M.A. — Master
of Arts Degree
Exemplifying
its commitment to lay theological education, United Theological
Seminary offers a Master of Arts degree with four
possible concentrations: Religion and Theology, Theology
and the Arts, Women’s Studies, and Leadership toward
Racial Justice.
The
programs described here are designed for persons seeking
to study theology apart
from preparation for any specific professional role.
The concentration makes it possible for students to meet
a
variety of educational goals
and
interests,
including
personal
or
professional enrichment and preparation for doctoral studies.
Educational
Goals of the Degree
The
excellent graduate of the United Theological Seminary Master
of Arts program:
1.
has a broad, basic
acquaintance with significant portions of the biblical
origins and subsequent major lines of development of the
Christian tradition up to modern times;
2.
has a broad, basic
acquaintance with the present global diversity of Christian
theological expression;
3.
is able, at a
basic level, to analyze and evaluate these faith traditions
in relation to their contexts and the graduate’s
own context(s);
4.
is able, out
of the integration of religious traditions, contexts, and
self, to construct a theology or world view that is meaningful
for the student’s faith community or community of
meaning; and
5.
has mastered
the tools of academic research and writing assumed at the
graduate level of theological inquiry and gained a high
level of knowledge in a particular area of theological
study as defined by one of the three concentrations within
the degree program.
Requirements
of the Degree
The
Master of Arts degree at United 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 as follows:
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.:
- 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
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. Completion
of an Integrative Notebook documenting the student’s
individual work in integrating the different elements of
his or her 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
annual conversation with the student’s advisor concerning
his or her educational progress. 4. Recommendation
by the faculty.
Concentrations
of the Degree:
Religion
and Theology | Theology
and the Arts | Women’s
Studies |
Leadership toward Racial Justice
Concentration
in Religion
and Theology
Educational
Goals of the Concentration
The excellent graduate
of the Religion and Theology concentration of the United
M.A. degree program:
1.
is able to analyze sympathetically
the life of religious communities other than her/his own;
2.
is able understand theological
traditions in the broader context of the life of religious
communities;
3.
will have a basic understanding
of theology and religious studies as distinct disciplines;
and
4.
has developed in-depth knowledge
of a topic in religion or theology relevant to his/her
interests.
Requirements
of the Concentration
Of
the 30 credits for the concentration in Religion and Theology,
12 credits are taken up with two required courses and the
required thesis. The other 18 credits are earned through
elective courses.
- TR771 – Approaches
to the Study of Religion and Religious Communities
- One
course in a non-Christian religion or religions
- Twelve
credits of elective courses numbered CH or TR
- Six
credits of elective courses numbered CL
- A
6-credit Master’s thesis
Concentration
in Theology and the Arts Educational
Goals of the Concentration
The
excellent graduate of the Theology and the Arts concentration
of the United M.A. degree program:
1.
has developed and can employ
an interdisciplinary model of theological interpretation
of the arts;
2.
is able to articulate an understanding
of the arts as an object of theological reflection, a means
of religious expression, and a source for the practice
of ministry; and
3.
has introductory level knowledge
of a significant block of art (defined by style, theme,
period, etc.).
Requirements
of the Concentration
Of
the 30 credits for the concentration in Theology and the
Arts, 15-18 credits are taken up with three required courses
and the required thesis. The other 12-15 credits are earned
through elective courses.
- TR271 – Theological
Interpretation of the Arts
- CL330 – Worship of
the Church
- TR272 – Arts
Practicum
- Nine
credits of arts elective courses
- Three
or six credits of additional elective courses
- A
6- or 9-credit Master’s thesis
Concentration
in Women’s Studies: Religion,
Theology, Ministry
Educational
Goals of the Concentration
The
excellent graduate of the Women’s Studies: Religion,
Theology, Ministry concentration of the United M.A. degree
program:
1.
has
a broad basic acquaintance with the experiences of women
in the history of Christianity and with how women have
shaped, and been shaped by, the Christian tradition(s)
and contemporary religious practice.
2.
has
a broad, basic acquaintance with the multiple ways that
women are participating in, and shaping, contemporary theological
reflection; and
3.
will
have a basic understanding of women’s studies as an
academic discipline.
Requirements
of the Concentration
Of
the 30 credits for the concentration in Women’s Studies,
9 credits are taken up with a required survey course and
the required
thesis. Another 12 credits are taken up by electives in
specified fields. The other 9 credits are allocated to
free electives.
- TR401 – Foundations
of Women’s Studies
- One
women’s studies elective course in biblical
studies
- One
women’s studies elective course in history
- One
women’s studies elective course in contemporary
theology
- One
women’s studies elective course
in the arts of ministry
- Nine
credits of additional elective courses
- A
6-credit Master’s thesis
Concentration
in Leadership toward Racial Justice
Requirements
of the Concentration
Of the 30 credits for the concentration
in Leadership toward Racial Justice, 15
credits are taken up by the courses required for this
concentration. The remaining
15 credits are available for free electives. The courses
required for the concentration
are:
- TR331 – Antiracism
Dialogue, Theory, and Practice
- Three
electives selected from a list approved by the Educational
Planning and Evaluation Committee
- CL540 – Practicum
in Antiracism Dialogue
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