Exemplifying its commitment to lay theological education, United offers an M.A. degree designed for people who want to study theology apart from preparation for any specific professional role. See the Educational Goals established for this degree. 

Degree concentrations make it possible for students to meet a variety of educational goals and interests, including personal or professional enrichment and preparation for doctoral studies. The first of these - Religion and Theology - is very broad and allows students to pursue a wide range of interests. The other three are also responsive to particular student interests, but are focused in subjects where the United faculty has nationally recognized expertise. Each concentration has specific educational goals.

Concentrations of the Degree

• Concentration in Religion and Theology
• Concentration in Theology and the Arts
• Concentration in Women’s Studies
• Concentration in Leadership Toward Racial Justice
• Concentration in Justice and Peace Studies
• Concentration in Methodist Studies

Requirements of the Degree

The M.A. requires 54 credit hours of study, normally taken as 18 3-credit courses. On a full-time basis, these courses are taken over two years at a rate of nine courses per year. The degree can be completed on a part-time basis. All work for the degree must be completed within five years. The specific requirements are:

1. Satisfactory completion of 54 semester hours of credit. Of these, 24 are courses required for the degree regardless of concentration. The remaining 30 credits are allocated among required and elective courses according to the requirements of the specific concentration the student chooses.

Courses required for all forms of the M.A.:
Updated 7/10/12

• IS100 Principles of Writing and Critical Thinking in Theological Interpretation (non-credit course; may be waived at admission based on writing sample)
• IS151 Theological Interpretation: God, Community, and Transformation
• CH161 Orientation to the Older Testament: Pentateuch and Former Prophets
• CH261 New Testament Texts in Context
• CH461 Introduction to Historical Theology
• CH462 Introduction to American Religious Histories
• TR105 Constructive Theology
• TR107 Christian Ethics
• One global justice course
• Masters Thesis (6 credits)

2. Satisfactory completion of Unit I of vocational testing and consultation. This consultation is provided by the North Central Ministry Development Center adjacent to the seminary campus. This unit is to be completed during the first half of the student’s program.

3. Attendance at a one-day anti-racism workshop in the fall of the matriculation year.

4 . Completion of an Integrative Notebook documenting the student’s individual work in integrating the different elements of the student’s course of study in a manner appropriate to his or her identity and context. This notebook or portfolio contains a variety of materials (e.g., course papers, sermon videotapes, reflections papers, art projects) and is the basis for conversations with the student’s advisor concerning his or her educational progress. The Masters Student Handbook outlines the review intervals and required contents of the Integrative Notebook for the M.A. Program.

5. Recommendation by the faculty.