THE MASTER S SEMINARY 2017-2018 Th.M. Handbook TMS Th.M. Handbook, 0
THE MASTER S SEMINARY MASTER OF THEOLOGY HANDBOOK The purpose of this handbook is to anticipate the questions a prospective student or student in the program might have about various facets of TMS s Master of Theology program. The TMS catalogue will have other salient information related to TMS. Th.M. program material may be accessed on the seminary website: https://www.tms.edu/academics/graduate/thm/. Table of Contents Rationale for a Master of Theology Degree.......................................................... 2 Academic Programs and Policies.................................................................. 2 Program Requirements.......................................................................... 4 Modular Program Basic Idea.................................................................... 6 Modular Master of Theology Basic Layout Core and Discipline-Specific Courses........................ 9 Basic Check-Boxes for the Course Layout for the 3 Potential Modular Approaches...................... 10 Modular Program FAQ s....................................................................... 11 Tentative Course Layout for Modular Th.M. program................................................ 13 Th.M. in Bible Exposition only offered in the residential/semester based program...................... 15 Tentative Two Year Layout of Residential and Modular Courses (for NT, OT, and TH)................... 16 If you have any questions about the Th.M. program, contact the TMS Admissions Counselor, Chris Burnett, at cburnett@tms.edu or 818-909-5668. Depending on the nature of the question, Chris will either answer directly or route it to the correct person. TMS Th.M. Handbook, 1
Rationale for a Master of Theology Degree Every pastor is already a theologian, but the Master of Theology (Th.M.) program enables pastors to develop specialized theological training in Bible Exposition, Old Testament, New Testament, or Systematic Theology beyond what is possible in the three-year M.Div. program. The Th.M. curriculum provides a flexible program, extending two to six years at the post-master of Divinity graduate level. While the Th.M. degree program may also provide a basis for further graduate study leading to more advanced degrees such as Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) or Doctor of Theology (Th.D.), it is, in each case, designed for those preparing for church or mission vocations requiring ordination. In addition, the purposes envisioned for the program include the following: Preparation of equippers of pastors for foreign assignments in institutional settings where doctoral-level credentials are not prerequisite. Such situations currently arising in third world churches illustrate the need for teachers to train pastors at an advanced level, but without the need of formal accreditation recognition afforded by terminal educational degrees. Advanced preparation for pastoral ministries in local church settings. The program provides for a further sharpening of exegetical and theological skills for those sensing a further educational need beyond their M.Div. training. This would be particularly true for the ones who have no previous formal training in Bible and theology before their M.Div. programs. Preparation of pastors who are also inclined toward a calling in theological writing that requires a honing of exegetical and theological skills beyond what the standard M.Div. program offers. The Master of Theology Program is designed to provide a more focused and specialized study in a specific facet of biblical or theological studies. The program provides the platform for a student to gain the research skills necessary for theological writing and teaching. Upon completion the student will be able to engage in a teaching or training vocation where a doctoral degree is not required and/or will be equipped to enter into a doctoral level program. These Program Learning Outcomes (PLOs) are detailed as follows: PLO #1: As an advancing scholar, specialize in an area of Biblical or theological studies, gaining facility in its literature, and scholarship. PLO #2: As an advancing exegete, employ a more refined skill set in Hebrew and Greek translation, exegesis, and interpretation. PLO #3: As an advancing teacher, implement the skills of communication and effective teaching of course content. PLO #4: As an advancing contributor to the literature, demonstrates critical thinking, in-depth interaction, thorough research, and excellence in writing. Academic Programs and Policies Because the Th.M. program is limited in its enrollment, faculty can devote personal attention to individual students in regard to continuing spiritual and practical development, research techniques, teaching techniques, formal writing style, and supporting areas of pedagogical methodology. These supplementary features will ensure the effective use of advanced exegetical and theological skills gained in the program. TMS Th.M. Handbook, 2 Admissions Requirements Each applicant must present an acceptable undergraduate baccalaureate degree and a Master of Divinity degree (or the equivalent of the M.Div. at TMS), with a 3.25 grade point average in his M.Div. program. Master of Divinity students who have completed about 80 semester credit hours by end of current semester are eligible to apply. Acceptance is based upon the applicant s previous education, academic capability, character
qualities, ministry involvement, and the recommendation of others. Prerequisite coursework, if any, is charged at the normal TMS M.Div. rate. In addition, applicants must also give evidence of the personal, character, and spiritual qualifications necessary for a minister of Christ as outlined in the admissions standards for The Master s Seminary. Students currently enrolled at The Master s Seminary may file for admission by submitting the abridged form (see the Admissions Office for specifics). How to Apply The Th.M. program application is available online: https://www.tms.edu/academics/graduate/thm/. For the May/June session, the deadline for new applicants is February 15 and for the November/December session, applications are due by September 1. By that deadline, a student s application and all their references should be submitted. 1. The student must fill out and submit the application on the TMS website (https://www.tms.edu/admissions/apply/). 2. TMS M.Div. graduates do not have to pay the application fee and only need a reference from their pastor and wife (if married). Consult the Admissions department for the fee waiver code. 3. After the application portfolio is submitted and complete (including all official transcripts and references), the Director of Admissions will put together an academic folder and pass it on to the Director of the Master of Theology program, Dr. Grisanti. 4. Dr. Grisanti will review the application portfolio and then forward it to the Th.M. committee for their evaluation and recommendation. Dr. Grisanti will review the Th.M. committee s recommendation and notify the student of the committee s decision. In case of uncertainty, the committee will convene to make a final decision. If accepted, Dr. Grisanti will send the student a formal acceptance letter and preliminary information. Basic Cost 26 credit hours $495.00/credit hour Total tuition cost: $12,870.00 Application fee (not refundable) (waived for TMS M.Div. graduates)............................ $50.00 Tuition per credit hour.................................................................. $495.00 Continuing registration/thesis non-resident fee............................................. $50.00 Registration fee.................................................. $35.00 per semester and module Student services fee.............................................. $125.00 per semester and module For other financial and payment questions, see the TMS catalog: https://www.tms.edu/academics/catalog/ Full-time Th.M. load: 4 credit hours (for visa and financial aid purposes) Transfer Credit Up to four advanced graduate semester credit hours from an accredited theological institution may be applied toward fulfillment of Th.M. course requirements at The Master s Seminary, per the discretion of the Th.M. Program Director. TMS Th.M. Handbook, 3
