Degree Requirements
|
Credit Hours |
| Exegetical Theology |
40 |
| Historical Theology |
18 |
| Pastoral Ministry and Missions |
43 |
| Systematic Theology |
29 |
| Field Education and Vicarage |
3 |
| Electives |
6 |
| Total |
139 |
Modules
Each student is required to take six modules while on campus. These modules cover specific, practical areas of pastoral ministry in four categories: specialized ministries; specialized pastoral care; evangelism and outreach; other topics. A minimum of one module from each category is required. (No more than two modules may be from any one category.) Modules will ordinarily involve six contact hours, as scheduled by the instructor. No credit will be given for modules, nor will any tuition or fees be charged. Student attendance is required, but there are no reading assignments. Pass/fail grades only will be given.
Mission Emphasis
The Mission Emphasis is ideal for students preparing for pastoral work in the parish or for career opportunities as missionaries at home and abroad, to focus their studies in courses related to mission. Its purpose is to integrate exegetical, historical, systematic and pastoral theology into missionary theology and practice.
Students in the Mission Emphasis will complete all of the regular requirements of the seminary’s M.Div. degree.
All students in the Mission Emphasis are encouraged to take the following four courses: EXT E502 Biblical Foundations of Missions as an elective, HIT H511 History of Missions for the historical area elective, SYT S521 Theology of Missions instead of SYT 540 Seminar: Luther Text, and PMM P539 World View-Culture and Religions as an elective.
Students may also take one or two of the electives should they choose to pursue a specific area of interest in mission.
Sample Curriculum
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Fall Qtr. |
Winter Qtr. |
Spring Qtr. |
Sem 1 |
Gospels I
Luth Confess I
Luth Worship I
Church History I
Bibliog & Tech
NT Grk Readings
Field Ed I |
Hebrew I
Dogmatics I
Church History II
Gospels II
NT Grk Readings
Field Ed I |
Hebrew II
Theologia I
Church History III
Intro to Miss/Evang
Homiletics I
NT Grk Readings
Field Ed I |
Sem 2 |
Pentateuch I
Luth Confess II
Luth Ch in Amer
Luth Worship II
Past Counseling
NT Grk Readings
Field Ed II |
Pentateuch II
Dogmatics II
Catechetics
Homiletics II
NT Grk Readings
Field Ed II |
Pauline Epistles
History Area Elective
Theologia II
Pastoral Theol I
NT Grk Readings
Field Ed II
Isagogical Proficiency Exam* |
| Vicar |
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Vicarage |
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Sem 4 |
Major Prophets
Luth Confess III
Sem: Hist Text
Pastoral Theol II
Dogmatics III |
Psalms
Seminar: Luther Txt
Theo Ethics
Homiletics III
Elective |
Gospels III
Theologia III
Pastor, Cong, Synod
Min in Plur Context
Elective |
M. Div. Course Sheet
Isagogical Proficiency Exams*
The successful completion of the Old Testament and New Testament Isagogics examinations is a requirement for vicarage assignment. It is suggested that the New Testament examination be completed by the end of the first year of study and the Old Testament examination be completed during the second year of study. The examinations are administered through the Registrar’s Office.
Field Education Program
The field education process provides a natural flow from basic personal, physical and spiritual adjustment within the congregational context to an ever-broadening awareness and capability to pastoral care and practical ministry. All of this is designed to develop professional growth with a view to positive preparation for the vicarage and ultimately for a call into the holy ministry.
During the first year, students are assigned a fieldwork congregation. They become acquainted with the pastor and congregation members; they attend worship and other congregation activities and meetings and learn more about congregational life. They also learn pastoral care skills through the modeling of calls by the fieldwork pastor and a second-year student, and by working under the supervision of chaplains in local hospitals and in nursing homes. During this same time, community members and seminary faculty present the students with resources to assist them in their parish work.
During the second year, students continue pastoral care experience in hospitals and nursing homes and participate in pastoral ministry in their fieldwork parish involving worship, education, evangelism, administration and youth work. As opportunities present themselves, this experience may take on a cross-cultural dimension. Coincident with the field experience and structured in the curriculum are lectures relating to experiences encountered in their parish assignment.
Students are permitted to conduct services of worship in a congregation of The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod from the time they begin participation in the course on Lutheran Worship. In the second year of fieldwork students are permitted to preach, provided that they have completed Homiletics I and that their sermons are reviewed beforehand by either the supervising pastor or a seminary faculty member.
Summer Fieldwork Experiences
Each year summer fieldwork experiences in parishes of the Synod are available through the Director of Field Education. A cross-cultural experience may be part of this program as such opportunities develop. Students who have completed Homiletics I and Lutheran Worship are eligible to apply.