Master of Theology

The Master of Theology is an academic program that provides in-depth study in a particular discipline within theological education. Examples include the following:

Old Testament, Ancient Near Eastern Languages and Literature, New Testament, Historical Theology, Systematic Theology, Philosophical and Moral Theology, Pastoral Care, Church Polity and Administration, Preaching, Worship, Educational Ministry, and Missions

The ThM is a natural extension of either an M.Div. or an M.T.S. It is designed for pastors who wish to pursue an advanced degree within a particular field of study. It is also excellent preparation for those who intend to pursue doctoral work.

Any person who possesses a theological degree from an accredited seminary, has a good academic record (3.00 GPA or better), and desires to take seminary graduate courses is eligible for admission to the Master of Theology program. A person holding a degree from an unaccredited seminary may be considered for admission on the basis of validation by work in residence.

All applicants for the Master of Theology degree are required to submit the following on prescribed forms:

  1. A completed application form accompanied by an autobiography and application fee of $25.00.
  2. Official transcripts showing all college, seminary, and university degrees and credits. An A.B. and an M.T.S., B.D., or M.Div. degree or their equivalents are required.
  3. Three letters of recommendation: two from professors with whom the applicant has done his/her major work and one from a leader in the applicant's home church.
  4. A TOEFL score (if English is not the applicant's native language) at or above the required level of 213 (computer-based test or a 550 paper-based) and a TWE of 4.0.

When a student is admitted to graduate studies with a view to obtaining a Master of Theology degree, a committee shall be appointed to set up a tentative course program for that student and to make recommendation to the appropriate division regarding the student's eligibility for candidacy. That committee shall consist of one member of the department or division in which the student wishes to work and the ThM Program Director.

Admission Requirements (show | hide)

To qualify for admission to the Master of Theology degree program, an applicant must be the graduate of an approved college and must possess a Master of Theological Studies, a Bachelor of Divinity, or a Master of Divinity degree from an accredited school or must possess the equivalent of such a degree. The applicant's previous record must show good academic standing with a cumulative GPA of at least 3.00 (B). In addition, applicants must have completed Calvin Theological Seminary's core curriculum in the department of their specialization or have satisfactorily covered the equivalent of that curriculum elsewhere. They must also present evidence by way of transcript that they have taken a minimum of one year each in Hebrew and Greek. Potential applicants who lack Hebrew may avail themselves of the opportunity to receive Calvin Seminary's Biblical Hebrew instruction online prior to admission. No one will be admitted with admission deficiencies.

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Program Requirements (show | hide)

  1. Requirements for the Degree
    1. The candidate for the degree shall satisfactorily complete work amounting to not less than 36 quarter hours on the graduate level. The student will meet this requirement in one of two ways: by successfully completing 33 hours of course work, one course of which must be a research course (OT 185 or SYTH 485), one three hour research paper, and an oral examination based upon the research paper and 15 propositions identified by the candidate from previous Th.M work; or by completing 27 hours of course work, one of which must be a research course (OT 185 or SYTH 485), a written thesis (worth 9 hours of credit), and an oral examination based on the thesis. At least 24 of the 36 hours are to be taken within the field of specialization.
    2. The field of specialization shall be one of the following: Old Testament, Ancient Near Eastern Languages and Literature, New Testament, Historical Theology, Systematic Theology, Philosophical and Moral Theology, Pastoral Care, Church Polity and Administration, Preaching, Worship, Educational Ministry, and Missions.
    3. A language appropriate for theological scholarship may be required by the division for a particular program (e.g. Latin for research in medieval theology).
    4. All candidates must maintain a cumulative GPA of 3.00. In order to qualify for the thesis route, students must have a GPA of 3.30 in their area of specialization.
    5. Students enrolled in a Th.M. in Preaching will be required to preach in the English language.
    6. Students enrolled in the Special Program in Pastoral Care and Counseling will be required to provide pastoral care in the English language as part of their clinical training.
    7. Students wishing to pursue a Th.M. in Old Testament, in Ancient Near Eastern Languages and Literature, or in New Testament must demonstrate their competence in Hebrew or Greek as part of the admission process. Applicants are advised to request an on-line examination early in the admission process.
    8. Th.M. students may hold full-time status for no more than two years. Students shall begin their course of study in the fall quarter when the research courses are offered.
    9. Students in the Th.M. program shall complete the degree within five years after admission to candidacy. After admission to candidacy the student shall pay an annual continuation fee.
  2. Special Program in Pastoral Care and Counseling