Financial Aid and Scholarships There are limited scholarship funds available for students in the Th.M. program. The stipulations for scholarship awards are listed on each application and are available online at https://www.tms.edu/academics/financial-aid/. Decisions will be made based on academic excellence (based on the first semester/session of Th.M. courses) and financial need. For those students who are pursuing their Th.M. degree on the TMS campus, federal regulations prevent students from receiving scholarship funds for both residential and modular courses. All financial aid applications must be completed, signed and returned to the TMS Office of Financial Aid by October 1 (for the Spring semester or May June session) or February 1 (for the Fall semester or Nov Dec session). Please contact the TMS Office of Financial Aid at kricedorff@masters.edu, 661-362-2295 or stop by the TMS offices with any questions. Send completed form to: The Master s Seminary Financial Aid, 13428 Roscoe Blvd, Sun Valley, CA 91352. Program Requirements Prerequisites Applicants must have successfully completed basic courses which parallel the following core classes of the Master of Divinity degree at The Master s Seminary. Bible Exposition: OT Survey, NT Survey, Hermeneutics New Testament: Introduction to Greek exegesis I and II, NT Introduction, NT exegesis elective Old Testament: Hebrew Grammar I and II, Introduction to Hebrew exegesis, OT Introduction, Hebrew exegesis elective Theology: Theology courses covering all ten areas of systematic theology as well as historical theology Students applying for the Th.M. program who have graduated from other seminaries will have their academic transcripts compared to the above prerequisites. Exact correspondence is not expected; only similar coverage for these essential areas. Generally, applicants will be asked to supply a document with all course synopses from the academic catalog of their prior insitution. The foundation provided by the above kinds of courses will facilitate a student s greater success in our Th.M. program. Applicants deficient in any of these requirements may enroll in the pre-requisite units while taking other Th.M. courses, but such deficiencies must be completed prior to or during their first year in the Th.M. program. Until these prerequisites are met, applicants will be admitted on a probationary status. Coursework taken to fulfill deficiencies is not applicable toward the Th.M. residency requirements. Students must demonstrate the ability to do significant theological research. For students who will receive their M.Div. from TMS, the professors on the Th.M. committee will affirm or deny your application, in part, by knowing your writing ability from classes you have had with them. Students applying from other seminaries will need to submit an exegesis or theology paper to give the Th.M. committee a sample of your research writing quality. Students who receive their M.Div. degree from overseas schools or TMAI training centers may be required to take a course in their discipline emphasis to make sure they are prepared for the transition to a Th.M. at TMS. TMS Th.M. Handbook, 4
Program Length All course work, examinations, and thesis requirements (totaling 26 credit hours) must be completed within six years, beginning on the date of the student s first registration for Th.M. courses at The Master s Seminary. Students may go beyond this six year period only by requesting permission in writing to the director of the Th.M. program. The student will be required to pay a continuing registration fee for each semester during which he is not enrolled; failure to do so will be viewed as withdrawal from the program. Concurrent Enrollment (for TMS M.Div. students) TMS Master of Divinity students who have completed eighty or more semester credit hours and who have been admitted on a probationary status into the Th.M. degree program are permitted to take a maximum of four credit hours per semester of Th.M. courses (with faculty permission). Such course work must meet all normal Th.M. standards and cannot be credited toward the requirements of other degree programs. Course work taken concurrently with Master of Divinity classes will be charged at the Th.M. rate. TMS Th.M. Handbook, 5 Master of Theology Thesis General Deadlines An acceptable thesis evidencing a high degree of scholarly competence in the student s major field must be submitted by all Th.M. candidates. The thesis and the thesis preparation courses account for 4 hours of academic credit in the 26 hour curriculum and must contain not fewer than 100 nor more than 150 pages of text material. Approval will be based upon literary quality and theological content. Three copies are to be presented to the library for binding. Students who have completed their course work must register as a thesisnon-resident student for each semester the thesis remains outstanding. In fulfilling the thesis requirements, the following deadlines must be observed (these initial deadlines are negotiable depending on the adviser s schedule): 1. The student must sign up for the thesis preparation course (NT/OT/TH837a) for the May/June module twelve months before he anticipates graduating. This course begins with a meeting with the student s thesis adviser and will be done primarily as a directed study. The student will upload the required work, the adviser will comment on and grade the work, and the adviser and student will interact via email, phone, and/or Skype or Facetime. 2. Topic approval must be secured no later than the last Friday in May of the year prior to graduation, though topic approval during the first semester of study is strongly recommended. 3. A prospectus (title page, outline, bibliography, and synopsis of argument) is due the end of June in the year prior to graduation. 4. The introductory chapter is due no later than August 31 of the year prior to graduation. 5. The first main content chapter is due no later than September 30 of the year prior to graduation (subsequent intermediate due dates to be established by the adviser generally a chapter due at the end of October, November, and December). 6. The student must register for Th.M. Thesis (NT/OT/TH838) in the approved area of study for the final semester prior to scheduled graduation. A student signs up for the 838 course for the semester they expect to complete their thesis (accepted final draft). 7. A first draft must be submitted to the first reader by the second Friday of January of the year of graduation.
