Master of theology Degree

The Master of Theology (Th.M.) program is designed to enable qualified graduates of post-baccalaureate degree programs in theology (i.e., the M.Div. degree or its equivalent) to broaden and deepen their theological knowledge.  Students in the program will:

• participate in core seminars
• take a limited number of electives
• pursue research in a specialized area

What makes Western Distinctive?

• Distinctives

  Our program has two further distinctive characteristics:

  1. In the Th.M. core seminars, we focus on theological and cultural underpinnings of how Christian faith and practice are and might be embodied in various cultures and contexts. Because our Th.M. students come from around the globe, that discussion is enriched by the diverse first-hand experience of that community of scholars.
  2. As with all of Western Seminary's degree programs, our pursuit of knowledge is done in the spirit of "faith seeking understanding." We invite all students to participate fully in our lively, Reformed, evangelical, and ecumenically-open community of faith as they seek to deepen and sharpen their theological understanding.

• Our Graduates

  "I feel my coming to Western Seminary was planned by God to teach me how evangelism and leadership can be integrated to build up God's kingdom."
  Bishop Stephen Kaziimba
  Anglican Church, Uganda
  
  "Western prepared me to teach ethics to U.S. Army Chaplains so that they can properly handle the critical issues faced on and off the battlefield."
  Chaplain Mike Burgess, Major US Army
  Ethics Instructor, US Army Chaplain School and Center
  Fort Jackson, South Carolina
  
  "Spending a year in Western’s Master of Theology program was a great way to prepare myself for Ph.D. studies on Calvin at the Ruprecht-Karls-University in Heidelberg, Germany."
  Dr. Shih, Shu-ying
  Assistant Professor of Systematic Theology
  Taiwan Theological Seminary, Taiwan

Courses and Degree Requirements

To Apply:

To apply for the Master of Theology program, you must:

• have completed a Master of Divinity degree or the equivalent
• submit transcripts of all schools attended
• have the ability to relate theological study to the social, cultural, and historical contexts of your ministry

International Students must submit a TOEFL score of at least:

• 550, TWE 4 (paper based)
• 80 (internet based)
• Overall 6.0 (IELTS)

A limited number of scholarships are available to national and international students.

Application Deadlines:

No deadline currently in place.  For application forms, please contact the Th.M. program director, Rev. Jeanette Beagley-Koolhaas, at jeanette.beagley@westernsem.edu.

Sequence of Courses

Field Legend: BL - Biblical Field; MN - Christian Ministry Field; FR - Formation for Ministry; TH - Theological Field

• August/Fall/J-Term

  August

  • MT210 Orientation Seminar

  Fall Semester

  • MT220 Research Design
  • MT230 Seminar in Cultural Analysis
  • MT240 Seminar in Theology
  • 2 electives

  J-Term

  • MT250 Seminar in Intercultural Hermeneutics

• Spring/Summer

  Spring Semester/Summer Non-Thesis Options

  • 2 Elective Courses
  • MT260A Research Paper
  • MT252 Comprehensive Examination

  Spring Semester/Summer Thesis Options

  • 1 Elective Course
  • MT260 Thesis
  • MT252 Comprehensive Examination