Gardner-Webb University

Program Information

Degree Offered

M.A. in Religion

Format: Campus

Program Description:

Purpose

The purpose of the program is the academic (rather than parish ministry) study of religion in order to prepare students for one or more of the following possibilities:

Meeting Ph.D. entrance requirements;
College teaching on the freshman and sophomore levels; Teaching in private schools.

Goals

The Master of Arts in Religion program is designed to meet the following goals:

Graduate students will develop the research and writing skills essential for scholars in the field of religious studies.
Graduate students will become conversant on the philosophical assumptions, classical and modern theories, and current research in the field of religious studies.
Graduate students will demonstrate proficiency in expressing scholarly ideas through either a written thesis or a supervised teaching experience.

The Master of Arts in Religion program is a thirty-six semester-hour program. It includes eighteen hours taken from a common core offered by the Department of Religious Studies and Philosophy. Students select an additional twelve hours in the department in a Biblical Studies/Languages concentration, or they select a concentration outside the department in the School of Psychology and Counseling, English department, School of Divinity, or School of Education. The Department of Religious Studies and Philosophy must approve these concentrations. Students must also meet all requirements established by the departments/schools involved for taking courses outside of the Department of Religious Studies. Students also select six hours from one of two tracks: the research track (a research seminar and thesis) or the teaching track (a pedagogy course and an internship in university teaching).

Accreditation:

Gardner-Webb University is accredited by the Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools.

Eligibility Requirements:

1. Submit an completed application.
2. Arrange for an official transcript of all previous academic work beyond high school to be sent directly from each institution attended to the Graduate Admissions Office.
3. Submit scores on Graduate Record Exam (GRE) or the Miller Analogies Test (MAT).
4. Submit 3 professional references on Gardner-Webb Graduate School reference forms.
5. Submit a 15-20 page research paper with documented research on a topic in the field of Religious Studies. This essay can be something the applicant has written previously for an academic assignment.
6. Demonstrate proficiency in the biblical languages.
7. Participate in a successful departmental interview.
8. Students lacking the appropriate undergraduate background or language proficiency may be admitted on a probationary status until prerequisites are met through the completion of a prescribed program.

Tuition & Financial Aid

Financial Aid Offered: Yes

Classification: Master's Colleges & Universities I

Institution Sector: Private not-for-profit

Locale: Fringe Rural Area

Size & Settings: 1,000 - 4,999