Master of Theology

Degree Overview

Vocational Calling

To prepare students for further graduate study at the doctoral level; the scholarly enhancement of ministry; or some forms of teaching, research, or writing.

For further information, please contact:

• Dr. Alan Bandy (Program Supervisor and Program Coordinator/Advisor)

ThM Purpose and Student Learning Outcomes

The Master of Theology degree program at New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary is a research degree designed to provide qualified students the opportunity to achieve fuller mastery in a discipline or disciplines than afforded in their previous master’s work. Those completing the degree are prepared for further graduate study, some forms of teaching, and disciplined reflection in ministry.

Graduates of the Master of Theology program will be able to do the following:

• Demonstrate an advanced understanding of a focused area or discipline in the context of general theological study

• Formulate productive questions

• Design, implement, and report research

Program Requirements

Degree Components (31-35 hours)

Total Required: 31-35 hours

Admission  Requirements

Students may choose one of five major areas of study in this degree program: Biblical Studies, Christian Education, Church and Community Ministries, Pastoral Ministries, or Theological and Historical Studies.

• An applicant must hold a bachelor’s degree from a college or university accredited by an agency related to the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA).

• Applicants must have completed the MDiv degree, the MA degree, or the first theological degree in the appropriate area of study from a theological institution accredited by the Association of Theological Schools in the United States and Canada (ATS).

• Applicants must demonstrate evidence of aptitude for advanced theological study. For unconditional acceptance of the application, the minimum GPA for prior graduate-level theological work is 3.25 on a 4.0 scale. Persons with a GPA of less than 3.25 may demonstrate potential through the GPA and the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) according to the following five-point sliding scale. For the application to be accepted unconditionally for further consideration, pending the other steps in the approval process, the individual must have a combined score of “0” or higher on the three components. Applicants with a combined score of -3 to -1 may be eligible for acceptance on probation. Scores may be no older than 5 years.

• Applicants must have completed the following prerequisites in languages prior to admission.

Biblical Studies: a minimum of 12 semester hours of master’s-level Greek; 12 semester hours of master’s-level Hebrew (for NOBTS students these courses would include NTGK6300 Intermediate Greek Grammar, OTHB6300 Intermediate Hebrew Grammar, and exegesis courses); and 5 semester hours of French, German, or Latin.

Christian Education: a minimum of 6 semester hours of research statistics. Upon request, the division faculty will evaluate undergraduate courses to determine which, if any, apply toward the research statistics requirement. Requests must be submitted in writing with the application. Courses considered would be those similar in nature to NOBTS graduate courses CEST6300 Introduction to Educational Research and Statistics and CEST9300 Educational Research and Statistics. Applicants may choose to take CEST6300 Introduction to Research and Statistics during preresidency and seek approval to take CEST9300 Educational Research and Statistics within the first year after admission into the program.

Church and Community Ministries: a minimum of 3 semester hours of research statistics. Upon request, the division faculty will evaluate undergraduate courses to determine which, if any, apply toward the research statistics requirement. Requests must be submitted in writing with the application. Courses considered would be those similar in nature to the NOBTS graduate course COUN6374 Scientific Research and Program Evaluation.

Pastoral Ministries: a minimum of 6 semester hours of graduate- level biblical languages (Hebrew and/or Greek), 6 semester hours of a nonbiblical language (French, German, Latin, or Spanish), or 6 semester hours of research statistics. Statistics courses considered would be those similar in nature to NOBTS graduate courses CEST6300 Introduction to Educational Research and Statistics and CEST9300 Educational Research and Statistics. Applicants may choose to take CEST6300 Introduction to Research and Statistics during preresidency and seek approval to take CEST9300 Educational Research and Statistics within the first year after admission into the program.

Theological and Historical Studies: a minimum of 6 semester hours of master’s-level Greek; 6 semester hours of master’s-level Hebrew (for NOBTS students these courses would include NTGK6300 Intermediate Greek Grammar and OTHB6300 Intermediate Hebrew Grammar); and 5 semester hours of French, German, or Latin.

All Majors: Academic credits that are to be considered for meeting nonbiblical language or research statistics and methods requirements may not be more than 7 years old. The divisions will consider requests concerning unique circumstances. In addition to transcripted course credits, competency in a non-biblical language can be verified by testing arranged through the Office of Research Doctoral Programs.

Applicants whose primary spoken language is not English should follow the instructions in the International Students section of the catalog. The International Student Advisor for the Seminary is Dr. Paul Gregoire. Applicants may contact him by phone at 504.282.4455 or 1.800.NOBTS.01 or by e-mail at pgregoire@nobts.edu.

GRADE POINT AVERAGE AND GRADUATE RECORD EXAMINATION

Although not included in the above calculation, the quantitative score will be considered in the overall evaluation of the applicant. The institutional code for New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary is 6472.

Admissions Process

• A completed application including all supporting documents is due to the office of the Director of the Master of Theology Program by April 1/November 1.

• The applicant must submit a research paper from the master’s program for review by the division. If no paper is available, the applicant should contact the appropriate division associate dean.

