MASTER OF CHRISTIAN MINISTRY

Offered online through a 37-hour program in the School of Religion and Philosophy, the MCM can be completed in 18 months or less.

The Master of Christian Ministry helps prepare students for ministry in the churches or church-related fields of ministry. This degree permits students to focus on the practical courses in the graduate curriculum of the School of Religion and Philosophy. The Master of Christian Ministry is offered to assist students in gaining additional theological training while they are serving in congregations in areas near a Wayland campus or other places in the United States. In addition, it provides six more hours of course work since it does not require the thesis. The Master of Christian Ministry courses at Wayland are accepted into the Master of Divinity Degree at selected seminaries.

Admission Requirements

Prospective students must hold a bachelor's degree from a regionally accredited institution. Students who have not taken the following undergraduate courses must do so before taking graduate courses:
RLGN 1301--Old Testament History
RLGN 1302--New Testament History

Additionally, MCM students must take as part of their graduate studies the following courses if they did not take those undergraduate courses that cover similar material:
RLGN 5314--Biblical Interpretation
RLGN 5315--Christian Ministry
RLGN 5319--Preaching
RLGN 5346--Christian Theology
and either RLGN 5307--Church History or RLGN 5325--Historical Theology

Students desiring to enter the graduate program must submit the following documents:
  • Completed graduate application for admission
  • Non-refundable application fee of $50 (current and past WBU students are excused from this fee)
  • Official transcripts from each institution previously attended
  • Grade point average of 3.00 or better on last 60 semester hours
Application files will not be evaluated until all the above requirements are met. For specific information on entering the graduate program at Wayland, contact the Graduate Studies Office at 1-877-844-4544.

Course Rotation

The degree requires five RLGN courses, two RLED courses, five electives, and a 1-hour comprehensive exam. The MCM core consists of five courses: one each from Old Testament, New Testament, Theology, Praxis, and Religious Education. The following courses, listed by categories, will be offered in any given 18-month period
  • Old Testament
    • RLGN 5306--Intertestamental Period
    • RLGN 5316--Pentateuch & Former Prophets
    • RLGN 5338--Seminar: Old Testament Exegesis
  • New Testament
    • RLGN 5320--Jesus and the Gospels
    • RLGN 5322--Life & Letters of Paul
    • RLGN 5340--Seminar: New Testament Exegesis
  • Theology
    • RLGN 5343--Seminar in Theology
    • RLGN 5346--Christian Theology
  • Praxis
    • RLGN 5315--Christian Ministry
    • RLGN 5319--Preaching
    • RLGN 5323--Basic Christian Ethics
    • RLGN 5327--Christian Worship
  • Religious Education
    • RLED 5301--Survey of Christian Education
    • RLED 5302--Church Administration
  • Additional courses required for those who did not take similar courses at the undergraduate level
    • RLGN 5307--Church History
    • RLGN 5314--Biblical Interpretation
  • Examination
    • RLGN 5102--Comprehensive Written Exam