The first draft will also be sent to an appointed person to evaluate the format issues as well as to a second faculty reader who will read the thesis for content. The student and the adviser will work together in choosing the second reader (another TMS professor). Ideally, the marked-up draft from the adviser, second reader, and format checker will be returned to the student no later than the end of February. The student should make the needed changes and resubmit the corrected draft to the adviser by the end of March so the adviser can determine whether more changes are needed. 8. An approved presentation copy, and two photocopies must be submitted by the first Friday in April of the year of graduation. Failure to meet the deadlines #2 5 and 7 will negatively impact your grade. Failure to meet the deadline for the first draft (#7) or the deadline for the final draft (#8) will result in the postponement of your anticipated graduation until the following year. The Master of Theology thesis must be prepared in conformity with the most recent edition of the seminary s Style Guide and Turabian s A Manual for Writers of Term Papers, Theses, and Dissertations (8 th edition). Where these sources differ, the seminary s Guidelines takes precedence. Completion To qualify for graduation, candidates must present an acceptable thesis (2 credit hours) and have completed 24 credit hours of required coursework, with no grade less than B- credited toward the Th.M. degree. Candidates must also manifest promise of competency in Christian ministry, exhibit exemplary and consistent Christian character, and must be in accord with the ideals of the institution as recorded in its current catalog. Modular Program Basic Idea Although a Th.M. in Bible Exposition will only be available in the semester format on the TMS campus (for that major, see the end of this handbook), courses for the other three departments/disciplines will be offered in a modular format. Some of the courses (those that can be taken for M.Div. or Th.M. credit) will be offered in a two week time frame while others will be offered in a one week time frame. A tentative schedule for those courses can be found below. This modular pattern of offering courses will allow students to remain active in their local churches or live in other parts of the United States or world while at the same time capturing the riches of the Th.M. program. Generally, it will take students longer to complete the modular Th.M. than it would have through the semester format. The demands of life, work, ministry, and seminary may limit the number of courses most students could take. Residential Th.M. still available 1. Residential/Modular Th.M in NT, OT, or TH Students who desire to pursue their Th.M. degree in the semester or residential format (on the TMS campus) will still be able to do so. Each semester we will offer a certain number of residential Th.M. courses for all three of the modular disciplines (in the semester format). Consequently, students could combine those courses with courses offered in the modular format to complete their Th.M. in a two year time frame. One of the advantages of this approach is regular access to the seminary library and professors during the year. See the tentative mockup of semester and modular Th.M. courses below (at the end of the handbook). The mockup of residential and modular courses will be revised every school year to give direction to incoming residential Th.M. students. TMS Th.M. Handbook, 6
2. Residential Th.M. in Bible Exposition At this point in time, a Th.M. with an emphasis in Bible Exposition will only be available in a residential format. See page 15 of this handbook for more information. M.Div./Th.M. courses or exclusively Th.M. courses Some of the courses offered as either required content or elective courses are M.Div. courses that can be taken for Th.M. credit (e.g., exegesis courses). Other courses are taught as Th.M. modular courses and an advanced M.Div. student can take those courses (but would have to do the Th.M. level work). When a Th.M. student takes an M.Div. level course, generally they can expect more required reading, better submitted work, and longer papers than those required for an M.Div. student. Although some dedicated Th.M. courses will still be offered in the semester format, all the Th.M. courses will be offered in modular format every two years. Modular Sessions: May/June and Nov/Dec The modular Th.M. courses will be offered in two sessions. The exact dates for these sessions will vary from year to year. However, the May/June session will be part of the regular summer school session right after TMS graduation. It will involve 4 6 weeks of modular courses. The Nov/Dec session will involve 3 weeks the week after Thanksgiving and the first two weeks of December. A student can sign up for more than one course. However, they must keep in mind that each course will have pre- and post-course work. Course Registration deadlines (this will not be the pattern for the Dec. 2017 modular courses) May/June session Nov/Dec session You must preregister by the end of October (in the designated preregistration period) You must preregister by the end of March (in the designated preregistration period) The registrar s office will email pre-registration instructions to students in the Th.M. program before the designated preregistration period. You will be able to preregister for courses online. For the December 2017 modular courses, you must have your Th.M. application submitted no later than October 15. Unless there are complicating factors that would delay acceptance, we will expedite the acceptance process so that you can register for the December 2017 courses by October 15. We