The Master of Theology Degree Program

The ThM program, on a post-collegiate level, is aimed at providing the student with the basic tools for professional competence in the communication of the Word of God, and a framework of theology in which one can function as a Christian minister. Through the Th.M. program, Western Seminary’s goal is to train and equip Christian leaders to serve the Church of Jesus Christ with a high degree of proficiency in the areas of academic research and writing, biblical exegesis, biblical theology, and systematic theology. In addition, we strive to inculcate in our students the virtues of diligence, academic honesty, critical thinking, perseverance, and biblical fidelity in order that they might thrive in a variety of ministry settings. Our desire is to see our Th.M. graduates faithfully serving the Lord in a variety of ministries with Christlike character and with a heightened capacity for service owing to the skills and the knowledge base gained through our rigorous program.

At Western Seminary, the Master of Theology (Th.M.) program is designed for three kinds of people:

• Students planning to pursue Ph.D. studies;
• Ministry leaders who realize that staying sharp academically and intellectually is essential to continued effective ministry;
• Teachers intending to teach at Bible schools, Classical Christian schools, and certain colleges.

Our Th.M. program emphasizes six student learning outcomes, which fall under the following three headings:

Academic Excellence:

• Conceptual Comprehension: The student demonstrates mastery of course material and basic methodologies and exhibits mature, critical, independent thinking.
• Rigorous Scholarship: The student develops good research plans and analyzes and critically evaluates research data that has been efficiently located and adequately documented. The student communicates ideas logically, clearly, concisely, and compellingly in both written and oral forms.

Spiritual Vitality:

• Personal Integrity: The student engages academics as a whole person, embracing the synergy between scholarship and piety, without which credibility and viability are compromised.
• Ministerial Intentionality: The student completes coursework and develops research with the implications for spiritual formation and ministry practice in view.

Theological Integration: 

• Interdisciplinary Interaction: The student applies information and insight from multiple theological disciplines, as appropriate, to particular problems and research projects.
• Engaged Evangelicalism: The student articulates a clear understanding of and commitment to evangelical theology, in open dialogue with other perspectives. This includes a recognition that biblical and theological studies are appropriately undertaken in, with, and for the church.

While the Th.M. program offers great flexibility at Western, students are encouraged to focus their studies, particularly if they are interested in future academic work. Main areas of focus include:

• Systematic Theology
• Biblical Theology
• Old Testament Theology
• New Testament Theology

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

• Th.M. seminars are designed to maximize participation through paper presentations, critique, and content discussion, all of which will prepare the student for doctoral seminars.
• Th.M. Colloquia 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 the thesis process: from research to rough draft to final publication.
• At the program's completion, students must successfully defend their thesis and pass comprehensive oral exams before a faculty committee.
• Participation at national and regional meetings of the Evangelical Theological Society (ETS) is encouraged. Our Th.M. students regularly read papers at regional ETS meetings, and some have done so at national ETS meetings.
• ThM students may also submit articles for potential publication on Western’s faculty website, Transform.
• 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. This allows interested students to join the Israel Study Tour, participating in the Geographical and Historical Setting of the Bible course at a ThM level for program credit.

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 regarding 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)

 Of the 25 credit hours required for the Th.M. program, at least 13 must be completed through resident study coursework at Western Seminary’s Portland Campus. This normally looks like three to four one-week trips to the Portland campus to engage in classroom interaction while completing preparatory studies at home.

Required Credits – 14 credit hours

Graduate Research and Writing (RE600)	1 credit
Introduction to Thesis (RE605)	1 credit
Seminars (3 x 4 credits ea.)	12 credits

Elective Credits – 8 credit hours

Advanced Electives	2 credits each
Colloquium	1 credit each (4 credits max)
Seminars	4 credits each

Thesis – 3 credit hours

Total – 25 credit hours

• ThM Seminars. Seminars are four-credit courses that are intended to introduce students to the rigors and joys of Christian scholarship. These courses typically require students to (1) engage in high-quality, academic research, (2) participate in scholarly discussions with their professor and their peers, and (3) produce well-written and carefully argued research papers and/or book reviews. Students are required to participate in at least three ThM seminars (twelve credits). Moreover, students may enroll in additional seminars which would apply towards the fulfillment of the program requirement of eight elective credits.
• Advanced Electives. Advanced electives are two-credit, MA level courses whose requirements have been adjusted to fit with the higher academic standards of the ThM program. Up to four advanced electives may be taken in order to fulfill the program requirement of eight elective credits.
• Master of Theology Colloquia (RE604). Colloquium is a one-credit course that focuses on refining a student’s critical thinking skills, reading comprehension, and ability to engage in scholarly dialogue. Students may take up to four credits of colloquia; these credits would then be applied towards the fulfillment of the program requirement of eight elective credits.
• Research and Writing Methods (RE600). Research and Writing Methods is a required, one-credit course that helps students develop the skills needed to satisfy the thesis requirement and that prepares students for future research and scholarly writing.
• Introduction to Thesis (RE605). Introduction to Thesis is a required, one-credit class that familiarizes students with all the processes and steps required to move through the thesis phase successfully, and that guides students towards successfully completing a thesis proposal.
• Master of Theology Thesis (RE602). Students complete a three-credit-hour thesis guided by two faculty mentors. The thesis seeks to make a worthy contribution to the fund of theological knowledge by exhibiting excellence in scholarly research, logical presentation, and literary quality.
• 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.

Master of Theology (Th.M.)

Total – 25 credit hours

Required Courses: 14 credits

RE600	Graduate Research and Writing	2
RE605	Introduction to Thesis	1
Th.M. Seminars		12

Th.M. Electives: 8 credits

Electives may consist of any combination of the options below:

RE604	Th.M. Colloquia	4
Th.M. Electives		8
Advanced Electives		8

Thesis: 3 credits

RE602

Thesis

3