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M.Div./M.A.in Religion

The M.A. in Religion is a thirty-six semester-hour program. It includes eighteen hours taken from acommon core offered by the Department of Religion Studies and Philosophy. Students select anadditional twelve hours in the department in a Biblical Studies/Languages concentration, or theyselect a concentration outside the department in the School of Psychology and Counseling,Department of English Language and Literature, School of Divinity, or School of Education. TheDepartment of Religious Studies and Philosophy must approve these concentrations. Students mustalso meet all requirements established by the departments/schools involved for taking coursesoutside of the Department of Religious Studies. Students also select six hours from one of twotracks: the research track (thesis research and writing) or the teaching track (a pedagogy course andan internship in university teaching).

ADMISSION REQUIREMENTSIn addition to the basic requirements for admission to the Universitys Graduate School (a

bachelors degree from a regionally accredited institution of higher learning, transcripts,satisfactory scores on either the Graduate Record examination or the Miller Analogies Test, andthree positive letters of recommendation), full admission is granted to students who have met thefollowing requirements:

1. Demonstrated proficiency in the biblical languages (normally this proficiency willbe achieved through three semesters of Greek and three semesters of Hebrew with a

C or better in all language courses);2. A major in religious studies or the equivalent with a GPA of 2.75 or greater;3. Submit a 15-20 page research paper with documented research on a topic in the

field of Religious Studies. This essay can be something the applicant has writtenpreviously for an academic assignment. The essay must be submitted electronically inRich Text Format by email to the Graduate School.

4. A successful departmental interview to determine academic preparation andvocational appropriateness of the degree for the prospective student (studentsdesiring to work in pastoral ministry are directed to a Master of Divinity programrather than the M.A. in Religion).

Students lacking the appropriate undergraduate background or language proficiency may beadmitted provisionally until prerequisites are met through the completion of a prescribed program.

PURPOSEThe purpose of the program is the academic (rather than parish ministry) study of religion in orderto prepare students for one or more of the following possibilities:

1. Meeting Ph.D. entrance requirements2. College teaching on the freshman and sophomore levels3. Teaching in private schools

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GOALSThe Master of Arts in Religion program is designed to meet the following goals:

1. Graduate students will develop the research and writing skills essential forscholars in the field of religious studies.2. Graduate students will become conversant on the philosophical assumptions,classical and modern theories, and current research in the field or religiousstudies.3. Graduate students will demonstrate proficiency in expressing scholarly ideasthrough either a written thesis or a supervised teaching experience.

COURSE REQUIREMENTSA. Common Core (18 semester hours)RELI 600 Research Seminar 3 hrs.RELI 605 Biblical Studies Seminar 3 hrs.RELI 640 Theological Studies Seminar 3 hrs.RELI 660 World Religions Seminar 3 hrs.RELI 680 Literature and Religion Seminar 3 hrs.

One of the following three courses:RELI 650 Philosophy of Religion Seminar 3 hrs.RELI 630 Historical Studies Seminar 3 hrs.RELI 670 Psychology of Religion Seminar 3 hrs.

B. Research or Teaching Track (6 hours)

Advances Research Track: OR Teaching Track:RELI 695 Thesis 6 hrs. RELI 685 Religious Instruction Seminar 3 hrs.

RELI 690 Graduate Internship 3 hrs.

C. Concentrations (12 hours)*(1) Biblical Studies/Languages within the Department

RELI 610 Advanced Hebrew Exegesis Seminar 3 hrs.RELI 620 Advanced Greek Exegesis Seminar 3 hrs.RELI 615 Old Testament Seminar 3 hrs.RELI 625 New Testament Seminar 3 hrs.

OR

(2) Out of DepartmentWith approval from the Department of Religious Studies and Philosophy and permission

of the appropriate department/school, twelve graduate hours may be taken from theDepartment of English Language and Literature, School of Divinity, School ofEducation, or School of Psychology and Counseling. These hours may be taken from onedepartment/school or from a combination, based upon the students vocational interests.

*Students may choose a combination of courses from the Biblical Studies/Languages

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concentration along with out-of-department electives. However, students desiring to meetPh.D. entrance requirements in the area of biblical studies/languages are stronglyencouraged to follow the Biblical Studies/Languages concentration and to examine therequirements of the specific Ph.D. program to which they wish to apply.

EXIT CRITERIAIn order to graduate, all students in the program must pass comprehensive written examinations ontheir course work. These students in the thesis track must pass a successful oral defense of theirthesis. Those students in the teaching track must pass a successful written or oral defense of theirinternship.

M.DIV./M.A. IN RELIGION DEGREEGardner-Webb offers a combined M.DIV./M.A. in Religion degree. For details about this degreeand for the policy on dual degree programs, see the Master of Divinity section of the catalog (pp.145-150).

Dual degree students must apply to the Graduate School as well as to the School of Divinity,

following the admission requirements of the respective programs, and be accepted to each in orderto pursue both degrees. Also, when academic policies and standards differ between the two schools(e.g., grades required for maintaining good academic standing and for graduation), the policies andstandards of the appropriate school apply to the respective portion of the dual degree.