Master of Arts in Cross-Cultural Ministry (M.A./CM)

Contextualized Ministry

The M.A./CM program provides training for prospective and veteran missionaries whose ministries include serving in other cultures. It meets the essential academic requirements of most mission agencies and is ideal for those whose anticipated ministries will not include regular preaching.

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
• trace the redemptive purpose of God for the world from Genesis to Revelation
• verbalize principles of effective intercultural ministry
• demonstrate familiarity with essential principles of anthropology, ethnology, sociology, and psychology in relation to missions
• state pertinent data on the contemporary world scene.

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
• evidence a deep commitment to world evangelism
• evidence an awareness of spiritual conflict and the resources in Christ.

Ministry Goals

To enable students to:

• communicate the Bible effectively in an intercultural context
• produce an accurate profile of the chosen country or area of the world
• design an effective strategy for an intercultural ministry.

Details

Course Requirements

Sixty-two semester hours of course work are required as a minimum for graduation. Of those hours, 22 are in prescribed Bible Exposition courses, 18 in prescribed Systematic Theology courses, and 4 in Spiritual Life and Evangelism. There are 12 hours of prescribed World Missions and Intercultural Studies courses. The remaining 6 hours are missions electives. Department professors will assist students in designing the most appropriate program of missions electives for the student’s personal career goals.

Students are required to do an intercultural or missions-related internship as part of their missions electives before completing the program. The acceptability of this experience is determined by the Department of World Missions and Intercultural Studies faculty. Those interested in the TESOL certificate (Teachers of English to Speakers of Other Languages) take TESOL courses in addition to missions electives. For students in the M.A./CM program, this will require an additional 13 hours of course work.

No thesis is required for the M.A./CM degree.

Admission Requirements

Admission requirements and application procedures for professional M.A. degree programs are the same as for all programs of study at the Seminary.  Students will generally not be admitted into a degree program without goals consistent with the ministries for which the program is designed to equip them.

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 Cross-cultural Ministries. 
 
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.

Purpose

TESOL is an acronym for Teachers of English to Speakers of Other Languages and is used to describe the teaching of English as a second language (ESL) or foreign language (EFL). The Dallas Seminary TESOL Certificate prepares students for teaching ESL in the United States and EFL overseas. The TESOL Certificate can be used for teaching English in educational and business settings, but it does not qualify students to teach in the U.S. public school system.

The TESOL Certificate at Dallas Seminary provides a course of study for:

• Christian workers who desire a short program of graduate studies to equip them for teaching English to speakers of other languages
• Missionary candidates who anticipate serving in countries where TESOL skills can provide a platform for entry, access and ministry
• Dallas Seminary students and spouses who anticipate using TESOL skills as a platform for intercultural ministry in the United States

TESOL Goals

Educational Goals

• To equip students academically and professionally for teaching English as a second language outside the U.S. public school system.

Spiritual Goals

• To enable students to evidence an increasing likeness to Christ as manifested in fulfilling God’s commands to “love thy neighbor as thyself” and to “go into all the world and preach the good news.”

Ministry Goals

• To enable students to evidence an interest and involvement in English instruction as a platform for intercultural ministry.
• To enable students to instruct people from different cultures and appreciate and love them regardless of differences.
• To equip students with training that facilitates access to peoples and regions that are closed to the Gospel but open to the English language.

Admission Requirements

The TESOL Certificate is open to all students enrolled at Dallas Seminary, including nondegree and C.G.S. students.

Course Requirements

Students must complete the following World Missions (WM) courses and Spiritual Formation and Leadership (SL) courses to be eligible for the TESOL certificate:

• WM605 General Linguistics – 3 hours
• WM610 Introduction to TESOL – 3 hours
• WM615 Methodology and Practice of TESOL – 3 hours
• SL205 TESOL Internship – 1 hour
• WM210 Intercultural Communication – 3 hours
• Recommended but not required: WM205 Cultural Dynamics in Ministry – 3 hours; or WM325 Ministry in Multicultural America – 2 hours

Some TESOL courses may count toward other degree program requirements. For example, WM210 is required for the M.A./CM and Th.M. Intercultural Ministry emphasis. For more information, consult the Registrar’s Office or Department of World Missions and Intercultural Studies.

Transfer Credits

Students must have earned a grade of C (2.0 on a 4.0 scale) or better for a course to be considered for transfer. Transferability of credits earned at Dallas Seminary and transferred to another institution is at the discretion of the receiving institution. Consult the Registrar’s Office for information on eligibility for transfer credit.

TESOL Q&A

Who teaches TESOL courses at Dallas Seminary?

Dallas Seminary TESOL courses currently are taught by Shigeko Hironaga, Ph.D., Adjunct Professor of World Missions and Intercultural Studies.

What types of jobs are available to people with TESOL certification?

Job opportunities include teaching ESL in the United States at private schools, language schools, community colleges, and intensive English programs associated with universities. Overseas opportunities include teaching EFL at schools, universities, non-governmental agencies, and businesses that need to train local employees.

How useful is a TESOL certificate for ministry in the U.S. and worldwide?

The United States is home to international students, business people, refugees and immigrants who are eager to learn English. ESL classes are offered to these groups and others in churches, schools, colleges, social service agencies and civic centers around the country. Most universities have intensive programs that help international students improve their English proficiency in order to be accepted to undergraduate and graduate programs.

ESL is also in great demand overseas. Knowing and speaking English is seen as critical to success in international business, education and politics. English learners value the instruction that certified English teachers can provide, especially if those teachers are native English speakers. With a TESOL Certificate, English-speaking professionals in specialty fields (e.g. science, technology, medicine) also have a unique opportunity to teach technical English.

What are the benefits of teaching English to speakers of other languages?

The real reward of teaching ESL is the role it can play in fulfilling God’s commands to “love thy neighbor as thyself” and “go into all the world and preach the good news.” Through ESL, you can interact with people from different cultures and learn to appreciate and love them regardless of differences. English-teaching opportunities are available locally and globally, and TESOL certification can give you access to countries that are closed to the gospel but open to the English language.

Do I need to speak multiple languages in order to teach speakers of different languages?

No. Typically, your ESL students will speak a variety of languages. It would be a rare ESL teacher who could speak all these languages even partially. Although it is helpful to speak the languages of your students, it is not necessary.

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 64 credit hours required for the MA/CM 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/CM 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 CM electives with advising of the CM 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/CM 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. Missions electives should include a Contexts course (2 hours), a Strategic Approaches course (2 or 3 hours), and a Biblical and Theological Studies course (2 or 3 hours). Students electing the 3-hour courses may be adding hours to the normal requirements for the M.A./CM degree. Students not needing the extra hours may reduce expenses by taking WM405, WM410, or WM505 for 2 hours of credit and 1 hour of audit. Contact the Registrar’s office for details.
2. Students have the option of completing their Cross-cultural Ministries Internship in a two-consecutive-semester format or a threeconsecutive-semester (one calendar year) format. See the Spiritual Formation and Leadership department section of this catalog for more information.