Master of Arts compared

[Post Tenebras Lux]

Hi, greetings from Atlanta, GA. I am pursuing advance education with the purpose of teaching, I have been doing some research on different M.A. programs that can be reformed, affordable, and competent for preparation for a research program such as PhD.

Does anyone know if the M.A. in Bible & Theology at Calvin Theological Seminary is comparable to the M.A. offered at Westminster Theological Seminary or to the one offered at Reformed Theological Seminary (RTS in Jackson)?


P.S. I was looking at their catalog (Calvin Theological Seminary) for the M.A. in Bible & Theology and it does not include any Biblical languages.

Pablo Martinez

 

[Bill The Baptist]

All of the schools you menioned would be good choices, the only advice I would give is that if your goal is to eventually teach, be sure that the MA requires a thesis. This will greatly help you in getting into a Ph.D program.

 

[mjmacvey]

Hi, greetings from Atlanta, GA. I am pursuing advance education with the purpose of teaching, I have been doing some research on different M.A. programs that can be reformed, affordable, and competent for preparation for a research program such as PhD.

Does anyone know if the M.A. in Bible & Theology at Calvin Theological Seminary is comparable to the M.A. offered at Westminster Theological Seminary or to the one offered at Reformed Theological Seminary (RTS in Jackson)?


P.S. I was looking at their catalog (Calvin Theological Seminary) for the M.A. in Bible & Theology and it does not include any Biblical languages.

Pablo Martinez

I think you answered your question in your "P.S." Most Ph.D. programs will want you to be proficient in Biblical languages (and often one modern theological language). You should do an M.A. that includes both Greek and Hebrew. As Bill mentioned, a thesis can be helpful as well, but I don't think this option is available with any of the programs you mentioned. If these are your only options, I would recommend WTS. If you want to do an M.A. with languages and a thesis, you should consider this M.A. Historical Theology.

 

[mhseal]

The M.T.S. at Calvin is the academic degree (compared to the M.A.), with Hebrew and Greek required. Master of Theological Studies (M.T.S.) - Calvin Theological Seminary

At PRTS we also have a good MAR program with a thesis option and language requirements. I'm in the program and can probably answer any questions about our MAR. http://puritanseminary.org/academic-catalog/

 

[nathanaelmaddox]

Job Front, MATS

If someone is pursuing a M.A.T.S. degree, as an end goal, what are some good options when seeking a job?

 

[mjohnson7]

RTS's online MAR does require a thesis and you can add Biblical languages in your electives.

 

[CharlieJ]

Pablo,

You really have to be foresighted when you're thinking about a PhD. You have to ask yourself the question, What do I want to do at the end? If the answer is to teach in a university, then you almost have to go to one of the top 10 schools in your field. A few people make it into teaching jobs with a PhD from other schools, but only a few, and usually at out-of-the-way institutions. Now, if you're going to get into a top 10 PhD school, you need to make sure your MA school is well regarded by those schools, contains one or two world-class professors (by their standards) who will write you recommendations, and will give you a rigorous grounding in order to be truly competitive.

On the other hand, if you don't necessarily need to get a job from your PhD, but are using it to enrich yourself or supplement your work in another field, you have much more freedom in choosing your PhD program, and consequently in choosing your MA program.

 

[Andres]

If you're Baptist and desire to teach in a Baptist seminary, why aren't you considered pursuing your MA from one of these SBC schools?

 

[jwithnell]

Much may have changed over the years, but at one point, schools were reluctant to accept as a PhD candidate someone whose MA was from another school.

 

[Jake]

If you are in an ARBCA church, have you considered going to Westminster Seminary California which has the Institute of Reformed Baptist Studies? I am not sure that is as relevant with an M.Div, but it may make more sense in a Baptist context.

 

[Post Tenebras Lux]

Thank you guys for your helpful comments and great insights on this matter.

 

[Jake]

By the way, good to see you here! I am from McDonough which is about the same distance to the southeast as Fayetteville is the southwest I suppose.. I have heard great things about your church and had considered trying to find a way to get there, even though it ends up being a little hike.

 

[Grimmson]

If someone is pursuing a M.A.T.S. degree, as an end goal, what are some good options when seeking a job?

I do not think the options are all that great, even if you try to go out to get a Ph.D. Now if you want to do it to serve the church, there is plenty of need. The issue for you may be that you probably will not get paid for it.

 

[jwithnell]

By the way, good to see you here! I am from McDonough which is about the same distance to the southeast as Fayetteville is the southwest I suppose.. I have heard great things about your church and had considered trying to find a way to get there, even though it ends up being a little hike.

Yes, welcome! I grew up in the western part of Fayette County, back in the day when anything reformed was likely to be viewed as a cult