Purpose and Outcomes
The Master of Arts in Christian Studies/Master of Science in Global Development is awarded jointly by the School of Ministry and the School of Arts and Sciences. The goal of the MACS + MSGD Dual Degree is to educate students to think like an economist, policy expert, entrepreneur, philosopher and theologian in order that they might create sustainable development that lifts us all and causes real-world change. The program is directed toward providing didactic and experiential education to students that will allow them to:
- Develop economic, theological and philosophical knowledge to assist leading and administering a church or para-church organization; and,
- Design and implement strategies and policies that produce effective developmental practices.
In light of this, the MACS + MSGD dual degree has the following program-specific learning outcomes:
- Evaluate and synthesize interpretive methods and traditions, and apply exegetical method to the interpretation of a biblical text.
- Analyze and evaluate the broader heritage of the Christian tradition, the more specific character of particular Christian traditions and communities, the ways these traditions transcend particular social and cultural settings, and the ways they come to unique expressions within such settings.
- Analyze spheres of contemporary culture and society from a biblical and theological perspective and articulate a Christian response.
- Demonstrate the capacities for personal faith, emotional health and moral integrity that are requisite to maturity in Christ.
Course Schedule/Structure
There are a variety of scheduling options for successfully completing the MACS/MSGD Dual Degree coursework. The time required will depend upon the student’s initiative in scheduling Global Development courses while still completing MACS courses, either during summer sessions or during a fall or spring semester.
To increase the likelihood of success and preventing students from overextending themselves academically, each student will be required to design a complete course sequence for both the MACS and Global Development requirements by the end of his/her first semester. This plan must be formulated in consultation with and authorized by the student’s MACS advisors and the Chair of the Global Development program.
Admission Requirements
Admissions requirements for the Master of Arts, Christian Studies may be found in the Admissions section of the Graduate and Pharmacy Catalog.
Degree Requirements
A total of 72 credit hours are required. As part of the Dual Degree, students must successfully complete 30 credit hours of MACS coursework and 42 credit hours of MSGD coursework. When completed separately, the traditional MACS program at PBA requires 36 credit hours and the MSGD 43 credit hours.
Students must be admitted into both programs separately in order to enroll in the dual degree program. Upon admission to both degree programs, the dual degree program students are able to enroll in both MACS and MSGD courses during the same semester as time and schedules permit. No degrees will be awarded until the student completes the entire program and meets all degree requirements for both degree programs.
Students with a bachelor’s degree in a non-ministry major are required to complete up to 15 hours of specific pre-requisite coursework on the undergraduate level before beginning graduate coursework. Pre-requisite courses in which grades below “C-” have been earned are unacceptable. Prerequisite courses for the MACS degree: Biblical Hermeneutics, Old Testament Survey, New Testament Survey, Systematic Theology, and History of Christianity.
All MACS students will be required to submit a formal declaration of intention regarding their choice of degree capstone no later than the semester prior to their intended start. Students may choose to write a thesis in the area of concentration or take a comprehensive examination. Students electing the comprehensive examination must take the exam at the end of their final semester. A student must complete at least 18 credit hours before be-ginning a thesis project. Enrollment in a thesis project is subject to the avail-ability of a faculty advisor. The deadlines for submitting a declaration of intention are as follows:
For Summer thesis project or comprehensive exam, declaration of in-tent is due by December 1.
For Fall thesis project or comprehensive exam, declaration of intent is due by March 1.
For Spring thesis project or comprehensive exam, declaration of in-tent is due by October 1.
Students are limited to no more than seven (7) total credit hours of Directed and Independent Study coursework over the course of their degree.
Curriculum Requirements
72 Credit Hours