Master of Theology (Th.M.)

The Master of Theology degree is an advanced masters degree program at Brite Divinity School. The twenty-four hour program leading to this degree is designed to provide students with a more complete mastery of a particular area of theological study than is normally provided at the M.Div. level. Students who enter the program may seek a variety of objectives: to prepare for further graduate study at the doctoral level, to prepare for some forms of teaching (in institutions, public or private, where masters preparation is expected for entry level positions), to use scholarly study to enhance ministerial practice, or to engage in disciplined and critical reflection upon a specialized form of ministry. By the end of the program, students will be expected to demonstrate an advanced understanding of their chosen area of study through the completion of a thesis project.

Admission

Consideration for admission to the program requires an M.Div. degree, or some other appropriate first theological masters degree providing an equivalent theological preparation for engaging in advanced theological study. Materials for admission are to be submitted to the Admissions Office at Brite Divinity School. Departments may require additional information for an admission profile. Consideration for admission usually requires an interview with faculty members representing the desired area of study, and normally also includes the following items (international students may meet some of these requirements for admission in alternative ways):

1. M. Div., or other appropriate first theological masters degree.
2. Applicants in Area A (Hebrew Bible, Apocryphal/Deuterocanonical Books, and Literature of Early Judaism) or Area B (New Testament and Literature of Early Christianity) should complete before matriculation one year of study in the language in which they will do their primary work (Hebrew or Greek). Ideally they should possess both Hebrew and Greek.
3. A paper representative of the applicant’s area of interest. If the paper has been published, provide the citation. If not, indicate the school, class, and instructor for whom the paper was written. The paper may also be one written specifically for the application.
4. Test Scores. Graduate Record Examinations Scores, which measure developed verbal, quantitative and analytical writings skills. You may select either the computer-based or paper-based test form. Applicants whose primary language is other than English will also submit TOEFL scores.
   Online information about the GRE and TOEFL is available at http://www.ets.org or you may contact Educational Testing Service (ETS), P.O. Box 6000, Princeton, New Jersey 08541-6000. Please use Institutional Code 6803 when requesting that test scores be sent to Brite Divinity School.
5. A statement of purpose outlining the professional and/or academic goals of the applicant.
6. Three letters of recommendation from professors familiar with the applicant’s work; one of these letters could be from an undergraduate professor.
7. Official transcripts of all previous academic work.

Degree Requirements

This degree requires the completion of twenty-four semester hours, and a thesis. All courses require approval of the student’s adviser.

I. Areas of Study

1. Hebrew Bible, Apocryphal/Deuterocanonical Books, and Literature of Early Judaism. The history, theology, literature, religion, and language of ancient Israel and Early Judaism in ancient Near Eastern and Jewish settings. Contemporary methods of biblical interpretation.
2. New Testament and Literature of Early Christianity. The history, theology, literature, religion, and language of early Christianity in Graeco-Roman and Jewish settings. Contemporary methods of biblical interpretation.
3. Pastoral Theology and Pastoral Counseling. The theory and practice of ministry in pastoral theology and pastoral counseling.
4. History and Theology. Preparation in theological analysis and constructive formulation, including study in history, theology, historical theology, and ethics.

II. Language and Research Methodology

Work in the biblical areas will require knowledge of both biblical Hebrew and Greek. Students will take a diagnostic test in both languages upon matriculation. If the results are not acceptable to faculty in the field, students must then demonstrate competence in the languages through appropriate course work. Knowledge of one modern language other than English (normally German, French, Spanish or Italian) is also required. Work in history and theology also requires knowledge of one modern language other than English (normally German, French, Spanish or Italian). The modern language requirement can be met by passing an exam prepared and graded by a faculty member in the field, by successfully completing BRLN 90000 Theological Language: German or French, or by passing an approved standardized test.

Students in the area of Pastoral Theology and Pastoral Counseling will need to demonstrate competence in both quantitative and qualitative research methodologies. This requirement can be met by passing an acceptable graduate level course, approved by the faculty, at an accredited college or university with a grade of “B” or better.

III. Curriculum

1. The program requires 24 hours of course work.
2. Course work will typically include twelve hours at the 90**3 level in the area of one’s specialization, or related areas. The remaining nine hours of courses will be at the 70000-90000 level. Courses are to be planned in consultation with the student’s adviser.
3. In the final semester of program, students must complete a three-hour independent research study course (****94013) including the writing of a thesis, normally 40-50 pages in length. Students must pass an oral examination based upon the thesis project, which will be conducted by the student's adviser and a faculty member chosen, in consultation with the student, by the student's adviser.

Women’s Studies Certificate for Th.M. and Ph.D. Students

In 2005, Brite began cooperating with other TCU graduate departments and schools in offering a Women's Studies Certificate Program. This program is currently open to Brite Th.M. and Ph.D. students and to others on a case-by-case basis. To earn the Certificate, students must complete twelve hours of course work: BRIT 90003: Graduate Colloquium in Feminist Methodology and Theory, and three additional Brite courses approved for the program. For further details, see the Assistant Dean for Advanced Programs.

Other Degree Requirements

1. Twenty-four semester hours of credit must be completed with a cumulative grade point average of at least 3.25, based on a four point grading system.
2. All entering students are required to participate in orientation sessions conducted prior to the beginning of classes in the fall and spring semesters, including the Seminar on Sexual Misconduct and the Clergy.
3. Except for approved transfer credit, Th.M. students will normally fulfill all their course requirements through courses taught by Brite faculty.
4. The Th.M. requires at least two semesters of academic study. Transfer credit for the Th.M. is eligible for consideration under certain conditions: when the credit requested is for courses taken beyond a first masters program; when those courses are directly related to the student’s chosen Area of Study; and when the courses are deemed to be compatible with the purposes and curricular structure of this program. Transfer credit is not routinely granted for this program and, when approved, is limited to a maximum of nine hours. A student who transfers from another institution must complete the final fifteen semester hours at Brite Divinity School directly under the supervision of the Brite faculty.
5. Master of Theology students who are not enrolled in any class during a fall or spring semester will be charged a fee for continuation in program by enrolling in BRLB 90001 Dissertation or Thesis Research in Library. This fee will allow use of the Mary Couts Burnett Library. If a student is enrolled in BRLB 90001 or any other courses in the spring semester and is advance registered for BRLB 90001 or any other courses in the fall semester, library privileges will continue during the summer without enrolling in BRLB 90001. This course will not count toward the twenty-four credit hours required by the degree.
6. Students may be withdrawn from individual courses for lack of academic progress upon the recommendation of the faculty member and the approval of the Dean. Students may be dismissed from the Divinity school at the discretion of the Dean or Assistant Dean for Advanced Studies at such times as it is clearly demonstrated that the student is not interested in, or making, acceptable academic progress.
7. All degree requirements must be completed within four years from the date of the earliest credit to be counted on the degree (including transfer credit, if any). Extensions may be granted in extraordinary circumstances by the Assistant Dean for Advanced Studies after consultation with the Doctoral Committee.