Educational Opportunities

Master of Arts in Christian Ministry
Carl M. Leth, PhD, Coordinator

The Program and its Objectives
Admission Requirements
Graduation Requirements
Curriculum

Have you sensed a call to ministry, but you don't know what kind? Have you been thinking that God wants you to serve him, but you don't know how to serve? If so, then Olivet's M.A. in Christian Ministry may be your route to fulfilling God's call. Olivet's new M.A. in Christian Ministry interweaves an academic and practical education for ministry, even if you have little or no undergraduate study in Bible, theology, or ministry. You will start at the beginning, but then proceed at a graduate pace, because this M.A. program assumes that you are academically and personally mature.

Or maybe God has called you to His service, and you know exactly which kind. Perhaps you even have a good start on your formal education in ministry. Then you should know that this M.A. offers you options for more advanced study. So, whether you are a beginner or already well along in your ministerial education, you may find that Olivet's M.A. in Christian Ministry will help you answer God's call to you to serve him.

The Program and its Objectives

The M.A. in Christian Ministry offers both basic and advanced ministerial preparation in four areas: (1) biblical knowledge, (2) theological knowledge, (3) practical application in ministry, and (4) personal spiritual growth and formation as a minister. For students with little or no undergraduate study in Bible, theology, or ministry, this M.A. provides an academic and practical gateway to ministerial education; the program, however, will proceed at a graduate pace and level and will expect the student to be academically and personally mature. For students with an undergraduate background in Bible, theology, or ministry, this M.A. offers options for more advanced study in ministry.

Prospective students should note both the similarities and differences between the program leading to Olivet's Master of Arts in Christian Ministry and the program leading to its Master of Ministry degree. The M.Min. degree is designed for the professional development of those currently in ministry. The M.Min. program therefore depends on modular courses (explained below) which are especially convenient for students who cannot commute regularly to Olivet because of their location or work schedule. In contrast, as a gateway program, the M.A. in Christian Ministry does not presuppose that the student is currently engaged in ministry. While some courses in the M.A. in Christian Ministry program are modular, some are more traditional, requiring the student to commute to Olivet's campus in Bourbonnais, Illinois. In that sense, the M.A. in Christian Ministry requires students to live close enough to Olivet's campus to be able to commute once or twice a week. In short, a student can complete the entire M.Min. program by attending only modular courses, while the M.A. in Christian Ministry requires the student to attend at least some traditional courses.

It should be noted, however, that even persons engaged in ministry, if they have a flexible schedule and are able to commute each week to Olivet's campus, may find that the M.A. in Christian Ministry is the better option in that it allows a wider variety of course options than the M.Min. And those with previous undergraduate study in theology, biblical studies, or ministry, may find that the possibility of more advanced courses in ministry means that the M.A. in Christian Ministry better serves their needs.

Prospective applicants, therefore, should carefully study both the M.A. in Christian Ministry and the Master of Ministry programs, and then decide which option best suits their individual situation. The Graduate Program Specialist in the School of Theology & Christian Ministry can provide additional information.

The M.A. in Christian Ministry is a semi-residential program in the sense that you must live close enough to come to ONU's campus regularly. If you are already in full-time ministry and/or live at some distance from the campus, you should consider Olivet's M.Min. degree, which is designed for the professional development and enhancement of those currently in full-time ministry who cannot come regularly to Olivet's campus.

The M.A. in Christian Ministry requires 36 credit hours. A full-time student can complete the program in one year, August to August. This is possible because, as a semi-residential program, the curriculum mixes intensive modular classes with traditional full-semester courses.

What can you do after you graduate with an M.A. in Christian Ministry?

There are many forms of ministry, some requiring or leading to ordination and some not requiring ordination. Some churches have staff positions for non-ordained people, and the same is true for ministries in para-church organizations. For example, Olivet's M.A. in Christian Ministry would be an excellent degree for a journalist, perhaps working in Christian radio or TV, or perhaps for someone working in a secular setting and who wishes a deeper ministerial and theological understanding. The M.A. in Christian Ministry would also be an ideal program for a clergy spouse who may or may not seek ordination but wishes to participate in the ministry of the congregation.

Of course, the M.A. in Christian Ministry is a superb route into ordained pastoral ministry. Olivet's professors in Christian Ministry have extensive and successful records in ordained ministry as pastors, missionaries, evangelists, and preachers. You should note, however, that this degree meets many, but not all, of the requirements for ordination in the Church of the Nazarene. Each district provides opportunities through continuing education at the district level to complete its ordination requirements.