will provide preregistration instructions with your acceptance letter. TMS Th.M. Handbook, 7 Discipline Emphasis As part of the application for the Th.M. program, each student must indicate the discipline he intends to pursue. Academic advisers will need to know your intentions in order to provide good advice. For initial questions about advising, please feel free to email Chris Burnett at cburnett@tms.edu. As the course schedule demonstrates (see p. 10), every Th.M. student must take six required courses, two in each discipline (12 credit hours). This provides the student with a greater awareness of key skills and interpretive issues for NT, OT, and Theology studies. Additionally, every Th.M. student will take a thesis preparation course and a thesis course (4 credit hours). Students must also take an additional five courses (10 credit hours) that are elective (NT, OT, or TH). If a student is considering going on for a doctorate with a certain discipline emphasis, it would be wise to take courses that would best prepare him for that emphasis. Taking all five electives in the area of emphasis is not
an absolute requirement, but would be wise so a student could be as prepared as possible for the doctoral program he has in mind. To put it another way, if a student intends to pursue a doctoral program in a given emphasis area (NT, OT, or TH), the professor advising that student will press the student to take all the electives in their discipline area or regard those electives as ideally required for a student pursuing a discipline focused Th.M. Regardless, a student has the ability to take elective courses in other discipline areas. However, the student needs to remember taking courses outside of the discipline emphasis will impact the strength of the foundation he lays for this chosen discipline. Note: A student can take a elective courses in the other disciplines even if they have chosen a certain emphasis. The chosen emphasis determines the area in which a student will write the thesis. Eventually, the student s thesis topic will determine which professor will be his thesis adviser (NT, OT, or TH). At least 18 months before graduation, each student must meet with the the chair of that department to make arrangements to take the appropriate thesis preparation course (NT/OT/TH837a). Big Picture: Summary of Th.M. Program Approaches Here is a brief overview of the ways a person could pursue a Th.M. degree at The Master s Seminary: 1. Modular only NT, OT, TH Disciplines Students who do not live near the TMS campus, and therefore cannot take residential semester courses, can take their Th.M. courses in an entirely modular format. Our modular sessions involve several courses taught on the TMS campus in Nov/Dec (within a 3 4 week range) and May/June (within a 4 6 week range). The course schedules for each session will be distributed to the accepted Th.M. students before the registration deadline. Generally speaking, all one week courses include pre-course and perhaps post-course work (through live video interaction via Canvas, our learning software). Each dedicated modular course in both sessions will last one week. The student must decide how many courses to take in a session. In both sessions, there may be M.Div. courses (e.g., Greek and Hebrew exegesis courses) that may be offered over a two week time frame that a Th.M. student could take (with an increased workload). Those courses would likely have less pre-course work than the fully modular courses (1 week on campus). See page 9 for a broad summary of both the required and elective courses, and pages 10 11 for a regrouping of this list for visual clarity. See pages 13 14 for a sample layout of modular courses in a four-year time frame. The aim is to offer all the required and elective courses every two years and to offer those courses in the same general modular session (Nov/Dec or May/June). 2. Modular/Residential Hybrid NT, OT, TH Disciplines Students who want to take their Th.M. program on campus, in order to have regular access to the TMS profesors and library, will have the option of taking a combination of residential and modular Th.M. courses. This hybrid approach enables them to finish their Th.M. degree in a two-year time frame. Some Th.M. courses will only be taught in the modular setting (e.g., Advanced Hebrew Readings, Biblical Aramaic, etc.). See pages 16 18 for a sample layout of courses that would enable a residential Th.M. student (for each emphasis) to complete their Th.M. degree in two years. 3. Residential only Bible Exposition Discipline At the request of the BI department Chair, the Bible Exposition Th.M. is currently offered only in the residential, semester setting. Any residential Bible Exposition Th.M. student is welcome to take modular courses for their electives if desired. See page 15 for a sample course layout of Bible Exposition courses. TMS Th.M. Handbook, 8
