EMS offers new MA in Theological Studies starting fall 2024

Eastern Mennonite Seminary has expanded its graduate degree offerings with the launch of a new Master of Arts in Theological Studies (MATS) program, which is now accepting applicants for the fall 2024 semester. Students can take courses on campus or in a virtual or hybrid format.

The new degree, grounded in Anabaptist theology, is among the seminary’s latest innovative offerings. EMS is distinguished among U.S. seminaries for its historic emphasis on peace and justice and its location within a larger Anabaptist university, according to The Rev. Dr. Sarah Bixler, associate dean of the seminary and assistant professor of formation and practical theology.

“Our seminary faculty members are excited at the new possibilities this degree offers to attract a global community of students seeking deeper academic study in theology and culture, biblical studies, or peacebuilding infused with an Anabaptist perspective,” exclaimed Bixler.

A growing number of seminary students are coming to EMS with professional and personal interests outside the traditional avenues of pastoral ministry, she said.

“This new degree answers their need to expand their knowledge and skills in culture and peacebuilding within EMS’s long-standing curricular excellence in skills for ministry,” Bixler shared.

The MATS includes 15 core units, with 21 elective units focusing on the student’s specialized study in concentrations of theology and culture, biblical studies, or peacebuilding. 

This degree will equip nonprofit leaders, leaders in nonpastoral settings who want to explore the intersection of theology and another field of study, students who wish to pursue further graduate study below the PhD level, and students who want to study theology for personal enrichment.

“This flexible, short, new degree program is a unique slice of EMS’s distinctive curriculum, with core grounding in spiritual formation, biblical studies and peace theology and more coursework in elective offerings that students choose to meet their personal interests and vocational needs,” said The Rev. Dr. Jacob Cook, academic program director for the seminary’s Pathways for Tomorrow grant from the Lilly Endowment Inc. and visiting professor of Christian ethics.

Lilly Endowment’s consistent financial support places EMS on the cutting edge of education among select North American theological schools. In 2022 and 2023, the seminary received two separate grants of $1 million or more each: The Pathways for Tomorrow grant focuses on resources and training for pastoral and lay leaders to address 21st century challenges, while a second grant received in 2023 supports research, practice and resources in Christian parenting. 

Students can expect to become well-versed in seminary distinctives with direct practical application such as formation for peacebuilding, adaptive leadership and conflict transformation, Cook said. Learning is rooted in Anabaptist perspectives, threaded with an invitation to explore theologies of nonviolence and practices for just peacemaking and transformational leadership.

Prospective students are encouraged to talk with seminary faculty and staff about their learning goals and objectives, as each degree program has been designed with a different focus, Bixler said.

The MATS, with 36 required units, is the shortest graduate degree offered by the seminary with an academic focus and integrated emphasis. The 48-unit MA in Christian leadership is focused on professional skills for pastoral leadership, while the 60-unit MA in religion prioritizes academic preparation in the theological disciplines. The Master of Divinity (MDiv) degree, at 81 units, is required for ordination in some denominations.