• The applicant must complete a criminal background check through CastleBranch before the application can be considered.

• The Director normally will conduct an interview with the applicant.

• The division faculty will make a recommendation to the division associate dean regarding admission. The division associate dean may require an interview.

• The associate dean chair will present the division’s recommendation to the Master of Theology Admissions Committee, which is comprised of the associate deans of the four divisions (Division of Biblical Studies, Division of Church Ministries , Division of Counseling, and Division Theological and Historical Studies) and the Director of the Master of Theology Program, who chairs the committee.

Program Issues

• Five majors are offered: Biblical Studies, Christian Education, Church and Community Ministries, Pastoral Ministries, and Theological and Historical Studies.

• Normally, students would not take over 12 hours per semester. Exceptions must be approved by the Director of the Master of Theology Program.

• Prior to taking doctoral seminars that may be eligible for transfer into a research doctoral program, the student must achieve a combined score of “0” or higher on the five-point sliding scale for application.

• Doctoral students have first priority to enroll in doctoral seminars. If space permits, ThM students may enroll in doctoral seminars if they have the appropriate prerequisite course work and the approval of the instructor, the division of study, and the Associate Dean of Research Doctoral Programs.

• Normally, a ThM student would take no more than one doctoral seminar at a time. Exceptions must be approved by the Director of the Master of Theology Program.

• Normally, the ThM work will be completed on campus. However, in some cases up to 4 hours of work may be completed in an extension center setting with the approval of the Director of the Master of Theology Program.

• Up to 4 hours may be taken in independent study under direct faculty supervision.

• Students must maintain a 3.0 GPA on a 4.0 scale to remain enrolled in the ThM program.

• An acceptable thesis of 60-100 pages in the area of the student’s major concentration ordinarily is required. In some circumstances, an acceptable alternative to the thesis requirement is the completion of two research doctoral seminars in the major area.

• Continuous enrollment in the program is required.

• The maximum time limit for completion of the program is 4 years.

• For a student who completes the degree, up to two research doctoral seminars completed with a grade of “B” or above may be eligible for doctoral program credit, should the student be admitted to a research doctoral program and if permission is granted by the Research Doctoral Admissions Committee.

Thesis Process

• During the first semester of the program, the student should be in dialogue with the associate dean of the division regarding a possible thesis direction and Thesis Advisor. The Director of the Master of Theology Program, in consultation with the division associate dean, will appoint the Thesis Advisor in accordance with the proposed area of research.

• During the semester before the writing of the thesis and thesis registration, the student should work with the Thesis Advisor to develop a Thesis Proposal. The Thesis Proposal should include the following components:

  • Thesis Statement

  • Hypothesis

  • Review of Literature

  • Description of Research Methodology

  • Selected Bibliography

  The Thesis Proposal is normally no longer than 20 pages, not counting the bibliography.

• The student should audit RDOC9303 Prospectus Development in January or June.

• The Thesis Advisor will work with the student to present the Thesis Proposal to the Research Doctoral Oversight Committee for review.

• Final approval of the Thesis Proposal by the Thesis Advisor must be secured by the last day of the semester prior to the first semester of thesis registration.

• Three plain-paper copies of the thesis must be submitted to the Director of the Master of Theology program by the April 1 or November 1 deadline prior to graduation.

• Appropriate thesis and diploma fees must be paid at the time of submission.

• A Thesis Review Committee shall be composed of the Thesis Advisor, one faculty member in the major area, and one faculty member outside the major area (appointed by the Director of the Master of Theology Program).

• An electronic copy of the approved thesis must be submitted to the ReDoc office no later than 10 days prior to graduation.

ThM Courses

ThM course work is at an advanced level, either in ThM courses or in doctoral seminars. (Many ThM courses are designed around a core MDiv course. Thus, students normally attend the MDiv course meetings.

ThM courses require additional or lengthier assignments, particularly in research and writing.) See the MDiv section of the catalog for course descriptions of parallel courses.

COOP7000 An Introduction to NOBTS, the SBC, and the Cooperative Program
This core curriculum course offered in conjunction with Introduction to Doctoral Research and Writing is required to be taken in the first year. The course will acquaint students with a brief history of NOBTS, the SBC, and the Cooperative Program, as well as their current leadership and operation. In this course students also will gain an understanding of the significance and relationship of the Cooperative Program to the SBC and NOBTS.

RDOC9300 Introduction to Doctoral Research and Writing (3 hours)
In this course students will be introduced to the literature and techniques of advanced research. Special attention will be given to the development of research proposals and the presentation of research, including individual guidance in the form and style of research writing. The course must be taken during the student’s first year in the program.

THMD7400 ThM Directed Readings Study

Former ThD or PhD students who did not complete the degree may apply for the ThM program and request transfer of credit to the degree. If accepted, the student would register for the Directed Readings Study, in which a literature review of current works in the field would be produced.

THMP7010 ThM Program Proficiency

This is not a course per se. Students should register for this component in semesters in which no ThM course work is taken.

THMW7410 ThM Thesis Writing

Biblical Studies

Christian Education

Church and Community Ministries

Pastoral Ministries

Theological & Historical Studies