Trinity Evangelical Divinity School

MA / CS

Master of Arts / Christian Studies

Flexible options that fit your life; rigorous, broadly evangelical training that fits your ministry needs.

Our MA / Christian Studies draws from the breadth of the curriculum in biblical, theological, historical, and global areas, combined with a substantial number of elective hours that allow each student to uniquely shape their coursework. It is our most flexible program both in focus and delivery method, since it can be completed in its entirety at our Extension sites, in combination with up to five online courses, or in summer coursework on our Deerfield campus (as well as in traditional full- or part-time formats). This degree’s particular concern is to relate the broad field of Christian studies to the work of the church, and students have plenty of opportunities to focus their study on particular subject areas that interest them.

Master of Arts / Christian Studies

Where can this degree take me?

Because the MA / CS is so flexible, who you are helps determine where this degree will take you. If you fit any of the following profiles, this degree may be for you:

  1. You’re passionate about the Church and deepening your knowledge of God, but you’re not in full-time vocational ministry (so you’re not interested in “professional” ministry credentials, like an MDiv). You might also live within commuting distance of an Extension Site.
  2. You’re already involved in ministry, you want to be a more faithful steward of that ministry through education, and you want to explore courses in your particular area of interest, but you don’t need the credentialing of an MDiv. Your ministry might also be within commuting distance of an Extension Site, and you love having the opportunity to get a solid education without having to leave your ministry context.
  3. You’re enrolled in another one of our Master’s programs and want to add a second, flexible degree that allows you to intently focus on a specific biblical-theological or ministry area.
  4. You think that you might want to complete an MDiv but aren’t sure about theological education – perhaps you wonder about the length of the MDiv, or whether an MDiv is what you need. An MA / CS is a great introduction to theological education. Furthermore, someone who completes the MA / Christian Studies may later apply all of those credits to an MDiv (this takes care of about 1/3 of the MDiv coursework), and this is true even if you earned your entire MA / CS at an Extension Site.

The MA / CS is a broad, flexible foundation for different sorts of future academic or ministry pursuits.

Certificate in Christian Studies

Interested in seminary coursework, but not ready to enroll or don’t qualify for admission? Our Certificate in Christian Studies is a flexible, non-degree program that may interest you.

What will I study?

The flexibility of this program means that your course options will vary widely according to your interests, what’s available at particular Extension Sites, and courses you can take by cross-registering with other seminaries in the Association of Theological Schools (ACTS) consortium. You’ll want to pay attention to the most recent version of the Academic Catalog as well as to the course schedules for your Extension Site. Courses you’ll take will include the following:

  • Biblical-Theological-Historical Core - 22-33 hours

    Biblical Studies (include both OT and NT studies; languages not applicable) 8-12 hrs
    Recommended: OT 5000 and NT 5000
    Theological Studies (select from ST, PR, CC, BE studies) 9-12 hrs
    Recommended: ST 5101, ST 5102, ST 5103
    Historical and Global Studies (select from CH and ME studies) 5-9 hrs
    Recommended: CH 5010, CH 5060, ME 6410, ME 6760, ME 7450, ME 7710

  • Electives - 12-15 hours

    These courses may focus in a department or area of interest, or you can select courses from across the curriculum. This is one of the main strengths of the MA / CS: it is very customizable depending on whether you want a broader or more focused program.

  • Personal Assessment, Field Ed, and Capstone - 3 hours

    PT 5000 Personal Assessment and Ministry Orientation 1 hour
    PT 5090 Field Ed (two semesters) -or-
    PT 5090 and IT 5080 Field Ed (one semester) and Formation Group (two semesters) 0 hours
    ID 7468 Christian Studies Capstone Project 2 hours

Field Education

All MA / CS students, regardless of degree completion format, also have to complete field education requirements. Learn more about field ed  here.

Christian Studies Faculty

Because of the flexible nature of the MA / CS, you can potentially learn from a wide variety of our faculty. Here are a few you might meet:

View All Faculty

What are the prerequisites for admission to this program?

In addition to the requirements for general admission, you’ll need the following:

  • A baccalaureate degree, or the educational equivalent, from a recognized accredited institution. In some cases, admission with deficiencies is possible with fulfillment of those deficiencies at Trinity.
  • A minimum GPA of 2.5 on a 4.0 scale. However, GPA isn’t always an accurate indication of a student’s abilities, so those with a lower GPA are encouraged to talk to an admissions counselor. Scores from the Graduate Record Exam (GRE) or the Miller Analogies Test (MAT) are required if your GPA is less than 2.5.