Prepare to Share and Defend the Truth of God with Our M.A. in Theological Studies Degree
An understanding of Biblical theology is crucial to discipleship and evangelism within the church. Our Master of Arts in Theological Studies (M.A.T.S.) degree provides you with the advanced knowledge of apologetics, systematic theology, hermeneutics, and church history you need to understand the context of the theological disagreements present in the church today.
Our master’s in theological studies degree will equip you to defend biblical theology and share the truth of God with others. At Liberty, we Train Champions for Christ, and our M.A.T.S. program provides the foundation you need to disciple and share the gospel with integrity and compassion, wherever God calls you.
Accreditation
Your divinity degree is approved by the Commission on Accrediting of the Association of Theological Schools (ATS) and has met rigorous accreditation standards. You can feel confident that your degree is both academically excellent and well-respected among churches, ministries, and nonprofit organizations.
Award-Winning Campus
At Liberty, you’ll find an affordable, high-quality education that equips students like you for the real world. Our commitment to excellence helped us rank among Niche.com’s Top 3 college campuses in America. Earning your degree from a nonprofit university with state-of-the-art resources like ours can help set you apart from your peers.
Why Choose Liberty’s M.A.T.S. Degree?
Pursuing your M.A.T.S degree with us residentially allows you to learn from experienced pastors and theologians. Our professors have weekly office hours, and they invite you to talk with them one on one about questions you may have about coursework or where God is leading you in your ministry.
Our M.A.T.S. program offers you the opportunity to earn your degree from a school that is more than a Bible college. At Liberty, you can build a community that’s as unique as you are. As you earn your master’s degree in theology, you will have the opportunity to meet other graduate students studying a variety of subjects, allowing you to witness first-hand how God’s truth is being revealed through fields like biology and cinematography.
While here, you will have the opportunity to network with organizations like the IMB, Summit Church, and Samaritan’s Purse. We also partner with a multitude of local churches and ministries so you can gain hands-on ministry experience while you complete your degree. Additionally, our new Monday-only program gives you the option to take the majority of the classes you need on Mondays, so you can remain involved in full-time ministry during the rest of the week.
What Will You Learn in Our Master’s in Theological Studies Degree Program?
In our M.A. in Theological Studies degree program, you will study the Old and New Testaments, apologetics, and the history of Christianity in-depth, laying a foundation for your intercultural ministry, hermeneutics, and systematic theology classes. You will learn how to respond to philosophies like postmodernism and religious pluralism without compromising the biblical doctrines of sin, God, and Scripture.
Throughout the pursuit of your M.A.T.S. degree, you will be challenged to think about and interpret Scripture more carefully, equipping you for ministry as a pastor, author, missionary, or theologian. This degree also allows you to pick three elective courses, so you can tailor your degree to your specific ministry and educational goals.
View our M.A.T.S.’s Degree Completion Plan, and check out our featured courses below for more information!
Featured Courses
APOL 500 – Introduction to Apologetics
Here’s what you’ll learn:
- Basic issues in apologetics
- Apologetic methods
- The relationship between faith and reason
- How to respond to modern challenges to Christianity
GLST 650 – Intercultural Communication and Engagement
Here’s what you’ll learn:
- Key issues in intercultural communication
- The importance of cultural intelligence
- How to effectively engage with others across cultural boundaries
NBST 610 – Hermeneutics
Here’s what you’ll learn:
- The history of interpretation
- The influence of extra-biblical texts
- Contemporary approaches to the Scriptures
THEO 525 – Systematic Theology I
Here’s what you’ll learn:
- The foundations of systematic theology
- The basics of the systematic doctrines on Scripture, God angels, humanity, and sin
Degree Information
Careers
Admission Requirements
Highlights of Our Theological Studies Master’s Degree Program
- In addition to their hands-on ministry experience, our faculty are theologians who are well-respected authors, speakers, and researchers.
- We are committed to defending the authority of scripture and conservative evangelical theology.
- Our master’s degree in theological studies provides hands-on experience within the local church as well as opportunities to serve with churches and organizations like the International Mission Board (IMB), Hume Lake, Samaritan’s Purse, and Second Baptist Houston.
- Our Freedom Tower, centrally located on campus, offers technologically advanced classrooms and our Scriptorium with a Torah scroll that dates to the 16th century.
- Monday-only classes allow residential graduate students to complete large portions of their M.A. in Religion attending classes one day a week.
- We offer multiple scholarship opportunities to our residential students, including the Keesee Scholarship.
Our Master’s of Theological Studies Degree Information
- Residential
- 36 total credit hours
- Transfer in up to 50% of your required credits
- This program falls under the John W. Rawlings School of Divinity
- Download the Degree Completion Plan
- Review our course catalog
Career Opportunities for Graduates of Our M.A. in Theological Studies Program
- Christian author
- Ministry worker
- Missionary
- Pastor or associate pastor
Admission Requirements for Graduate Degrees in Religion
Every application is reviewed on a case-by-case basis, and all applicants must submit the following documents and meet the minimum requirements for admission:
- Admission application
- Official bachelor’s degree transcripts with a 2.0 GPA or higher
- Self-certification form for students in the final term of their bachelor’s degree
- John W. Rawlings School of Divinity questionnaire
- Pastoral recommender contact information
- Current Liberty undergraduate students seeking preliminary acceptance into a graduate program must complete a degree completion application through their ASIST account
