Master of Theology

The Master of Theology (Th.M.) program is designed as a post-M.Div./M.T.S. degree to introduce students to study and academic research in a specialized area of the theological disciplines. It is designed to give pastors and others the opportunity to extend their education and training in a particular field, and to serve as excellent preparation for doctoral level work. For more information, read the FAQ.

Areas of specialization include

Old Testament
Ancient Near Eastern Languages and Literature
New Testament
History of Christianity
Systematic Theology
Philosophical and Moral Theology

Pastoral Care and Leadership
Preaching and Worship
Evangelism and Teaching

Admission Requirements

Admission to the Master of Theology program requires a Master of Divinity, Master of Theological Studies, Bachelor of Divinity or an equivalent degree with a cumulative GPA of at least 3.0 (B). In addition you will need to have completed Calvin Theological Seminary’s core curriculum in the department of your specialization or its equivalent at another seminary. You also need to provide transcript evidence of having completed a minimum of two semesters each in Hebrew and Greek. No one will be admitted with admission deficiencies.

ThM Program Curriculum

You can complete your program in the following way.

Requirement		Num. Courses	Num. Hours
One research course (801T)		1	(3 hrs)
Four electives in the department of specialization		4	(12 hrs)
One of the following options:			(6 hrs)
	One general elective in any department* (3 hrs) One research paper in the department of specialization (3 hrs)	1
	Or
	Thesis in the department of specialization (6 hrs) Oral examination based on the thesis
Total courses (hrs)		5 or 6	(21 hrs)
*If your department of specialization is Ancient Near Eastern Languages and Literature, the "one general elective in any department" is replaced by "a fifth elective in the department of specialization."

A Special Program in Pastoral Care and Counseling that involves clinical training accredited by the Association for Clinical Pastoral Education is also available. For particular requirements, you may contact the Professor of Pastoral Care.

Courses in the Th.M. program will be one of three types:

Three-hour credit courses with 24 hours of class time and 12 hours of individual research assignments;
Three-hour credit courses with 36 hours of class time;
Two-hour credit M.Div. electives upgraded to three-hour credit courses for Th.M. students.

Program Sequence (For Full-time Students)

One Year Program

Track	1^st Semester	J-Term	2^nd Semester
Research Paper	Research Methodology + 2 or 3 courses (9 or 12 credit hours)	Paper Proposal	Research Paper + 2 or 3 courses (9 or 12 credit hours)
Thesis	Research Methodology + 2 or 3 courses (9 or 12 credit hours)	Thesis Proposal	Thesis + 1 or 2 courses (9 or 12 credit hours)
*Th.M. program requires 21 credit hours

Two Year Program (For International Students only)

Year 1
1^st Semester	J-Term	2^nd Semester
Research Methodology (3 credit hours)		2 courses (6 credit hours)
Year 2
1^st Semester	J-Term	2^nd Semester
2 courses (6 credit hours)	Paper or Thesis Proposal	1 course + Research Paper (6 credit hours) OR Thesis (6 credit hours)
*Th.M. program requires 21 credit hours

A sample of the courses offered in the Master of Theology Program:

The Art of Hebrew Narrative
Comparative Semitic Grammar
Birth and Death Narratives in the NT
Reformed Dogmatics of Hermann Bavinck
Divine Decrees in 16th and 17th Cent. Reformed Thought
Biblical Anthropology and the Body Soul Debate
Intersections of Theology and Science
Doctrine of Christ and the Services of the Christian Year
Foundations of Educational Ministry
Human Sexuality
Theology and Practice of Pastoral Ministry

Frequently Asked Questions

Read the FAQ