Advanced seminary training preparing you to preach God’s Word and lead a church
When you earn your Master of Arts in Pastoral Studies, you’ll gain the essential skills for pastoral ministry. This 36-credit degree program features world-class leadership training that will enable you to lead a church or serve on a church staff. You can choose from three dynamic concentrations: Biblical Preaching, Pastoral Ministry, and Advanced Track. This program is open to students with a Bible college background and those coming from other undergraduate programs.
“The Pastoral Studies degree at Moody has thoroughly equipped me to step into a life of ministry, both now and after I graduate! I count it as an absolute joy that God has brought me to this school for the opportunity to prepare me for serving in the church.” – Abel, Moody student.
Accreditation
This combined degree program is accredited by ATS, HLC and ABHE.
Program Outcomes
As you study, you’ll learn to:
- Demonstrate competence in biblical, theological, and hermeneutical skills.
- Apply practical pastoral skills within various ministry contexts.
- Develop hermeneutically sound and culturally relevant sermons.
Program Core Classes
- Hermeneutics
Concentrations
Biblical Preaching
This concentration teaches you to effectively preach the Scriptures in a variety of contexts. You will learn to prepare and deliver expository sermons while developing a philosophy of preaching that integrates theology, hermeneutics, and cultural perspectives.
Concentration Courses
- Communication of Biblical Truth
- Preaching Narrative and Parabolic Literature
- Preaching Poetic and Prophetic Literature
- Advanced Homiletics
- Contextualized Preaching
- Theology and Preaching
Pastoral Ministry
The pastoral ministry concentration helps you develop a deep awareness of how the church interacts with modern culture. You will practice advanced homiletics as well as pastoral skills in a counseling environment.
Concentration Courses
- Communication of Biblical Truth
- Pastoral Procedures and Practices
- Pastoral Counseling
- Professional Ethics
- Biblical Spiritual Formation
- Biblical Spiritual Formation Lab
Advanced Track
If you’ve completed Hermeneutics or Old Testament and New Testament survey in previous undergraduate programs, this concentration allows you to gain nine additional hours of advanced instruction for your Program Core classes to build on previous undergraduate experience.
Concentration Courses
- Communication of Biblical Truth
- Theology and Practice of Congregational Worship
- Contemporary Issues in Pastoral Ministry
- Pastoral Procedures and Practices
Financial Aid
A Moody seminary education is easier than ever to afford at $539 per credit hour (price subject to change per academic year). Our scholarships and payment plans help you even more by defraying the cost of tuition and spreading out your financial obligations over time. You may also qualify for a Federal Loan.
Here are programs similar to the BA/MA in Pastoral Studies
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