Master of Arts in Christian Education
The Master of Arts in Christian Education is designed for the student whose primary work is in the area of Christian education in a parish setting.
The objectives of the program are to
- enrich the student's theological foundations
- hone and refine the student's educational philosophy
- improve the student's skills in areas of ministry in which the student would like to focus
Requirements
Complete 33 semester hours of coursework as indicated including the Master's Capstone Experience; at least 18 semester hours at the 6000 level.
Previous coursework and life experience of the student will be evaluated to determine if additional hours will be needed. Students who complete the program will be awarded a Master of Arts in Christian Education degree.
Additional Admission Requirements
Candidates must
- have a minimum of 12 undergraduate or graduate semester hours in the field of parish education or parish leadership.
- have a minimum of 12 hours of theology or equivalent, including a course in basic Christian doctrine, in New Testament and in Old Testament.
- complete a personal profile essay of approximately 750 words written under supervision. The essay is to include a description of ministry experience, ministry style and philosophy, recognized needs to be met through the degree, and a personal statement of faith.
- submit two letters of recommendation (academic proficiency, personal character, competence in professional ministry), one of which must be from a church professional.
TRACK ONE
This track is for students seeking a Master of Arts with a major in Christian Education. Most typically these students will already be rostered as DCEs in the Lutheran Church Missouri Synod.
Program Requirements
Complete 33 semester hours of course work as indicated including the Master's Capstone Experience and the field education experience.
Course Requirements
- Theological Foundations (6 hours)
Select two courses, one that is a Biblical Studies course, and one course that is either Systematic Theology, Historical Theology, or Religious Education. - THY-4260 The Lutheran Confessions
- THY-4330 Martin Luther
- THY-4500 Spiritual Nurture of the Young Child
- THY-4505 Spiritual Nurture of the Elementary School Age Child
- THY-4510 Spiritual Nurture of the Adolescent
- THY-4520 Religious Education of the Adult
- THY-4540 Theories of Religious Instruction
- THY-4550 Educational Ministry of the Church
- THY-4560 Confirmation Theology and Practice
- THY-6020 Psalms
- THY-6030 Messianic Prophecies
- THY-6040 The Intertestamental Period
- THY-6100 The Parables of Jesus
- THY-6110 New Testament and Early Church Worship
- THY-6120 The General Epistles
- THY-6313 Baptism and Eucharist
- THY-6320 Early Christian Fathers
- THY-6330 Topics in the History of Christianity
- THY-6353 Studies in Christian Worship: Theology and Music
- THY-6400 The Christian in Society
- THY-6490 Research in Theology
- THY-6500 Moral, Ethic, and Spiritual Development of the Child
- THY-6510 Foundations of Christian Education
- THY-6520 Spiritual Maturity and the Adult Life Cycle
- Educational Foundations (6 hours)
Select two courses of the following courses: - EDU-4710 Creative Dramatics
- EDU-6000 Classroom Discipline
- EDU-6040 Classroom Teaching Skills
- EDU-6100 Development, Implementation, and Evaluation of Early Childhood Curriculum
- EDU-6115 Infant and Toddler Programs
- EDU-6130 Play Theory in Child Development and Education
- EDU-6160 Parent Involvement in ECE
- EDU-6330 Advocacy and Children's Rights
- EDU-6500 Curriculum Construction
- Required Courses
- EDL-6330 Parish Education Leadership
- EDL-6985 Practicum in Christian Education
(This Practicum serves as a capstone experience.) - Seminars (9 hours)
- Select nine one-hour Christian Education Seminars. See program coordinator for available seminars.
- Electives (6 hours)
- Elective courses may be selected from the field of education, theology, behavioral science, or music.
- Field Education
- Fifty hours of documented field experiences are required, in addition to class or seminar assignments. This might include
- observations of approved educational experiences outside of one's own parish with written summaries.
- interviews with successful leaders and administrators outside of one's own parish with written summaries.
- internet learning that relates to the student's needs with written summaries.
- participation as student or leader in an approved experience outside one's own parish with written summaries.
- participation in approved workshops, seminars, or training programs not offered by the University's degree program with written summaries.
