We offer you the opportunity to combine our Certificate in Pastoral Ministry with our MA in Theology and study full- or part-time. Please consult the respective web-pages (Certificate in Pastoral Ministry; MA in Theology) for detailed information about each program (goals, mission, etc.).

Program Admission

To safeguard the high quality of our Pre- and Post-Master's Certificate Programs, admission to the Program is limited (three or four applicants each fall semester).

You may directly enroll in our Combined MA in Theology and Certificate in Pastoral Ministry program, or initially enroll in either the Certificate Program or the MA in Theology Program. For information about admission requirements and program enrollment, please study this page.

Note: If you are also applying for admission to the Campus Ministry Internship Program, please consult this page for admission requirements and program enrollment.

Program Requirements

When you combine the Certificate with the MA in Theology you choose 10 courses (30 credit hours) in Theology on the basis of your interests and professional objectives, but meet the following departmental course distribution requirement:

1 course (3 credit hours), Foundations in Theology (THL 8000) – required of all students in the program; 1 course (3 credit hours) in Systematic Theology – an elective; 2 courses (6 credit hours) in Bible – electives; 1 course (3 credit hours), Texts in Contexts – required of all students in the program; 1 course (3 credit hours) in History – an elective; 2 courses (6 credit hours) in Ethics – electives; 2 courses (6 credit hours) in Theology – free electives. In addition, you must take 2 courses (6 credit hours) in Pastoral Ministry and Counseling Practice (THL 8800 and THL 8810) – required of all students in the Certificate program; 2 courses (6 credit hours) in Counseling (CHR 8605 and CHR 8655) – required of all students in the Certificate program; a two-year supervised Field Practicum (minimum of 10 hours per week).

To meet the requirements for the Certificate and the MA in Theology, students complete 42 graduate credit hours of study (see this chart). Upon completion of course work with a minimum GPA of 3.0 and of all other master’s program requirements (language and comprehensive examinations) the University awards the Master's degree in Theology and the Certificate in Pastoral Ministry.