Sample Layout of a Modular Course, with pre- and post-course sessions Pre-Course Work: 4 6 live video conference sessions with professor and fellow students On-Campus Course time: 1 2 weeks of on-campus course time per course. Post-Course Work: 1 2 live video conference sessions with professor and fellow students within a month of the end of the course. 20 week term: ca. 10-12 weeks ca. 3-6 weeks ca. 4 weeks Nov/Dec: 3 weeks of courses offered May/June: 4 6 weeks of courses offered Modular Master of Theology Basic Layout Required and Elective Courses Red = Required content and thesis courses Blue = Elective Content courses Numbers after the courses signify credit hours Required Content Courses: 2 from each discipline NT868 History of NT Interpretation 2 NT### Greek Exegesis Course 2 OT871 Advanced Hebrew Readings 2 OT### Hebrew Exegesis Course 2 TH824 Soteriology Seminar 2 TH888 Eschatology Seminar 2 Total Required Content Courses 12 Required Thesis courses:??837a Thesis: Introductory Methods 2??838 Thesis 2 Total Required Thesis courses (credit hrs.) 4 Total Required courses 16 Total Elective Content courses 10 GRAND TOTAL 26 *Because of scheduling transitions, our 2017 May/June session and the December session are shorter than they will normally be. The courses marked with * are not scheduled to be offered in the first two years of the 4-year modular course schedule laid out in the Th.M. handbook. They will be offered as residential courses over the next two years. They, along with all the courses in the above modular schedule, are included in years 3 and 4 of the 4 year modular schedule in the Th.M. handbook. Elective Content Courses (5) NT853 Advanced Greek Grammar I 2 NT854 Advanced Greek Grammar II 2 NT855 New Testament Textual Criticism 2 NT### Greek Exegesis Course 2 NT856 Synoptic Problem 2 NT653 Israel Study Trip: Field Studies** 2 OT840 OT Textual Criticism 2 OT872 Biblical Aramaic 2 OT853 Advanced Hebrew Grammar* 2 OT832 OT Seminar* 2 OT### Hebrew Exegesis Course 2 OT653 Israel Study Trip: Field Studies** 2 TH816 Theology Proper Seminar 2 TH819 Pneumatology Seminar 2 TH828 Dispensationalism Theology Seminar 2 TH829 NT Use of the OT Seminar 2 TH877 Kingdom of God Seminar 2 TH653 Israel Study Trip: Field Studies** 2 Total Elective Courses (credit hrs.): 10 (five elective courses) ** The Israel Study Trip can be used as a substitute for another Elective Course, per the approval of the student s adviser. TMS Th.M. Handbook, 9
Built off the master curriculum sheet for the modular Th.M. (see above page), consider that general layout for the four options available to the modular Th.M. student (the Bible Exposition course layout is found on p. 15): Modular Th.M. in New Testament Required and Elective Courses Required Courses Elective Courses Required Content Courses (2 from ea. discipline): NT### Greek Exegesis Course 2 NT868 History of NT Interpretation* 2 OT871 Advanced Hebrew Readings 2 OT### Hebrew Exegesis Course 2 TH824 Soteriology Seminar 2 TH888 Eschatology Seminar 2 Required Content Courses (total cred. hrs.) 12 Elective Content Courses (5 courses): NT853 Advanced Greek Grammar I 2 NT854 Advanced Greek Grammar II 2 NT855 New Testament Textual Criticism 2 NT856 Synoptic Problem 2 NT### Greek Exegesis Course 2 Elective Courses (total cred. hrs.) 10 Required Thesis Courses: NT837a Thesis: Introductory Methods 2 NT838 Thesis 2 Required Thesis Courses (total cred. hrs.) 4 Total Required Content and Thesis Courses 16 Total Elective Courses 10 GRAND TOTAL 26 Modular Th.M. in Old Testament Required and Elective Courses Required Courses Elective Courses Required Content Courses (2 from ea. discipline): NT### Greek Exegesis Course 2 NT868 History of NT Interpretation* 2 OT871 Advanced Hebrew Readings 2 OT### Hebrew Exegesis Course 2 TH824 Soteriology Seminar 2 TH888 Eschatology Seminar 2 Required Content Courses (total cred. hrs.) 12 Elective Content Courses (5 courses): OT840 OT Textual Criticism 2 OT872 Biblical Aramaic 2 OT853 Advanced Hebrew Grammar* 2 OT832 OT Seminar* 2 OT### Hebrew Exegesis Course 2 Elective Courses (total cred. hrs.) 10 Required Thesis Courses: OT837a Thesis: Introductory Methods 2 OT838 Thesis 2 Required Thesis Courses (total cred. hrs.) 4 Total Required Content and Thesis Courses 16 Total Elective Courses 10 GRAND TOTAL 26 TMS Th.M. Handbook, 10
Modular Th.M. in Theology Required and Elective Courses Required Courses Elective Courses Required Content Courses (2 from ea. discipline): NT### Greek Exegesis Course 2 NT868 History of NT Interpretation* 2 OT871 Advanced Hebrew Readings 2 OT### Hebrew Exegesis Course 2 TH824 Soteriology Seminar 2 TH888 Eschatology Seminar 2 Core Content Courses (total cred. hrs.) 12 Elective Content Courses (5 courses): TH816 Theology Proper Seminar 2 TH819 Pneumatology Seminar 2 TH828 Dispensationalism Theology Seminar 2 TH829 NT Use of the OT Seminar 2 TH877 Kingdom of God Seminar 2 Elective Courses (total cred. hrs.) 10 Required Thesis Courses: TH837a Thesis: Introductory Methods 2 TH838 Thesis 2 Required Thesis Courses (total cred. hrs.) 4 Total Required Content and Thesis Courses 16 Total Elective Courses 10 GRAND TOTAL 26 How long will it take to complete the Th.M. degree? Modular Program FAQ s Completion depends on how many courses a student can take while maintaining academic excellence, but in general: Residential Th.M. students a standard time-frame would be two years. Modular Th.M. students a standard time-frame would be four to six years, depending on how many courses taken each session. Will the courses be offered on campus over two weeks or one week? Courses offered during summer school that can be taken by residential M.Div. students as well (e.g., exegesis courses) may be offered in a two-week time frame. The professor will be able to make that decision. The rest of the modular courses will be offered on campus for one week (generally five days), but will involve pre- and post-course work. The exegesis courses may involve some pre-course work, but less than a conventional modular course. The seminary s academic software for accessing course information and submitting completed course work (Canvas) has a feature that facilitates live two-way interaction between the professor and students. In order to get enough seat time for the course, every one week course will have several class meetings online before and/or after the campus time. These online sessions will prepare the student for some of the work they will be doing later in the course, provide a setting for paper presentations, or give the student time (after the on-campus time) to work on a final research or exegetical paper. The exact number of pre- and post-course work will likely vary from course to course, depending on the nature of the course and its assignments. The driving intention is how to best enable the student to grow in the needed skills and to better understand the course material. TMS Th.M. Handbook, 11
