Master of Arts in Christian Education (M.A./CE)

Disciple Makers

The M.A./CE program provides biblical and theological education for those anticipating a vocations as ministers of Christian education, children’s workers, ministers of youth, parachurch youth leaders, ministers of adults, directors of family life education, administrators or teachers in Christian higher education, Christian school teachers and administrators, or women’s ministry leaders.

Degree Breakdown

Educational Goals

To enable students to:

• demonstrate a general knowledge of the Bible, including a synthetic understanding of the major books
• evidence an understanding of the historical development of theology, a knowledge of premillennial theology, and an ability to support their theological views and apply them to contemporary issues
• develop a biblical philosophy of and commitment to Christian education in home, church, and school
• verbalize the nature and needs of at least one age-group, state biblical goals for that age-level ministry, and apply appropriate educational principles.

Spiritual Goals

To enable students to:

• evidence an increasing likeness to Christ as manifested in love for God, love for others, and the fruit of the Spirit
• exhibit godly leadership with a team spirit that will lead others into spiritual maturity and help develop them for leadership roles.

Ministry Goals

To enable students to:

• organize, administer, and evaluate an educational program based on stated goals and objectives, working successfully with people in a variety of ministry situations
• communicate effectively in a variety of Christian education ministry settings
• formulate educational programs that are biblically based, educationally accurate, and related to people’s needs
• utilize proper biblical and educational methods and materials for at least one age-level.

Details

Transfer Credit

Transfer of some credit is allowed toward the professional M.A. programs from accredited graduate theological schools. Up to 30 hours of credit may be transferred toward the M.A. in Christian Education.
 
Students must have earned a grade of C or better for a course to be considered in transfer. Transferability of credits earned at this institution and transferred to another is at the discretion of the receiving institution. Consult the Registrar’s Office for information on eligibility for transfer credit.

Spiritual Formation

Because Dallas Seminary values character and spiritual maturity, Th.M. and M.A./CE students are required to register for and participate in Spiritual Formation groups each of their first four semesters of study. Extension students must contact the Spiritual Formation director regarding fulfillment of their Spiritual Formation requirements.

In the Spiritual Formation curriculum small groups (six to eight students) focus on identity, community, integrity, and ministry. The groups also provide an atmosphere for prayer, fellowship, career assessment, and the integration of learning with ministry. Additionally, the groups act as the small group component of all required internships. As courses should be taken consecutively, students are encouraged to arrange their schedules so they may stay in the same group each semester. Spiritual Formation is a noncredit, transcripted experience. The prerequisite for all required internships is SF101 Spiritual Formation I (Identity).
 
Additional Spiritual Formation courses focusing on leadership may be taken as electives.

Course Requirements

Sixty-five semester hours of course work are required as a minimum for graduation. Of those hours, 22 are in prescribed Bible Exposition courses, 18 are in prescribed Theological courses, 2 are in Spiritual Life, 9 are in prescribed Christian Education courses, 12 are elective Christian Education hours, and 2 hours are in a Field Education course (FE165 Christian Education Internship). No thesis is required.

Each student must select 12 hours in one of the following ten ministry concentrations: (1) church educational leadership, (2) children’s ministry, (3) youth ministry, (4) parachurch ministry (5) adult ministry, (6) family life ministry, (7) educational administration, (8) Christian school administration, (9) college teaching, or (10) women’s ministry.

M.A./CE Tracks

Distance Degree Outline

The sample below shows how a student might complete a degree from a distance, using a combination of online courses taken at home and intensive courses in Dallas or Houston over summer and winter sessions.

Distance Considerations

1. Of the 65 credit hours required for the MA/CE program:
   • 30 hours must be completed in residency (meaning in class at the Dallas or Houston campuses)
   • up to 30 credit hours can be completed online
   • non-residency hours include online courses, independent studies, advanced standing, transfer credit, DTS courses taken outside the Dallas or Houston campuses, etc.
2. All of the MA/CE core courses are available in Dallas and/or Houston during the summers. If you completed 29 hours online, you could complete 34 hours over the course of several summer sessions. Two hours will be an internship. During your first semester, you would need to choose your CE electives with advising of the CE department.
3. Once accepted, you need to contact the Spiritual Formation and Leadership department regarding the completion of the SF101-104 requirement.
4. You should estimate that it will take you between 3-5 years to complete the MA/CE program by taking online courses in the fall and spring, and summer courses each summer. You can take courses in Dallas or Houston over the 2 week Winter Session to reduce the time needed to complete the degree.

Degree Plan

1. Students have the option of completing their Christian Education Internship in a two-consecutive-semester format or a three-consecutivesemester (one calendar year) format. See the Spiritual Formation and Leadership department section of this catalog for more information.