Based on Olivet's more than forty-year history of graduate theological education, we expect many of the graduates of this M.A. program to go directly into ministry; it is also possible to continue your education at a seminary and obtain an M.Div. degree. This option would likely appeal to those proceeding to an ordained ministry or who wish to study at the doctoral level in ministry. Olivet has an agreement with Nazarene Theological Seminary (NTS) that will allow you to get the best Olivet has to offer and then proceed to NTS to get the best they have to offer, and end up with two degrees, both an M.A. and an M.Div. For details, please consult with the Program Coordinator for the M.A. in Christian Ministry.

Program Format

The program requires 36 hours of semester credit to graduate. It is possible to complete the program in two summers and one academic year of full-time study.

The M.A. in Christian Ministry employs a mixture of traditional and modular courses. Click here for more detailed information about these course formats.

Admission Requirements

Olivet Nazarene University carefully assesses applicants for the M.A. in Christian Ministry program on the basis of evidence provided in all application materials. Therefore, while a personal interview is not required, application materials must be prepared thoroughly, thoughtfully, and professionally for full consideration. Applications will be processed upon receipt of all required materials.

To be admitted into Olivet Nazarene University's Master of Arts in Christian Ministry program, an applicant must meet these prerequisites:

1. Submit a completed Olivet Nazarene University application form.
2. Submit a $25 application fee.
3. Submit an official transcript* of the student's undergraduate college work and of any graduate work being used to support the application for admission. *Note: Official transcripts are transcripts with the registrar's seal from the institution granting credit, sent directly to the Olivet Nazarene University, School of Theology & Christian Ministry, Attn: Graduate Program Specialist, One University Avenue Box 6048, Bourbonnais, IL 60914-2345. 
4. Submit three recommendations that evidence the ability to succeed as a graduate student in Olivet's Master of Arts in Christian Ministry program. One should be from a person able to address the applicant's academic ability and potential; one from a pastor or other person who can speak to the applicant's Christian and moral life, testifying to the fact that the applicant posses a moral character consistent with attendance at a Christian university; and one that is personal.
5. Possess a bachelor's degree from a regionally accredited college or university, with a GPA of 2.5 or better (4.0 scale).
6. While this master's degree, as a "gateway" program, has no specific undergraduate prerequisites in theology, biblical studies, or ministry, an education that emphasizes critical thinking and clear expository writing and that provides a general knowledge of Western culture as well as at least a brief acquaintance with one other culture would be especially appropriate. Students with an undergraduate background in specific areas in the curriculum will be placed in advanced courses in those areas.
7. Demonstrate the ability and discipline necessary to pursue rigorous graduate-level studies.

Here is a special word for those who do not complete an undergraduate major in ministry or theology: Not all of God's ministers major in theology or ministry at the undergraduate level. You may feel the call to ministry, while at the same time you may feel it important to complete your current major. Perhaps you even feel that God wants you to finish that major. Indeed many, perhaps most, of God's ministers - even the ordained ministers - do not take an undergraduate major in ministry. Olivet's M.A. in Christian Ministry is also for you! Please consult with the Program Coordinator for the M.A. in Christian Ministry. With careful planning, you may be able to take a few of the graduate courses during your final year of undergraduate work.

Of course, Olivet's M.A. in Christian Ministry also fits perfectly as the continuation of an undergraduate major in ministry, Bible, or theology.

Time Limits

A student is allowed four years from beginning the first graduate course to complete the entire program in the M.A in Christian Ministry. A petition to continue in the program for more than four years will be evaluated by the Program Coordinator for the M.A. in Christian Ministry, the Director of Graduate Studies, or the Dean of the School of Theology and Christian Ministry. Students granted permission for more than four years may be expected to meet current program requirements, and that may mean retaking one or more courses.

Graduation Requirements

To graduate, students must meet the following requirements.

1. Successfully complete the approved curriculum for the Master of Arts in Christian Ministry, with a minimum of 36 graduate semester hours of coursework. A course may be repeated once if it carries a different subtitle.
2. Achieve a cumulative grade point average of 3.0 or better. None of the 36 credit hours submitted for graduation may carry a grade of less than B-.
3. Fulfill all general graduation requirements of the School of Graduate and Continuing Studies.
4. Fulfill required curriculum listed in the following section. 

Curriculum

The following curriculum is required both of those entering without any previous studies in theology, biblical studies, or ministry, as well as for those entering with strengths in one or more of these areas. All courses are three credit hours. Click here to access a printable program checklist of required courses.

The student should consult with the Program Coordinator to determine appropriate choices for the BLIT, CMIN/CHED, and free electives. Students who have already taken introductory courses in the above areas may substitute more advanced courses. Click here to view course descriptions.

If you have questions about any aspect of the M.A. in Christian Ministry, including planning during your undergraduate years, please contact the graduate religion office by phone at 815-928-5670 or by email at onugradreligion@olivet.edu.

Back to top

Return to degree programs home