How many courses may a student take during a modular session? Generally, we would recommend that a student take one course per week. If the course covers two weeks, there may be time for two courses. Students must remember that this is an academic program and the course requirements are not negotiable. Assignment deadlines are taken seriously and stiff penalties will be applied for late work. It is very important that a student only take courses for which they can complete the work in a timely fashion. Of course, we will provide grace if a person experiences major life challenges. Since most students do not have libraries that are easily accessible to facilitate Th.M. level research, they will need to devote several hours to gather research material together for their research or exegetical paper while they are on the TMS campus and have access to our library. We will make sure that the library is open during the evening when courses are being taught. Could a student take independent or directed studies courses? Some elective credits could be completed this way if it is approved by a TMS professor. However, a TMS professor has every right to refuse to moderate this type of class because of their personal schedule and work load. A course like this would involve somewhat minimal direct involvement by the professor. Will the professors have time to meet with their students for thesis topic suggestions, general academic interaction, or questions about the course? Besides the time a student will have with the professor in class for interaction, we are asking every professor to make time available to meet with each Th.M. student outside of class (while the student is on campus). Live two-way video, emailing, and phone conversations in pre- or post-sessions will also prove valuable. What is the Israel Study Trip: Field Studies course all about? Every May, TMS sponsors a three-week Israel study trip for TMS students and alumni (and their wives). Dr. Grisanti serves as the guide for the trip. The group visits numerous sites from the northern to the southern end of Israel. Everyone on the trip must take notes, listen to the instruction, and take the exams given during the trip. Th.M. students may receive two credit hours of elective course credit by being a good student during the trip, doing well on the exams, and writing a 20 30 page paper after returning from the trip. Further instructions will be provided for those who take the trip for credit. The website for the TMS Israel study trip is updated every late September: https://www.tms.edu/academics/special-programs/israel-field-studies/ TMS Th.M. Handbook, 12
Tentative Course Layout for Modular Th.M. program The exact timing/dates for these modular sessions is still being discussed; this layout provides a sample of courses for four years. All Greek and Hebrew Exegesis courses are listed in blue even though one would be a core content course for all Th.M. students and one would be a discipline-specific course in the NT or OT discipline. Red = Required Courses Blue = Elective Courses Year 1 December 2017: Unlike 2018, when our Nov/Dec session will begin at the end of November and provide a range of 3 weeks for teaching, this session just provides one week for all teaching on campus. Consequently, we are just offering one course in each discipline for that week. We will have a more normal schedule starting May 2018. December 2017 session (1 week available for offering courses 1 week each) New Testament Old Testament Theology OT872, Biblical Aramaic (Zhakevich) NT868, History of NT Interpretation (Farnell) TH877, Kingdom of God Seminar (Vlach) TMS Th.M. Handbook, 13 Year 2 May/June 2018 session (4 6 weeks available for offering courses generally 1 week each) New Testament Old Testament Theology NT853 Advanced Greek Grammar I (Osborne) OT###, Hebrew Exegesis course (Murphy) TH816, Theology Proper Seminar (Mook) NT###, Greek Exegesis course (Farnell) OT871, Advanced Hebrew Readings (Zhakevich) TH828, Dispensational Theology Seminar (Vlach) NT837a, Thesis: Introductory Methods (depends on thesis topic primarily online) OT837a, Thesis: Introductory Methods (depends on thesis topic primarily online) TH837a, Thesis: Introductory Methods (depends on thesis topic primarily online) TMS Israel Study trip: Field Studies course counts for any discipline (May 14 June 3, 2018) 2-year plan Begin working on 837a by meeting with professor/thesis adviser during the on-campus time and maintain contact and submit work in Canvas in a timely fashion as assigned over the next two to three months. From September January, work on thesis content chapters: submit chapters according to schedule worked out with thesis adviser, aiming for a January 15 submission of first draft. Late November/Early December 2018 session (3 weeks available for offering courses 1 week each) New Testament Old Testament Theology NT854, Advanced Greek Grammar II (Osborne) OT###, Hebrew Exegesis course (Zhakevich) TH819, Pneumatology Seminar (Mook) NT856, Synoptic Problem (Farnell) OT840, OT Textual Criticism (Murphy) TH888, Eschatology Seminar (Vlach) NT838, Thesis course OT838, Thesis course TH838, Thesis course 2-year plan By January 15: if ready, submit first draft of Th.M. thesis, on track to graduate in May 2019; if not submitted by Jan. 15, could graduate the following May.
