MTSO updates master’s degrees

Beginning in the fall of 2024, MTSO will offer incoming master’s degree students a slate of revised programs offering clear, achievable paths to their vocations. This curriculum revision is organized around four cores and will give most students the opportunity to complete their degrees in less time.

Only MTSO can equip students for ministry and service with the unique institutional commitments, initiatives, opportunities and resources – human and natural – that define our school and community.

MTSO’s four master’s degree programs will have the following requirements for students enrolling in fall 2024 or beyond:

• Master of Divinity, 75 credit hours, achievable in three years.
• Master of Arts in Public Theology, 39 credit hours, achievable in two years.
• Master of Arts in Social Justice, 39 credit hours, achievable in two years.
• Master of Theological Studies, 39 credit hours, achievable in two years.

A core commitment

The revised curriculum for each master’s degree is organized around four cores.

The Values Core brings to the foreground MTSO’s institutional values of justice, sustainability and generativity in relation to preparation for ministry and service.

The Methods Core focuses on imparting important methods in graduate theological study. Formerly, these were introductory courses. In the revised curriculum, they will be taught at a more advanced level.

The Vocational Electives Core facilitates the development of the particular specialized knowledge students will need for their vocations. For most students pursuing ordination, these credits will be devoted to fulfilling denominational requirements. Students who are not pursuing ordination will have a broader range of electives to choose from.

The Integrative Core consists of four courses that facilitate vocational identity development. These include field education, mid-program review and cross-cultural immersion.

Key revisions

The curriculum has been updated in several additional ways.

Evolution of the MAPT degree: The newly revised MA in Public Theology degree (formerly the MA in Practical Theology) deepens the knowledge and skills of those working to build societal peace, justice, and the common good. The MAPT offers formation for the next generation of practical, public theologians by cultivating abilities for negotiating the dynamic interplay in these areas: Christian heritage, congregational culture and contemporary society; theological, educational and social-science disciplines; and the diversities of human and creaturely existence.

Integration of MTSO’s Seminary Hill Farm: Our campus farm adds unique depth to our academic program through the Practicing Ecotheology course, which serves as the primary introduction to MTSO's unique ethos. A significant component of the course will be situated on Seminary Hill Farm to emphasize the intersections of theology, ecology and food justice.

Cross-cultural immersion requirement: Previously required for Master of Divinity and MA in Social Justice degrees, a cross-cultural trip is now required for all master’s degree programs. These trips nurture a global perspective and serve as a foundation for learning to respect the rich diversity of beliefs and practices in the wider church.

Learn more

We’ll help you determine which degree path fits your vocational goals and your life today. Reach out here through whichever method works best for you.

Guidance for current students

If you are a current student who has begun studies prior to the curriculum revision, you may have an opportunity to revise your degree path. Please contact Registrar Jeremy Garber at jgarber@mtso.edu to discuss your options.