The Master of Arts in Chaplaincy and Ministry Care degree program is designed to prepare students to serve as chaplains in the military, hospitals, corporate environments, and other care-related ministry settings.
If you care deeply about people and seek to provide a combination of pastoral care, emotional and spiritual care, and practical life counseling to people outside of the church, becoming a chaplain is a great way to serve those without regular access to ministers.
The Curriculum
The 3-year MACP program includes DTS common core of Bible and theology courses along with practical training in preaching, counseling, pastoral care, and leadership.
Biblical Exposition
BE5101 Bible Study Methods and Hermeneutics
BE5102 Old Testament History I
BE5103 Old Testament History II & Poetry
BE5104 Old Testament Prophets
BE5105 The Gospels
BE5106 Acts & Pauline Epistles
BE5107 Hebrews, General Epistles, and Revelation
BE5109 Ruth, Psalms, Jonah, and Selected Epistles
Systematic Theology
ST5101 Theological Method and Bibliology
ST5102 Trinitarianism
ST5103 Angelology, Anthropology, and Hamartiology
ST5104 Soteriology
ST5105 Sanctification and Ecclesiology
ST5106 Eschatology
Chaplaincy and Ministry Care
CM5101 Pastoral Counseling and Ethics
CM5701 Chaplaincy Orientation and Issues
CM5236 Cultural Competency in Counseling Ministries
CM5440 Crisis Counseling or another Counseling Ministries Course
PM5302 Pastoral Theology and Church Leadership OR EML5615 Applied Skills for Ministry
Approved Communication Course
Formation and Electives
PM5101 Christian Life and Witness
SF5100 Spiritual Formation
INT5180 MACP Ministry Formation Internship
Electives – 9 credit hours
Program Details
Program Goals
Students in the MACP program will:
- Evidence a general knowledge of Christian theology, including an ability to support their theological views
- Demonstrate a general knowledge of the Bible, including an understanding of the message and arguments of specific books of the Bible
- Display Christlikeness in their pursuit of knowledge and relationships within the seminary community
- Demonstrate effective ministry skills required for chaplaincy
- Evidence an ability to engage in one-on-one compassionate ministry care for those seeking direction and guidance
- Function in interreligious and interdenominational environments with conviction, grace, and humility
Course Requirements
Seventy-three credit 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, 18 are prescribed in Chaplaincy and Ministry Care courses, 9 hours are electives in courses of interest to the student, and 6 hours are in Formation and the Ministry Formation Internship. The MACP requires 4 courses (i.e., 4 3-hour courses for a total of 12 hours) be completed in real-time. A thesis is not required.
Spiritual Formation
Because DTS values Christlike character and spiritual maturity, MACP students are required to register for and participate in Spiritual Formation groups for four consecutive fall and spring semesters at the Dallas, Houston, or Washington DC campus. (MACP students who are not planning to be in residence in Dallas, Houston, or Washington DC for four consecutive fall and spring semesters must contact the Spiritual Formation Office concerning how to meet their Spiritual Formation requirement.)
In the Spiritual Formation curriculum, small groups of five to seven students focus on identity, community, integrity, and fidelity. The groups also provide an atmosphere for prayer, fellowship, and the integration of learning with life and ministry.
Because students participate with the same group during four consecutive semesters, they should plan their schedules so they may meet on the same day and at the same time each semester. Spiritual Formation is a noncredit, transcripted experience. Internship prerequisites include successful completion of SF5100-1, EML5110, and completion of half of their DTS course work.
Additional Spiritual Formation courses focusing on leadership may be taken as electives.
Financial Aid
Through our donors and Foundation, we are able to offer hundreds of scholarships to students every year.
Logos Bible Software
Every student at DTS receives a copy of Logos Bible Software customized with additional commentaries and resources, and DTS courses integrate Logos into assignments and learning.