TMS Th.M. Handbook, 14 Year 3 May/June 2019 session (4 6 weeks available for offering courses generally 1 week each) New Testament Old Testament Theology NT868, History of NT Interpretation (Farnell) OT871, Advanced Hebrew Readings (Zhakevich) TH828, Dispensational Theology Seminar (Vlach) NT###, Greek Exegesis course (Osborne) OT###, Hebrew Exegesis course (Murphy) TH824, Soteriology Seminar (Mook) NT837a, Thesis: Introductory Methods (depends on thesis topic primarily online) OT837a, Thesis: Introductory Methods (depends on thesis topic primarily online) TH837a, Thesis: Introductory Methods (depends on thesis topic primarily online) TMS Israel Study trip: Field Studies course counts for any discipline (May 13 June 2, 2019) 4-year plan Begin doing research for thesis topic after meeting with professors in your area of interest. Late November/Early December 2019 session (3 weeks available for offering courses) New Testament Old Testament Theology NT853, Advanced Greek Grammar I (Osborne) OT872, Biblical Aramaic (Zhakevich) TH816, Theology Proper Seminar (Mook) NT###, Greek Exegesis course (Farnell) OT832, OT Seminar (Grisanti) TH877, Kingdom of God Seminar (Vlach) OT853, Advanced Hebrew Grammar (Murphy)* *Not offered in residential Fall 2019 Semester Year 4 May/June 2020 session (4 6 weeks available for offering courses) New Testament Old Testament Theology NT854, Advanced Greek Grammar OT871, Advanced Hebrew TH829, NT Use of OT (Vlach) II (Osborne) Readings (Zhakevich) NT855, NT Textual Criticism (Farnell) OT###, Hebrew Exegesis course (Zhakevich) TH824, Soteriology Seminar (Mook) NT837a, Thesis: Introductory Methods (depends on thesis topic primarily online) OT837a, Thesis: Introductory Methods (depends on thesis topic primarily online) TH837a, Thesis: Introductory Methods (depends on thesis topic primarily online) TMS Israel Study trip: Field Studies course counts for any discipline (May 11-31, 2020) 4-year plan Begin working on 837a by meeting with professor/thesis adviser during the on-campus time (May/June) and maintain contact and submit work in Canvas in a timely fashion as assigned over the next two to three months. From September January, work on thesis content chapters: submit chapters according to schedule worked out with thesis adviser aiming for a Jan 15 submission of first draft. Late November/Early December 2020 session (3 weeks available for offering courses) New Testament Old Testament Theology NT###, Greek Exegesis course (Farnell) OT###, Hebrew Exegesis course (Grisanti) TH819, Pneumatology Seminar (Mook) NT868, History of NT Interpretation (Farnell) OT840, OT Textual Criticism (Murphy) TH888, Eschatology Seminar (Vlach) NT838, Thesis course OT838, Thesis course TH838, Thesis course 4-year plan January 15: if ready, submit first draft of Th.M. thesis, on track to graduate in May 2019; if not submitted by Jan. 15, could graduate the following May (2021).
Th.M. in Bible Exposition only offered in the residential/semester based program Because of scheduling commitments by Bible Exposition professors, this discipline will only be offered in the semester format. The courses will be offered on a two year cycle. This degree emphasis represents a terminal degree relating to further academic work. This major will helpfully contribute to a student s understanding of the message of Scripture. A person could pursue a D.Min. degree after their Th.M. However, the Bible Exposition Th.M. does not serve as a solid foundation for the demands of a Ph.D. program. A student pursuing a Bible Exposition Th.M. is welcome to take any of the modular courses for one of their program electives. Any elective course taken for Th.M. credit must include Th.M. level work. Required Content Courses BI 847 Pentateuch...................... 2 BI 849 Samuel, Kings, Chronicles......... 2 BI 851 Matthew........................ 2 BI 853 Hebrews........................ 2 BI 852 Isaiah.......................... 2 BI 864 Romans......................... 2 BI 874 Revelation....................... 2 Total: 14 Elective Courses OT Exegesis Elective....................... 2 NT Exegesis Elective....................... 2 Open Elective............................. 2 Open Elective............................. 2 Open Elective............................. 2 Open Elective............................. 2 Total: 12 Total of 26 credit hours TMS Th.M. Handbook, 15
Residential and Modular Th.M. Courses Fall 2017 Spring 2019 New Testament Discipline Red Required Course; Blue Elective Course Courses taught residentially ** I put all the Gk and Heb ex courses in blue even though one would be a required content course for all Th.M. students and one would be an elective course for NT/OT. Courses taught as modulars May/June 2017 Modular Courses OT 871 Advanced Hebrew Reading 2 NT 837a Thesis: Introductory Methods 2 Fall 2017 Semester Courses NT 853 Advanced Greek Grammar I 2 December 2017 modular course NT 868 History of NT Interpretation 2 Spring 2018 Semester Courses (tentative) NT 868 History of NT Interpretation 2 NT 854 Advanced Greek Grammar II 2 Fall 2018 Semester Courses NT 856 Synoptic Problem 2 TH 888 Eschatology Seminar 2 Submit chapters for thesis at the end of each month; first draft submitted by Jan 15, 2019 May/June 2018 Modular Courses NT 853 Advanced Greek Grammar I 2 OT 871 Advanced Hebrew Reading 2 NT 837a Thesis: Introductory Methods 2 NT 653 Israel Study Trip: Field Studies 2 Submit introduction for thesis by August 30 November/December 2018 Modular Courses NT 854 Advanced Greek Grammar II 2 NT 856 Synoptic Problem 2 TH 888 Eschatology Seminar 2 Spring 2019 Semester Courses Various Greek or Hebrew Exegesis Courses 2 NT 855 NT Textual Criticism 2 NT 838 Thesis 2 TH 824 Soteriology Seminar 2 Submit final draft of thesis by first Friday of April TMS Th.M. Handbook, 16 The objective in this arrangement is to show how residential students will be able to complete their course work and thesis in two years by taking some (perhaps most) of their Th.M. courses in the semester format and supplementing those courses with ones taken in the modular format. The semesters a year away have less information since we will set up those course offerings later next year.
