United Theological Seminary

Master of Arts in Bahá’í Studies

The Master of Arts in Bahá’í Studies program develops your skills in academic theological study with an emphasis on the interdisciplinary themes of the Bahá’í faith. This program may be a good fit for you if you are interested in becoming a teacher, professor, or community leader grounded in the Bahá’í faith.

Concentration Learning Outcomes

In addition to achieving the core MA degree learning outcomes, a graduate of the MA in Bahá’í Studies program will be able to apply their knowledge of and interdisciplinary insights into the Bahá’í faith to the creation of statements of their individual reality as well as their participation in social discourse, community-building, and social action.

United’s MA at a Glance

  • 36 credits
  • Eleven 3-credit courses plus a 3-credit thesis, or ten 3-credit courses plus a 6-credit thesis
  • Can be completed in two years if you take a full-time course load (24 credits per year) and complete your thesis in approximately one trimester
  • All MA concentrations can be completed entirely via distance learning

Program Guide Sheet

LEARNING OUTCOME
 NUMBER OF COURSES COURSES
Religious Texts 2
Choose one:
Hebrew Bible 1: Orientation
New Testament 1: Epistles, Acts, and
Revelation
New Testament 2: Four Gospels
Baha’u’llah’s Revelation*
Theological Tradition 2 Religious and Theological Interpretation
Bahá’í Theology*
Ethics/Justice 2
Choose one:
Christian Ethics
Comparative Religious Ethics
Bahá’í Approaches to Social Change*
CORE SUBTOTAL
 6
Academic Contextualization 5 The Bahá’í Faith*
An Introduction to Bahá’í History*
Bahá’í Institutions, the Community, and the
Individual*
Two electives
Academic Skills 1 MA Thesis
CONCENTRATION SUBTOTAL 6 18 Credits
DEGREE TOTAL 12 36 Credits
* Online courses

Learn More

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