking further education, or entering church or parachurch work—all with a new perspective and motivation for engaging in their vocation and ministry as mature people of God.
Credit Hours
60
Typical Completion Time
- minimum 2–3 years full-time
- up to 6 years part-time
Application Requirements
To apply to the program, you must EITHER:
- have a bachelor’s degree OR
- be at least 28 years of age and able to demonstrate that your life/vocational/ educational experience can be seen as equivalent to a university degree
The minimum grade point average normally considered in the admission selection process is 2.8 on a scale of 4.0 (or equivalent).
For required documents and to learn more about the application process, visit our Admission Requirements page.
Concentrations
One of the primary appeals of the MA in Theological Studies is that it allows you to focus your studies in one of these concentrations:
| Scripture | Christian History & Theology | Christianity, Church & Culture |
|---|---|---|
| Biblical Languages | History of Christianity | Marketplace Theology |
| Old Testament | Doctrinal Theology | Interdisciplinary Studies |
| New Testament | Spiritual Theology | Christianity and the Arts |
| Biblical Studies | World Christianity | |
| Applied Theology | ||
Or you can choose the No Concentration option in Christian Studies.
Program Costs
The cost of tuition for the 2013–2014 academic year is $450 per credit hour.
The total tuition for the MA in Theological Studies program is $27,000 (60 credit hours at $450 per credit hour).
For a breakdown of associated fees and costs of living, view our sample budget.
To help you offset the high costs of graduate education, we offer scholarships, financial aid, and work opportunities on campus.
Program Requirements
You will begin your studies with a foundational set of courses. You can then choose one area of concentration, or you can select the "no concentration" option. Towards the end of your program, you will complete a final project, which can take the form of a comprehensive exam, a thesis, or an integrative project, depending on your concentration. You will be awarded the MA in Theological Studies degree for the successful completion of 60 credit hours of study with a grade point average of 3.0 (= B) or better.
| Foundational Core Courses | Credit Hours |
|---|---|
| Old Testament Foundations BIBL 501 | 3 |
| New Testament Foundations BIBL 502 | 3 |
| Biblical Exegesis and Interpretation BIBL 503 | 3 |
| History of Christianity Foundations (new course) | 3 |
| Christian Thought and Culture I INDS 501 | 3 |
| Christian Thought and Culture II INDS 502 | 3 |
| Theology Overview OR Theology I & II* | 3 or 6 |
| One of the following: | 3 |
| Soul of Ministry (3)** | |
| Gospel and Culture (3)*** | |
| Community, Formation, and Mission (3) | |
| Total | 24 or 27 |
*Theology I & II are required for the
Doctrinal Theology and Spiritual Theology concentrations.
**Soul of Ministry is required for the Applied
Theology concentration.
***Gospel and Culture is required for the
Marketplace Theology and Interdisciplinary Studies concentrations.
CONCENTRATION COURSES
Scripture
Biblical Languages
| Concentration Requirements | Credit Hours |
|---|---|
| Biblical Hebrew | 12 |
| New Testament Greek | 12 |
| Advanced Hebrew or Greek Readings | 3 |
| Comprehensive Examination | 3 |
| General Electives | 6 |
Old Testament
| Concentration Requirements | Credit Hours |
|---|---|
| Biblical Hebrew | 12 |
| Biblical Hermeneutics and Criticism | 3 |
| Advanced Old Testament Exegesis | 3 |
|
Old Testament Seminar |
3 |
| One of the following: | 9 or 12 |
| Comprehensive Exam (3) + 600-level OT Electives (6) | |
| Thesis (12) | |
| General Electives | 3 or 6 |
New Testament
| Concentration Requirements | Credit Hours |
|---|---|
| New Testament Greek | 12 |
