Master of Arts in Christian Education (MA/CE)
The MA/CE program provides biblical and theological education for those anticipating 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.
Curriculum
| Area of Study | |
|---|---|
| Biblical Exposition | 22 |
| Theological Studies | 18 |
| Ministry, Communication, and Leadership | 13 |
| Electives | 12 |
| 65 |
Take Classes Online and in 8 Locations
Take the classes you need where it's most convienient for you.
Meet an M.A./CE Professor
Mike Lawson
Dr. Lawson, who prefers to be called Grandpa Mike, is Senior Professor in Christian Education. After completing a degree in accounting at UNT, he felt called to ministry, and he earned a ThM in 1969. He served at Metropolitan Baptist Church in Oklahoma City for 17 years before joining the DTS faculty.
Details
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.
Transfer Credit
Transfer of some credit is allowed toward the professional MA programs from accredited graduate theological schools. Up to 30 hours of credit may be transferred toward the MA 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, ThM and MA/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 coursework are required as a minimum for graduation. Of those hours, 22 are in prescribed Bible Exposition courses, 18 are in prescribed Systematic Theology 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 Servant Leadership Internship (SL165 Christian Education Internship). No thesis is required.
All students in the MA in Christian Education degree program are required to take CE101 Educational Process of the Church, CE102 History and Philosophy of Christian Education, CE103 Teaching Process, CE104 Audiovisual Presentations, and SL165 Christian Education Internship. In addition, each student must select 12 hours in one of the following 10 ministry concentrations. Concentration courses will be selected in consultation with the student’s adviser in the department and will be recorded on the student’s MA/CE degree plan. Students in the MA/CE degree program must meet with their CE adviser and submit a CE degree plan during the first semester of their first year.
M.A./CE Tracks
- Church Educational Leadership
- Students completing this ministry concentration should be able to design, direct, supervise, and evaluate the overall educational ministry of a local church.
- Children’s Ministry
- Students completing this ministry concentration should be able to organize and supervise a local church or parachurch ministry to children, including the recruitment and retention of adult staff.
- Youth Ministry
- Students completing this ministry concentration should be able to organize and supervise an effective church program of youth ministry at the junior high and high school levels.
- Parachurch Ministry
- Students completing this ministry concentration should be able to organize and supervise various parachurch ministries either in the U.S. or internationally. The concentration is designed with maximum flexibility and comprises courses from the Christian Education and World Missions and Intercultural Studies departments. Courses are selected in consultation with the student’s adviser.
- Adult Ministry
- Students completing this ministry concentration should be able to organize and lead an adult education program.
- Family Life Ministry
- Students completing this ministry concentration should be able to develop and direct a church program of family life education including family classes, counseling, and discipleship relationships.
- Educational Administration
- Students completing this ministry concentration should be able to serve effectively in a leadership role in an educational institution at the elementary, secondary, or higher level. This program does not lead to certification.
- Christian School Administration
- Students completing this ministry concentration should be able to serve effectively in leadership of a Christian elementary or secondary school. This program does not lead to certification.
- College Teaching
- Students completing this ministry concentration should be able to teach effectively in a Christian institution of higher learning at the undergraduate or graduate level, assuming other subject matter requirements have been satisfied.
- Women’s Ministry
- Students completing this ministry concentration should be able to organize and lead a women’s ministry program in a local church or any other area of ministry to women.
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.
