Online Master's in Religion Curriculum
Students choose the online MAR degree program because it offers a solid foundation in theological, Bible-focused Christian education and an opportunity to gain competency in a wide-range of practical ministry subjects.
A little more than half of the 60-credit online theological Master’s degree program is spent studying core theological subjects including classes in Bible, theology, church history, missions, ethics, and spiritual formation. About a quarter of the online degree program features Christian Ministry Concentration courses in focused practical areas like leadership, counseling, Christian education, communication. In addition to two elective courses and an integrative capstone course, students gain practical experience through contextualized theological education and practical hands-on-training through three Mentored Ministry rotations.
A full list of requirements is detailed below:
| General Core Requirements (33 Credit Hours) |
|
OT 500: Old Testament Survey |
| Christian Ministry Concentration Courses (18 Credit Hours) |
|
CL 503: Foundations for Leadership |
| Capstone Course (3 Credit Hours) |
| IS 800/881: Integrative Project/Paper |
| Elective Courses (6 Credit Hours) |
Structure of Courses
The structure of the online MAR degree program courses is designed to benefit those who have significant responsibilities outside of seminary, whether family, ministry or work obligations. The structure contains the following features:
- Online courses are 14 weeks long; students normally take up to two courses per semester.
- Optional* intensive one-week residencies occur at the end of the semester with three days devoted to one course and three days devoted a student’s second course (if applicable). Residencies are held on the Charlotte, North Carolina campus.
- Students may start in any semester (fall, spring, and summer) and can complete the 60-credit hour online theology degree program in a little over three years.
- In addition to Online Orientation, all students must pass a Theological Research and Writing course in their first term
Students may complete up to 50% of the program fully online and may choose which residencies to attend to complete the remaining 50% of the program.
Residency Requirements
Students enrolled in the Online MAR program must complete nine (9) courses that have a residency component in addition to the three Mentored Ministry rotations in your local area (these count as one course residency). Campus residency experiences are one week long and occur in April, August, and December. During one week students will satisfy the residency requirement for two courses. Students may choose when to complete their residencies in the program, but must complete nine (9) course residencies (a minimum of 4.5 weeks in Charlotte) in three years.
During the residency experiences students are responsible for:
- Coursework associated with the residency
- Travel to and from Charlotte, North Carolina
- Housing (discounted hotels and housing may be available) and meals for six days
Mentored Ministry
At the heart of the online MAR degree is the conviction that relevant ministry experience within real life contexts under the supervision of caring, seasoned mentors is the vital ingredient in shaping the next generation of effective leaders for Christ. Toward that end, online MAR students engage in three Mentored Ministry rotations in their local ministry contexts that help them apply what they are learning while at the same time gaining valuable practical ministry experience.
