Master of Arts (Religion) Degree

The M.A. (Religion) degree is a 60-hour, accredited theological degree available through the Virtual Campus. Through distance education, the MA (Religion) provides access to graduate-level seminary education for students unable to attend classes on a residential campus. Students take RTS courses online in our Virtual Classroom.

The curriculum is based on the Master of Arts (Religion) degree and is equivalent to the two-year residential version. The degree equips students with a survey of knowledge from various theological disciplines, and students complete a thesis on an academic topic of personal, professional, and ministerial relevance. Lecture-based writing assignments, personalized grading of papers, and email correspondence give regular feedback to students about academic work.

M.A. (Religion) students are required to complete two on-campus seminars during their degree work worth a total of 6 credit hours. The rest of the degree is completed entirely through the distance education courses of the Virtual Campus.

The mentoring program is also a fundamental and dynamic component of the M.A. (Religion). Students must choose a mentor to provide accountability and encouragement throughout the course of their degree work. Mentors meet with students regularly, helping them to apply the content of their courses to the context of family and church ministry.