The Master of Theology Degree Program

The Master of Theology (ThM), Western’s highest purely academic degree, facilitates the development of advanced competencies beyond that which is cultivated in other graduate level programs. The program is designed to serve current and prospective pastors, teachers, scholars, and others who may benefit from advanced training in biblical and theological studies. Aims that accord with the purpose of the program include preparation for Ph.D. studies, acquisition of proficiencies for teaching, sharpening for continued effective ministry, and focused research in a particular area of study.

At Western, the Master of Theology program is shaped by a commitment to rigorous and integrative Christian scholarship done in service of the church. This is evident in the following items that distinguish the ThM program at Western:

• Academic Excellence. At every phase of the program, ThM students develop skills necessary to achieve a high level of academic success. To that end, our ThM program provides many opportunities for students to sharpen their critical thinking, researching, and writing skills through both coursework and research.
• Spiritual Vitality. Recognizing that biblical and theological research should take place primarily in the service of the church and its ministry in the world, the program continually challenges students to address the spiritual significance of their academic pursuits.
• Theological Integration. We understand the value of each of the various biblical and theological disciplines and, consequently, we encourage students to draw on the resources that each provides in their research and coursework. The ThM thesis is expected to reflect this commitment to interdisciplinary integration.

Along with the above items, the ThM program is unique in terms of its flexibility. The modular, intensive design of ThM seminars allows students to complete much of their coursework during occasional on-campus visits. In addition to this, the Western ThM allows students to customize the program to meet their specific academic and ministerial goals. This includes identifying two biblical/theological disciplines to focus upon in their coursework and research, and then selecting seminars, electives, and individualized studies that accord with this specialization. The ThM program includes five main areas of concentration:

• Systematic and biblical theology
• Historical theology
• Pastoral Theology
• New Testament
• Old Testament

Many other components contribute to the strength of Western’s ThM Program:

• Participation at national and regional meetings of the Evangelical Theological Society (ETS) is encouraged. Our ThM students regularly read papers at regional ETS meetings, and some have done so at national ETS meetings.
• ThM students may also have the opportunity to publish selected portions of their work on Western’s faculty blog, Transformed.
• Graduate fellowships are available at Western, linking ThM students and professors in close relationships and providing opportunities for students to teach, grade papers and exams, and carry out research.
• Western has a working relationship with the Jerusalem University College (JUC) in Israel that provides interested students with the opportunity for a cooperative degree program in the biblical studies major.
• ThM seminars are designed to maximize participation through paper presentations, critique, and content discussion, all of which will prepare the student for doctoral seminars.
• ThM Colloquia help to sharpen critical reading skills in the context of a learning community where relationships with professors and other like-minded students are cultivated.
• The writing of the ThM thesis joins a student with two faculty readers who advise and mentor throughout this research phase of the program.
• At the completion of the program, students are required to successfully defend their thesis/guided research reports and pass comprehensive oral exams before a faculty committee.

Program learning outcomes:

• Students apply insights from multiple disciplines to particular theological problems.
• Students are conversant with a wide variety of theological traditions and committed to evangelical theology.
• Students demonstrate mastery of degree program content and their chosen subject by means of critical and independent thinking.
• Students demonstrate the ability to develop and execute a research plan that produces essays and monographs suitable for publication.
• Students engage academics holistically, embracing the synergy of scholarship and piety.
• Students orient their research in, with, and toward the church.

All students should exhibit evidence of a vital and growing spiritual life, teachability, and growing Christian integrity, especially with regard to academic and scholarly honesty. Students should also be able to provide goals and motivation to match the ThM program's outcomes. A prospective Master of Theology student must hold either a three-year Master of Divinity (MDiv) degree or, in some instances, an academic Master of Arts (MA) degree. The specific requirements for each are the following:

Master of Divinity (MDiv)

Master of Arts (MA)

Upon approval by the Registrar, transfer of up to 6 credit hours coursework is allowed toward the ThM program from ThM programs accredited by the Association of Theological Schools. Students must have earned a grade of B or better for a course to be considered for transfer and coursework should normally have completed no more than five years prior to matriculation to Western Seminary. Students may request to be assessed by exam for currency on courses to be transferred that are more than five years old. Any proposed transfer credit must fit the nature of the program. No advanced standing is allowed toward the program. Transferability of credits earned at Western and transferred to another institution is at the discretion of the receiving institution. Consult the Registrar’s Office for information on eligibility of transfer credit and advanced standing.

Of the 25 credit hours required for the ThM program, a minimum of 13 credit hours must be completed through coursework in resident study at Western Seminary’s Portland Campus. All work leading to the Master of Theology must be completed within four years from the time of matriculation. Permission to extend the four year statute of limitation must be granted through submission of an academic petition. Reinstatement to the program after withdrawal requires Admissions Committee action and may subject the student to additional requirements for the degree. All credits applied toward the degree requirements earned within ten years of the awarding of the degree. Alternatively, new or re-entering students whose prior coursework exceeds the ten-year limit may request to demonstrate current competency by examination up to the advanced standing credit limitations for each degree program as specified elsewhere in this catalog.

The ThM Program includes a total of 25 credits, and consists of Research Seminars (12 credits), Advanced Electives (8 credits), Research and Writing Methods (2 credits), ThM Colloquia (no credits), ThM thesis (3 credits), and Comprehensive Examination (no credits).

• Research Seminars. Students participate in four research seminars (twelve credits). Two of these must accord with the student’s selected areas of concentration.
• Advanced Electives. Students select eight credits from advanced masters level electives suitable for their program focus (with program director approval). A student may count additional research seminars (above and beyond the minimum requirement of four seminars) toward the eight advanced elective credits.
• Master of Theology Colloquia (RE604). Students participate in two semesters of ThM Colloquia during their program. The Colloquia are taken for non-credit with a Pass/No-Pass mark from the program director for participation.
• Research and Writing Methods (RE600). This course helps to develop the skills needed to satisfy the thesis requirement, as well as to prepare the student for future research and scholarly writing endeavors.
• Master of Theology Thesis (RE602). Students complete a three credit-hour thesis guided by two faculty mentors.
• Comprehensive Examination. The examination includes both an oral defense of a student’s ThM thesis and an oral investigation of a student’s competency in his/her concentration courses.