Perkins Launches New Master of Theology (Th.M.) Degree Program
Perkins School of Theology/Southern Methodist University has announced a new degree option, the Master of Theology (Th.M.). Applications for fall 2015 admission to the new degree program are being accepted through July 1.
DALLAS (SMU) – Perkins School of Theology/Southern Methodist University has announced a new degree option, the Master of Theology (Th.M.), starting with the fall 2015 semester. Applications for fall 2015 admission to the new degree program are being accepted through July 1.
“The Th.M. is an advanced master’s degree that provides freedom for focused study,” said Perkins Dean William B. Lawrence. “It can enrich an individual’s goals in lifelong learning through a degree program that is tailored to a person’s interests.”
The Th.M. is designed with several goals in view:
• Enhancing the practice of ministry through advanced study of a particular theological or pastoral discipline;
• Scholarly examination of a specific aspect of the Christian religion/traditions or function of Christian ministry;
• Preparation for more advanced study at the doctoral level.
Students may choose to focus within one of four divisions:
• The Biblical Witness.
• The Heritage & Context of Christianity.
• The Interpretation of the Christian Witness.
• The Theology & Practice of Ministry.
The Th.M. degree requires 24 term hours, with each student preparing an individualized plan for study that establishes the parameters of study, including a specific area of focus and courses to be taken. Students may choose one of two options to complete the requirements of the program: A thesis of 12,500 to 18,750 words (50–75 pages) on a topic related to the Plan of Study, or a portfolio that includes written and other material submitted in fulfillment of their course requirements, with at least two research papers of not less than 5,000 words each.
For more information about the Th.M. degree program—including a link to the printable application form—visit http://www.smu.edu/Perkins/FacultyAcademics/degrees/thm.
Other degree programs offered by Perkins include the Master of Divinity (M.Div.), Master of Arts in Ministry (M.A.M.), Master of Sacred Music, Master of Theological Studies, and Doctor of Ministry, as well as the Ph.D., in cooperation with The Graduate Program in Religious Studies at SMU’s Dedman College of Humanities and Sciences. Visit http://www.smu.edu/Perkins/FacultyAcademics/degrees to learn more.
Perkins School of Theology, founded in 1911, is one of five official University-related schools of theology of The United Methodist Church, and one of the three original schools at the founding of Southern Methodist University in 1911.