Some courses taken by undergraduate students for DCE certification are offered as graduate level courses. Students may not take a course at the graduate level if they have already taken it at the undergraduate level.
TRACK TWO
This track is for students seeking a Master of Arts degree and certification as Directors of Christian Education in The Lutheran Church--Missouri Synod. Students in Track Two must be members in a congregation of The Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod.
This program combines the master's degree and the LCMS-DCE certification requirements. Students holding LCMS-DCE certification are not eligible for Track II.
Program Requirements
Complete the 18 hours of prescribed graduate courses, the 6-hour internship, and the 29-hour DCE Core as indicated including the Master's Capstone Experience. 39 hours must be completed at the graduate level and at least 24 hour must be completed at the 6000 graduate level. In addition, a maximum of 15 graduate level hours from the DCE Core may be applied to the 39-hour requirement. Transferability of course work toward the DCE Core is not limited by the graduate policy on transfer credit; however, the graduate policy on transfer credit does apply to the 39 hours of graduate level courses.
- DCE Core (29 hours)
- EDL-4300 Foundations of DCE Ministry
- EDL-4311 Parish Teaching I
- EDL-4312 Parish Teaching II
- EDL-4320 Administration of Parish Education
- EDL-4330 Youth Ministry Theory and Practice
- EDL-4340 Church Leadership Development
- PSY-4201 Counseling Skills
- THY-4400 Worship and Witness
- THY-4450 Ministry to the Family
- Theological Foundations (6 hours)
Select two courses, one that is a Biblical Studies course and one course that is either Systematic Theology, Historical Theology, or Religious Education. - THY-4260 The Lutheran Confessions
- THY-4330 Martin Luther
- THY-4500 Spiritual Nurture of the Young Child
- THY-4505 Spiritual Nurture of the Elementary School Age Child
- THY-4510 Spiritual Nurture of the Adolescent
- THY-4520 Religious Education of the Adult
- THY-4540 Theories of Religious Instruction
- THY-4550 Educational Ministry of the Church
- THY-4560 Confirmation Theology and Practice
- THY-6020 Psalms
- THY-6030 Messianic Prophecies
- THY-6040 The Intertestamental Period
- THY-6100 The Parables of Jesus
- THY-6110 New Testament and Early Christian Worship
- THY-6120 The General Epistles
- THY-6313 Baptism and Eucharist
- THY-6320 Early Christian Fathers
- THY-6330 Topics in the History of Christianity
- THY-6353 Studies in Christian Worship: Theology and Music
- THY-6400 The Christian in Society
- THY-6490 Research in Theology
- THY-6500 Moral, Ethic, and Spiritual Development of the Child
- THY-6510 Foundations of Christian Education
- THY-6520 Spiritual Maturity and the Adult Life Cycle
- Educational Foundations (3 hours)
Select one of the following courses: - EDU-6000 Classroom Discipline
- EDU-6040 Classroom Teaching Skills
- EDU-6100 Development, Implementation, and Evaluation of Early Childhood Curriculum
- EDU-6115 Infant and Toddler Programs
- EDU-6130 Play Theory in Child Development and Education
- EDU-6160 Parent Involvement in ECE
- EDU-6330 Advocacy and Children's Rights
- EDU-6500 Curriculum Construction
- CTH-4710 Creative Dramatics
- Required Courses (6 hours)
- EDL-6630 Parish Education Leadership
- EDL-6985 Practicum in Christian Education
(This Practicum serves as a capstone experience.) - Seminars (3 hours)
- Select three one- hour Christian Education Seminars. See program coordinator for available seminars.
- EDL-6990 Internship in Christian Education (6 hours)
- The internship consists of working full-time in a parish for 12 months. If the student is presently serving in a church, the internship can be taken at that site and be a part of the normal ministry. If student is not presently serving in a parish, an appropriate internship site will be found for the candidate.
Note: Up to fourteen hours of the DCE core may be taken at an undergraduate level. If a student has more than fourteen hours of DCE core courses at the undergraduate level, the student needs to substitute graduate level theology, education, leadership or psychology courses for those hours.
Theology Requirement: To be certified, students must have completed at either an undergraduate or graduate level at least one course in each of the four following areas: Old Testament, New Testament, Lutheran Doctrine, and Church History.