| Biblical Hermeneutics and Criticism | 3 |
| Advanced New Testament Exegesis | 3 |
| New Testament Seminar | 3 |
| One of the following: | 9 or 12 |
| Comprehensive Exam (3) + 600-level NT Electives (6) | |
| Thesis (12) | |
| General Electives | 3 or 6 |
Biblical Studies
| Concentration Requirements | Credit Hours |
|---|---|
| Biblical Hebrew | 6 |
| New Testament Greek | 6 |
| Biblical Hermeneutics & Criticism BIBL 600 | 3 |
| Advanced Old Testament Exegesis BIBL 701 | 3 |
|
Advanced New Testament Exegesis BIBL 702 |
3 |
|
Old Testament Seminar |
3 |
|
New Testament Seminar |
3 |
| Old Testament Comprehensive Exam | 3 |
| New Testament Comprehensive Exam | 3 |
| General Electives |
3 |
Christian History and Theology
History of Christianity
| Concentration Requirements | Credit Hours |
|---|---|
| History of Christianity: Reformation to Modern | 3 |
| Approaches to Historical Study | 3 |
| 600-level History of Christianity Elective | 3 |
| History Seminar | 3 |
| One of the following: | 6 or 12 |
| Comprehensive Exam (3) + History Elective (3) | |
| Thesis (12) | |
| General Electives |
12 or 18 |
Doctrinal Theology
| Concentration Requirements | Credit Hours |
|---|---|
| Languages |
9 |
|
Perspectives on Biblical Languages LANG 500 (3) + Biblical Language (6)* |
|
| Hebrew (6) + Greek (3) | |
| Greek (6) + Hebrew (3) | |
| History of Doctrine | 3 |
| Theology Seminar | 3 |
| One of the following: | 3 or 12 |
| Comprehensive Exam (3) | |
| Thesis (12) | |
| General Electives |
6 or 15 |
Note: The Doctrinal Theology concentration requires Theology I & II from the core courses.
*With the approval of the Doctrinal Theology coordinator, you may satisfy the language requirement by taking Perspectives on Biblical Languages LANG 500 and by passing a reading knowledge exam in Latin, French, or German. If you have taken such courses elsewhere, you may be eligible to have these credits transferred into your program. See the Academic Advisor for more information.
Spiritual Theology
| Concentration Requirements | Credit Hours |
|---|---|
| History of Christianity: Reformation to Modern | 3 |
| The Christian Spirit SPIR 500 | 3 |
| Classics of Christian Spirituality SPIR 670 | 3 |
| Spiritual Theology Seminar | 3 |
| One of the following: | 9 or 12 |
| Comprehensive Exam (3) + Spiritual Theology Electives (6) | |
| Thesis (12) | |
| General Electives |
9 or 12 |
Note: The Spiritual Theology concentration requires Theology I & II from the core courses.
Christianity, Church, and Culture
Marketplace Theology
| Concentration Requirements | Credit Hours |
|---|---|
| Mission and Vocation |
3 |
| Field Immersion APPL 692* | 3 |
| Marketplace Theology Electives | 3 |
| Marketplace Theology Seminar | 3 |
| One of the following: | 6 or 12 |
| Comprehensive Exam (3) + Marketplace Theology Elective (3) | |
| Integrative Project (6) | |
| Thesis (12) | |
| General Electives |
12 or 18 |
*APPL 692 is an eight-month field education experience, normally running from September to April. You will need to arrange with the Marketplace Theology concentration coordinator as to how you will fulfill the field immersion and seminar requirements.
Note: The Marketplace Theology concentration requires Gospel and Culture from the core courses.
Interdisciplinary Studies
| Concentration Requirements | Credit Hours |
|---|---|
| Mission and Vocation |
3 |
| Christian Faith and Practice in a (Post)Modern World INDS 581 | 3 |
| Interdisciplinary Studies Seminar | 3 |
| One of the Following: | 9 or 12 |
| Comprehensive Exam (3) + Interdisciplinary Studies Electives (6) | |
| Integrative Project (6) + Interdisciplinary Studies Electives (3) | |
| Thesis (12) | |
| General Electives |
15 or 18 |
Note: The Interdisciplinary Studies concentration requires Gospel and Culture from the core courses.
