Master of Theological Studies (MTS)
Admission
Applicants must have graduated with a minimum grade point average of 3.0 from an accredited college and have a broad liberal arts background with a general knowledge of theological subjects. Refer to the Admissions section of the School of Theology website for specific application information.
Curriculum Requirements
Rationale: The Master of Theological Studies (MTS) degree at Boston University School of Theology is shaped by a conviction that the life of faith in today’s world may be enriched by deep exploration of theological traditions in dialogue with broad understanding of the complexities of our global context. Students have opportunities to prepare for a variety of contributions to communities, to faith, and to knowledge.
The curriculum begins with two semesters of basic study of scripture and the yearlong interdisciplinary exploration of history, theology, and contexts contained in the course Reading the World. Reflecting on the contexts, theologies, scriptures, and historical experiences of communities of faith establishes basic frameworks for the deeper explorations that will lie ahead. And because all such exploration must take place in dialogue with the contemporary challenges of leadership, at some point during the course of study, all students engage in one semester of contextual education appropriate to their educational goals.
Beyond this basic outline, the MTS curriculum allows the student a great deal of flexibility to pursue interests in many fields. Those who come to the degree with specific academic and vocational goals may wish to choose a specialization, working with an advisor to tailor the program toward those specific goals. Specializations are currently available in Religion & Conflict Transformation, Religion & Science, and Theology. Others will be developed by the faculty on an ongoing basis. Students pursuing an MTS specialization must petition through the Registrar’s Office no later than the end of their second semester of study.
The successful completion of 64 credit hours is required for the MTS degree. This program is designed to be completed in two academic years of full-time work (four semesters). The time limit for the degree program is four years (eight semesters).
Scholarships for Merit: Scholarships for Merit are awarded for the academic year, September to May. They are renewable each year, contingent upon the annual evaluation of the recipient’s grade point average (3.3 minimum), character, and commitment to ministry. All awards are for a maximum of two academic years of full-time MTS study. Scholarships for Merit are awarded before initial enrollment in the School of Theology; however, money is not available to the student until the first day of classes.
Tuition Scholarships: Tuition Scholarships are awarded for the academic year, September to May. They are renewable each year, contingent upon the annual evaluation of the recipient’s grade point average (2.7 minimum), character, and commitment to ministry. All awards are for a maximum of two academic years of full-time MTS study.
See the Financial Aid section of this site for more information on Scholarships for Merit and Tuition Scholarships.
Master of Theological Studies Curriculum Requirements
The Master of Theological Studies degree consists of core requirements (20 credit hours), distributional electives (12 credit hours), and free electives (32 credit hours), which may be used to tailor a specialization.
Core Requirements (20 credit hours)
- Reading the World (2 sem: TF 701 & TF 702)
- Engaging the Bible: Hebrew Scripture (TO 704)
- Engaging the Bible: New Testament (TN 721)
- Contextual education (1 sem)
MTS core requirements must be taken at Boston University School of Theology.
Students who do not earn a passing grade in the first semester of Reading the World may continue on to their second semester of coursework; however, students will be expected to retake the semester that they did not pass. All core requirements must be passed for graduation.
Distributional Electives (12 credit hours)
Courses offered in the School of Theology (and certain courses available through the Boston Theological Institute [BTI] and elsewhere in the University) are organized into three curriculum clusters:
- Cluster One—Texts and Traditions
- Cluster Two—Contemporary Contexts
- Cluster Three—Theories & Practices of Leadership
The registrar will maintain a current list of courses available in each cluster.
Students in the Master of Theological Studies program are required to complete
- 1 Cluster One course
- 1 Cluster Two course
- 1 Cluster Three courses
MTS students are allowed to take up to 20 credits (including cluster or free elective courses) outside STH at BU or through the BTI. No core courses may be taken outside STH.
Free Electives (32 credit hours)
- 8 electives from any cluster
Grade Minimums No grade lower than C is acceptable for use in core course requirements for the Master of Theological Studies degree. No grade lower than B– will be accepted for distributional electives or specialization coursework. No grade lower than C is acceptable to satisfy free elective requirements.
Comprehensive Examination All candidates for the Master of Theological Studies degree will undertake a comprehensive examination in the period between midterm examinations and the penultimate week of coursework in the final semester of registration. The comprehensive examination may be be substituted by a thesis with approval of the student’s advisor and the faculty member who agrees to supervise the thesis, if other than the advisor. MTS students taking a specialization may be required to undertake an alternate form of summative evaluation by the faculty directing that specialization.