First Year
Summer
(Dallas/Houston Residency)
| Code | Name | Hr |
|---|---|---|
| CE101 | Educational Process of the Church | 3 |
| CE103 | Teaching Process | 2 |
| CE104 | Audiovisual Presentations | 1 |
| CE Elective | 3 | |
| 9 | ||
Fall
(Extension Campus or Online)
| Code | Name | Hr |
|---|---|---|
| BE101 | Bible Study Methods and Hermeneutics | 3 |
| ST101 | Introduction to Theology | 3 |
| 6 | ||
Spring
(Extension Campus or Online)
| Code | Name | Hr |
|---|---|---|
| BE102 | Old Testament History I | 3 |
| ST102 | Trinitarianism | 3 |
| 6 | ||
Second Year
Summer
(Dallas/Houston Residency)
| Code | Name | Hr |
|---|---|---|
| CE102 | History and Philosophy of C.E. | 3 |
| CE Electives | 6 | |
| 9 | ||
Fall
(Extension Campus or Online)
| Code | Name | Hr |
|---|---|---|
| ST103 | Angelology, Anthropology, and Hamartiology | 3 |
| BE103 | Old Testament History II and Poetry | 2 |
| 5 | ||
Spring
(Extension Campus or Online)
| Code | Name | Hr |
|---|---|---|
| ST104 | Soteriology | 3 |
| BE104 | Old Testament Prophets | 3 |
| 6 | ||
Third Year
Summer
(Dallas/Houston Residency)
| Code | Name | Hr |
|---|---|---|
| BE105 | The Gospels | 2 |
| ST105 | Sanctification and Ecclesiology | 3 |
| CE Elective | 3 | |
| 8 | ||
Fall
(Extension Campus or Online)
| Code | Name | Hr |
|---|---|---|
| BE107 | Hebrews, General Epistles, and Revelation | 3 |
| Internship | 2 | |
| 5 | ||
Spring
(Extension Campus or Online)
| Code | Name | Hr |
|---|---|---|
| ST106 | Eschatology | 3 |
| 3 | ||
Fourth Year
Summer
(Dallas/Houston Residency)
| Code | Name | Hr |
|---|---|---|
| BE106 | Acts and Pauline Epistles | 3 |
| BE109 | Ruth, Psalms, Jonah, and Selected Epistles | 3 |
| PM101 | Spiritual Life | 2 |
| 8 | ||
Distance Considerations
- Of the 65 credit hours required for the MA/CE program:
- 22 hours must be completed in residency (meaning in class at the Dallas or Houston campuses)
- non-residency hours include online courses, independent studies, advanced standing, transfer credit, DTS courses taken outside the Dallas or Houston campuses, etc.
- 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.
- Once accepted, you need to contact the Spiritual Formation and Leadership department regarding the completion of the SF101-104 requirement.
- 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
First Year
Fall Semester
| Code | Name | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| BE101 | Bible Study Methods and Hermeneutics | 3 |
| ST101 | Introduction to Theology | 3 |
| CE101 | Educational Process of the Church | 3 |
| CE102 | History and Philosophy of C.E. | 3 |
| SF100 | Spiritual Formation1 | |
| CE Elective(s) | 3 | |
| 15 | ||
Spring Semester
| Code | Name | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| BE102 | Old Testament History I | 3 |
| BE105 | The Gospels | 2 |
| BE109 | Ruth, Psalms, Jonah, and Selected Epistles | 3 |
| ST102 | Trinitarianism | 3 |
| PM101 | Spiritual Life | 2 |
| CE Elective(s) | 3 | |
| 16 | ||
Second Year
Fall Semester
| Code | Name | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| BE103 | Old Testament History II and Poetry | 2 |
| BE104 | Old Testament Prophets | 3 |
| BE106 | Acts and Pauline Epistles | 3 |
| ST103 | Angelology, Anthropology, and Hamartiology | 3 |
| ST105 | Sanctification and Ecclesiology | 3 |
| CE103 | Teaching Process | 2 |
| CE104 | Audiovisual Presentations | 1 |
| SL165 | Christian Education Internship2 | 2 |
| 19 | ||
Spring Semester
| Code | Name | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| BE107 | Hebrews, General Epistles, and Revelation | 3 |
| ST104 | Soteriology | 3 |
| ST106 | Eschatology | 3 |
| CE Elective(s) | 6 | |
| 15 | ||
- Students have two calendar years (four consecutive fall/spring semesters) to complete the SF100 Spiritual Formation requirement. students who register for SF100 need to keep in mind that the course is a four-semester-long course that will meet at the same day and time each of the four semesters. See the Spiritual Formation and Leadership department for more information.
- Students have two consecutive semesters to complete the internship. See the Spiritual Formation and Leadership department for more information.