    The Master of Theology program in pastoral care involves certain adjustments in the foregoing stipulations. At least one quarter of clinical pastoral education beyond the first unit of basic clinical pastoral education is required, for which nine hours of credit are granted toward the 36 hours required for the degree. A second quarter is optional, for which three hours of credit are given. Such clinical training must be accredited by the Association for Clinical Pastoral Education. A thesis is required, which earns six hours of credit. The thesis must reveal the student's ability to reflect theologically on his/ her clinical experience.

  3. Master of Theology Courses

    The courses for a Master of Theology program are taken from the elective offerings of the seminary with appropriate requirements specified by the professor, and from research courses developed by a student with the approval of a professor and of the vice president for academic affairs. Courses offered in the Doctor of Philosophy program are open to qualified Th.M. students by permission of the vice president for academic affairs. In addi¬tion, the faculty has designated the following courses as post-M.Div. offerings specifically designed for students in the Master of Theology program.

    Division Course Quarter Hours
    Biblical   Old Testament Department  
      151 Biblical Aramaic 3
      152 The Ugaritic Language 3
      159 The Art of Hebrew Poetry 3
      164 The Song of Songs 3
      173 Ancient Near Eastern and Biblical Law 3
      174 Readings in Old Testament Theology 3
      185 Biblical Studies and Research Methodology 3
      186 Methods of Old Testament Interpretation 3
      197 Seminar in Old Testament Studies 3
      198 Research Course: Old Testament 3
       
    New Testament Department    		  
      185 Biblical Studies and Research Methodology 3
      249 The Letter to the Ephesians 3
      280 The Coptic Language 3
      297 Seminar in New Testament Studies 3
      298 Research Course: New Testament 3

    Theological    		  
    Historical Theology Department    		  
      363 The Theology of the Lutheran Reformation 3
      373 Puritanism and Orthodoxy 3
      374 Biblical Interpretation in the 16th and 17th Centuries 3
      376 Biblical Interpretation in the Middle Ages 3
      387 Seminar in Historical Theology 3
      398 Research Course: Historical Theology 3
       
    Systematic Theology Department    		  
      480 Theology and Narrative 3
      487 Seminar in Systematic Theology 3
      490 Trends in Incarnational and Trinitarian Doctrine 3
      496 The Theology of Pannenberg and Moltmann 3
      497 The Theology of Karl Barth 3
      498 Research Course: Systematic Theology 3
       
    Philosophical and Moral Theology Department    		  
      556 The Ten Commandments 3
      563 The Impact of Post-Enlightenment Philosophy on Theology 3
      587 Seminar in Philosophical or Moral Theology 3
      598 Research Course: Philosophical and Moral Theology 3

    Ministry    		  
    Church Polity and Administration Department    		  
      697 Research Course: Church Polity 3
       
    Preaching and Worship Department    		  
      668 Studies in the History of Preaching 3
      698 Research Course: Preaching, Worship 3
       
    Pastoral Care Department    		  
      711
    712
    713    		 Clinical Pastoral Education 3-6
      715 Perspectives on Personality 3
      748 Research Course: Pastoral Care 3
       
    Educational Ministry Department    		  
      798 Research Course: Church Education 3
       
    Missions Department    		  
      848 Seminar in Missiology 3
      861 Adventures in Classic Mission Literature 3
      862 Contemporary World Mission 3
      898 Research Course: Missiology 3
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Admission to Th.M. Candidacy (show | hide)