Christianity and the Arts
| Concentration Requirements | Credit Hours |
|---|---|
| The Christian Imagination INDS 560 |
3 |
| One of the following: | 18 |
|
Arts-related Seminar (3) + Comprehensive Exam (3) + Christianity & the Arts Electives (12) |
|
|
Vocation of the Artist Seminar INDS 785 (3) + Integrative Project (6) + Christianity & the Arts Electives (9) |
|
|
Vocation of the Artist Seminar INDS 785 (3) + Integrative Project (12) + Christianity & the Arts Electives (3) |
|
| General Electives |
15 |
World Christianity
| Concentration Requirements | Credit Hours |
|---|---|
| Introduction to World Christianity APPL 533 |
3 |
| History of Christianity: Reformation to Modern HIST 502 |
3 |
| Missional Church | 3 |
| Field Education APPL 691 / Field Immersion APPL 690* | 3 |
| World Christianity Elective | 3 |
| World Christianity Seminar | 3 |
| One of the following: | 3, 6, or 12 |
| Comprehensive Exam (3) | |
| Integrative Project (6) | |
| Thesis (12) | |
| General Electives |
6, 12, or 15 |
*APPL 690 is an eight-month field education experience, normally running from September to April. You will need to arrange with the World Christianity concentration coordinator as to how you will fulfill the field immersion and seminar requirements.
Applied Theology
| Concentration Requirements | Credit Hours |
|---|---|
| Missional Church |
3 |
|
Field Education APPL 691 |
3 |
| Applied Theology Seminar | 3 |
| One of the following: | 9 or 12 |
| Comprehensive Exam (3) + Applied Theology Electives (6) | |
| Integrative Project (6) + Applied Theology Electives (3) | |
| Thesis (12) | |
| General Electives |
15 or 18 |
Note: The Applied Theology concentration requires Soul of Ministry from the core courses.
No concentration
Christian Studies
| Concentration Requirements | Credit Hours |
|---|---|
| Biblical Book Study |
3 |
|
Any Seminar |
3 |
| Comprehensive Examination | 3 |
| General Electives |
27 |
NOTES ON THE REQUIREMENTS
Core courses
The 24 credit hours of core courses are required by all MA in Theological Studies tracks and by the MDiv program. Since these courses provide a foundation for both programs, we recommend that you complete most of these courses within your first year or within your first 30 credit hours. (Note: Students taking Gospel and Culture or Community, Formation, and Mission may delay taking these courses until later in their program.)
Biblical language requirement
If you have biblical language requirements, we recommend that you begin these in your first year. Perspectives on Biblical Languages LANG 500 is offered (i) for those who do not require a biblical language course in their concentration but who wish to deepen their exegetical skills beyond Biblical Exegesis BIBL 503; and (ii) for those in the Doctrinal Theology concentration who wish to take 6 credit hours in a modern reading language. This course is not available for students in one of the four Scripture concentrations of the MA in Theological Studies or for students in the MDiv program.
Final projects
Towards the end of your program, you will complete a final project which can take the form of (i) a comprehensive exam, (ii) a thesis, or, in some concentrations (iii) an integrative project. With the approval of your supervisor, the comprehensive exam may take the form of a major paper. We offer a non-credit orientation seminar in both Fall and Winter terms for the thesis (GENR 301) and the integrative project for students in the Christianity and the Arts concentration (GENR 313). Visit the Final Projects page for more information.
Choosing a concentration
We advise you to choose a concentration early in your studies so that you can plan your courses wisely. Our Academic Advising page has helpful information on how to choose your concentration and select courses in your first year. The Program Requirements page has worksheets for each concentration.
Concentration requirements are revised from time to time. You have the option to complete the concentration according to the requirements as published when you were admitted, or according to the current requirements.
Pursuing doctoral studies
If you intend to go on to complete a PhD, we advise that you acquire reading knowledge of at least one more relevant language during your master's work: normally Latin, French, or German. You can take courses through UBC or private language institutes in Vancouver such as the Alliance Française or Goethe Institut.
Distance Education Component
When completing the MA in Theological Studies degree, you can take up to 20 credits of courses through Distance Education.
Next Steps
Not sure which program is right for you? Visit the Choose Your Program page.
Have questions? Connect with an Admissions Counsellor now:
Ready to apply? Start your application today.