Residential and Modular Th.M. Courses Fall 2017 Spring 2019 Old Testament Discipline Red Required Course; Blue Elective Course Courses taught residentially ** I put all the Gk and Heb ex courses in blue even though one would be a required content course for all Th.M. students and one would be an elective course for NT/OT. Courses taught as modulars May/June 2017 Modular Courses OT 871 Advanced Hebrew Reading 2 OT 837a Thesis: Introductory Methods 2 Fall 2017 Semester Courses OT 832 OT Seminar 2 OT 853 Advanced Hebrew Grammar 2 December 2017 modular course OT 872 Biblical Aramaic 2 NT 868 History of NT Interpretation 2 Spring 2018 Semester Courses (tentative) NT 868 History of NT Interpretation 2 TH 824 Soteriology Seminar 2 TH 888 Eschatology Seminar 2 TMS Th.M. Handbook, 17 Fall 2018 Semester Courses **OT853 Advanced Hebrew Grammar, will not be offered in the residential Fall semester, but only in the Nov/Dec modular session Submit chapters for thesis at the end of each month; first draft submitted by Jan 15, 2019 Spring 2019 Semester Courses OT 838 Thesis 2 OT 840 OT Textual Criticism 2 May/June 2018 Modular Courses OT 871 Advanced Hebrew Reading 2 OT 837a Thesis: Introductory Methods 2 OT 653 Israel Study Trip: Field Studies 2 Submit introduction for thesis by August 30 November/December 2018 Modular Courses OT 838 Thesis 2 OT 840 OT Textual Criticism 2 OT 853 Advanced Hebrew Grammar** 2 TH 888 Eschatology Seminar 2 Submit final draft of thesis by first Friday of April The objective in this arrangement is to show how residential students will be able to complete their course work and thesis in two years by taking some (perhaps most) of their Th.M. courses in the semester format and supplementing those courses with ones taken in the modular format. The semesters a year away have less information since we will set up those course offerings later next year.
Residential and Modular Th.M. Courses Fall 2017 Spring 2019 Theology Discipline Red Required Course; Blue Elective Course Courses taught residentially ** I put all the Gk and Heb ex courses in blue even though one would be a required content course for all Th.M. students and one would be an elective course for NT/OT. Fall 2017 Semester Courses TH 713 Theology of John Calvin 2 TH 816 Seminar on Theology Proper 2 TH 827 Seminar on OT Messianic Theology 2 Spring 2018 Semester Courses (tentative) NT 868 History of NT Interpretation 2 TH 824 Soteriology Seminar 2 TH 888 Eschatology Seminar 2 TH 829 NT Use of the OT Seminar 2 Fall 2018 Semester Courses TH 819 Pneumatology Seminar 2 TH 828 Dispensational Theology Seminar?? 2 Submit chapters for thesis at the end of each month; first draft submitted by Jan 15, 2019 Courses taught as modulars May/June 2017 Modular Courses TH 837a Thesis: Introductory Methods 2 OT 871 Advanced Hebrew Reading 2 TH 829 NT Use of the OT 2 December 2017 modular course NT 868 History of NT Interpretation 2 TH 877 Kingdom of God Seminar 2 May/June 2018 Modular Courses NT 853 Advanced Greek Grammar I 2 OT 871 Advanced Hebrew Reading 2 TH 837a Thesis: Introductory Methods 2 TH 816 Theology Proper Seminar 2 TH 828 Dispensational Theology Seminar 2 TH 653 Israel Study Trip: Field Studies 2 Submit introduction for thesis by August 30 November/December 2018 Modular Courses TH 888 Eschatology Seminar 2 Spring 2019 Semester Courses TH 824 Soteriology Seminar 2 TH829 NT Use of the OT Seminar 2 TH 838 Thesis 2 Submit final draft of thesis by first Friday of April The objective in this arrangement is to show how residential students will be able to complete their course work and thesis in two years by taking some (perhaps most) of their Th.M. courses in the semester format and supplementing those courses with ones taken in the modular format. The semesters a year away have less information since we will set up those course offerings later next year. TMS Th.M. Handbook, 18