  1. Students taking the research paper route shall be admitted to Th.M candidacy by the educational policy committee when they
    1. have completed a minimum of 18 hours of course work with a cumulative GPA of 3.00,
    2. have demonstrated the ability to do quality academic work and writing.
    3. and have submitted a proposal for a research paper to a faculty member in their area of specialization.
  2. Students taking the thesis route shall be admitted to Th.M. candidacy by the educational policy committee when they
    1. have completed a minimum of 18 hours of course work with a cumulative GPA of 3.00 and with a GPA of 3.30 in their area of specialization,
    2. have identified a full-time faculty member with whom the studenthas taken at least one course and who is available to undertake the task of mentoring,
    3. and have written a thesis proposal that is prepared according to thestandard CTS Th.M. thesis proposal format and that is judged satisfactory in form and content both to the mentor and to the division.
  3. Students enrolled in the Special Program in Pastoral Care and Counseling will ordinarily be admitted to Th.M. candidacy after they have completed a minimum of 24 hours of course work with a GPA of 3.00 or higher, have demonstrated their ability to do thesis-quality research and writing, and have submitted a thesis proposal (worth six hours) approved by the faculty advisor.
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Regulations for the Master of Theology Thesis (show | hide)

  1. The candidates select the subject of their thesis in consultation with the faculty adviser and with the approval of the appropriate division of the faculty. The division then submits the thesis topic to the educational policy committee for approval.
  2. After approving the subject, the educational policy committee appoints a thesis committee consisting of the faculty adviser and two other faculty members, which supervises the preparation of the thesis. The faculty adviser serves as chair.
  3. The thesis must reflect the use of standard research methods, display appropriate familiarity with the primary and secondary sources, and demonstrate a sound grasp of the subject. The test of the thesis shall be approximately 90-110 pages long and will conform to the standards of research and writing reflected in A Manual for Writers of Term Papers, Theses, and Dissertations by Kate L. Turabian (6th edition, 1996). For matters not treated by Turabian, The Chicago Manual of Style (15th edition) will take precedence. Theses written for the Biblical Division shall conform to the standards of The SBL Handbook of Style: For Ancient Near Eastern, Biblical, and Early Christian Studies (4th printing) [2004] Hendrickson, 2004.
  4. A schedule for the various steps in the preparation of the thesis is set by the thesis committee. Three copies of the thesis to be used for the oral examination must be submitted by April 20 of the year of graduation. In rare cases exceptions may be allowed but only by permission of the educational policy committee upon recommendation of the candidate's division. A thesis abstract of approximately 200 words must be submitted along with the examination copies.
  5. All theses shall receive a grade in a manner similar to course work.
  6. Corrected copies of the thesis shall be submitted within four months after sustaining the oral examination.
  7. The student shall be charged a library fee for microfilming and binding submitted copies of the thesis.
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Regulations for the Master of Theology Research Papers and Propositions (show | hide)

  1. The text of the research paper will be between 30-40 pages and will conform to the standards of research and writing reflected in A Manual for Writers of Term Papers, Theses, and Dissertations by Kate L. Turabian (6th edition, 1996). The Chicago Manual of Style (15th edition) will serve to answer any questions not treated by Turabian.
  2. Students will select the topic for their research paper with a faculty member from the area of their specialization who is available to serve as the paper's director.
  3. The research paper may serve as a basis for questions in the oral examination. The research paper shall be completed no later than April 20 of the year of graduation. In rare cases exceptions may be allowed, but only by permission of the educational policy committee upon the recommendation of the Th.M. program director.
  4. In consultation with the faculty advisor the student will begin to develop 15 propositions for the oral examination. These propositions will be based on the student's previous Th.M. work.
  5. The fifteen propositions to be used in the oral examination must be submitted by April 20 of the year of graduation. In rare cases exceptions may be allowed, but only by permission of the educational policy committee upon the recommendation of the Th.M. director.
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