Mount Vernon Nazarene University

2011-2012 Catalog

Master of Ministry Program

Program Coordinator, Bruce L. Petersen

Master of Ministry Program Objectives

The Master of Ministry program is designed to meet the ongoing need for the integration of faith and learning with the practice of ministry. The program’s purposes are to deepen one’s spiritual nature, provide for personal growth, enhance practical skills, and prepare students for more effective leadership in the church. The Master of Ministry degree offers an opportunity for persons in active ministry to enlarge their understanding of the classical foundations of ministry and cultivate their skills for ministry in contemporary society. Therefore, the program is designed to assist the student to:

  • understand the biblical, theological, and historical foundations for the practice of ministry;
  • apply these classical disciplines to pastoral ministry tasks and other forms of service;
  • enhance skills for the practice of ministry in leadership, communication, pastoral care, counseling, and education;
  • strengthen the art of proclamation, including interpretation of scripture, application to human need, and communication for evangelism, Christian nurture, and moral challenge; and
  • identify the purpose and goals of ministry and develop the disciplines of planning, implementing, and assessing progress toward those goals.

The curriculum for the Master of Ministry degree is designed to promote self-understanding and spiritual growth, foster an understanding of the theological foundations of ministry, assess the relevance of classical disciplines for the needs of contemporary society, and develop skills in the present day practice of ministry. Some courses are offered in a one week format while most courses are taught one day a week with the video conferencing option. The major in the Master of Ministry degree is practical theology. Credits from this program can be transferred into a Master of Divinity Program for those who desire a seminary degree.

Program Admission Requirements

In addition to completing an application, submitting transcripts of college work, and providing two letters of recommendation, applicants for regular admission must hold a baccalaureate degree from an accredited institution with at least a cumulative grade point average of 2.50 (on a 4.00 scale).

Special student status may be granted for the first class of enrollment to applicants who are unable to provide all required documents by registration deadlines. A student with less than a 2.50 GPA may be accepted as a provisional student. Provisional status will be lifted upon demonstration of academic ability.

Transfer Credit Provisions

Up to six (6) semester hours of graduate work may be transferred from regionally accredited colleges, universities, or seminaries. Credit is transferred on a course by course basis as applicable to the degree. Transfer credit is granted only if a grade of C or better was earned. Equivalence and transfer of credit is determined by the Coordinator of the Master of Ministry Program.

Program Continuation

A student with regular admission status will be placed on academic probation at any time that the graduate cumulative grade point average falls below 2.50. The graduate religion student who is placed on academic probation must achieve a cumulative grade point average of 2.50 at the completion of an additional nine (9) semester hours. A student is removed from probation when the cumulative grade point average meets or exceeds 2.50.

A student may be dismissed from the graduate religion program after:

  1. receiving more than six (6) semester hours of "C" or lower;
  2. receiving a second final grade of "F" or "X"; or
  3. failure to achieve the required grade point average at the end of any probationary period.

Class Attendance Policies

Class attendance policy incorporates the general guidelines of all Graduate and Professional Studies programs. A student who misses up to 4 hours of class time may choose to do special assignments at the professor's discretion, or choose to take a 5% reduction in final grade. Absences beyond the 4 hours will be at the discretion of the professor and the Coordinator of the Master of Ministry Program. . Please refer to course syllabi for details on these policies.

Master of Ministry in Practical Theology

Required Course

MIN6033 The Church in the Twenty-first Century

3

Elective Courses

Select at least one from the following:

3

BIB6003 Biblical Hermeneutics

 

BIB6013 Old Testament Exegesis

 

BIB6023 New Testament Exegesis

 

Select at least one from the following:

3

PGR6003 The Pastor as a Person

 

PGR6013 Spiritual Formation

 

PGR6023 Ethical Issues in Ministry

 

Select at least one from the following:

3

LED6003 The Pastor as Leader

 

LED6013 Church Growth

 

LED6023 Conflict Management

 

LED6033 Managing the Church

 

LED6043 Multiple Staff Ministry

 

Select at least one from the following:

3

MIN6063 Pastoral Care and Counseling

 

MIN6073 Strategies for Multicultural Ministry

 

MIN6083 Evangelism and Renewal in the Local
Church

 

MIN6093 Small Group Ministries

 

MIN6043 Building Ministry Teams

 

MIN6001 Supervised Ministry (Students may take this for three semesters to meet this requirement)

 

Select at least one from the following:

3

PRW6003 Biblical Preaching in Today’s World

 

PRW6013 Christian Worship

 

PRW6023 Contemporary Approaches to Preaching

 

Select at least one from the following:

3

THE6003 Biblical Theology

 

THE6013 Contemporary Theological Issues

 

THE6023 The Doctrine of Holiness

 

Select three additional courses

9

Total

30 hours