Emmanuel Christian Seminary at Milligan has reworked their 58-hour Master of Arts in Religion (MAR) program to be a 49-hour Master of Theological Studies (MTS) program.
Dr. Ron Kastens, Academic Dean of the Seminary and Associate Professor of Christian Ministry, states “It is a good idea to periodically revisit degree programs to make sure they are still accomplishing what you want them to accomplish.”
The MTS program is designed to be more effective than the MAR in the sense that it is more feasible to complete in 2 years. This is due to the drop from 58 credit hours to 49 by dropping 9 credit hours. This includes a 3-hour Christian Ministries course and taking the total credits needed for the concentration from a minimum 15-12.
The changes also included modernizing the program’s name, moving away from the older cultural model of the MAR—linked to Emmanuel’s former name as Emmanuel School of Religion. The MTS title better communicates the institution’s Christian foundation and aligns with contemporary nomenclature in seminaries.
In the fall of 22, it was reported that MDiv (Master of Divinity) enrollment had fallen below MA enrollment for the first time ever in North America. Interestingly the trend at Emmanuel has been the opposite. MDivs have always and far outnumbered out MAR students residentially. The reworking of the MAR to the MTS is to better position it to be competitive in the market.
However, success will be measured not only by enrollment numbers but also by the impact graduates have in their communities and professional fields. “It is my hope that this program continues Emmanuels excellent track record for training people for a lifetime of ministry whether that be in an academic setting or not.” says Aaron Woods, Director of Seminary Admissions.
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Gabrielle Jones is a sophomore from Elizabethton. She is a Multimedia Journalism major and a Filmmaking minor. She is the Social Media Manager for Stampede. She enjoys horror media, reading, and film.