Degree Program Summaries
Graduate Degrees
The Master of Divinity degree program equips students to engage in Gospel-centered leadership roles, such as pastoral ministry, chaplaincy, teaching, and missions. It presents students with other open doors as well, serving to meet ordination requirements for some Christian denominations, while also meeting admission qualifications for doctoral programs that focus on ministry or theology.
The MA (Biblical and Theological Studies) offers students the chance to build a theological understanding rooted in a thorough investigation of the Scriptures, with an eye toward gospel-centered transformation. Students will develop into an informed theologian for work as a ministry leader, teaching pastor, or educator.
The Master of Arts in Ministry and Leadership degree program enables studentsto bring transformation to churches and parachurch organizations in a North American context through a rich biblical understanding and a refined leadership skill set. While this program is a great fit for support pastors or parachurch leaders, it is not designed to prepare students for ministry roles that may require ordination.
The Master of Arts in Global Leadership equips students who will serve in communities beyond the traditional North American context. The training provides a rich foundation of biblical and theological studies and then progresses to cross-cultural communication, intercultural leadership, ministry skill, and spiritual formation.
The Master of Theology (ThM) degree program is the most advanced academic program offered at Western Seminary, offering advanced training and research in Biblical studies and theology for pastoral theologians who aim to convey the Gospel powerfully. The result is a training package that will prepare pastors, ministers, and educators with the knowledge base and research experience to lead the Church forward.
The Master of Arts in Counseling (California) is a professional graduate degree that equips counselors to offer concern and care for the whole person. The curriculum satisfies the requirements to apply with the Board of Behavioral Sciences (BBS) to register as an Associate MFT in the State of California, and later sit for an exam to become a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT). It also allows students to register as an Associate Professional Clinical Counselor and later sit for the exam to become a Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor (LPCC).
The Master of Arts in Counseling (Oregon) degree in Clinical Mental Health Counseling prepares Christian counselors to bring concern and care for the whole person. While the curriculum satisfies Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) requirements set forth by the Oregon Board of Licensed Professional Counselors and Therapists, it is also CACREP accredited, allowing students flexibility to obtain licensure in many other states with minimal additional work.
Post-Graduate Degrees
The Doctor of Education (EdD) in Intercultural Education equips students to thrive in leadership positions at intercultural educational settings around the world, whether as an instructor, administrator, mentor, coach, or cross-cultural missionary. This advanced, professional degree helps students develop mastery of intercultural education disciplines, graduate-level understanding of theological disciplines, growth in Christian maturity and integrity, and increased capacity to engage in educational administration, teaching, and research.
The Doctor of Intercultural Studies is an advanced professional degree, designed to equip Christian leaders and missions’ workers for increased skill and effectiveness while serving in pluralistic and multi-ethnic contexts. This in-service program is designed for ministers who are already involved in cross-cultural work, so that professors and colleagues from around the world can connect at interactive class modules with a minimum of interruption to life.
The Doctor of Ministry (DMin) program is a course of study aimed at achieving the most advanced degree in pastoral training. It encompasses three areas of concentrated study—Christ-Centered Preaching, Gospel Spirituality, and Pastoral Leadership—delivered by a distinctive faculty that includes internationally-recognized ministry leaders.