M.A. in Religion (Residential)
The Master of Arts degree is a two-year full time academic program. The actual time required will depend on several factors such as previous studies in religion, ability to meet prerequisites, work needed to satisfy the language requirement (if any), adequate time to develop, research, write, and revise the thesis, and other obligations on one's time and energy.
As contrasted with the professional M.Div./M.Min. degree, the M.A. is primarily an academic degree. As a terminal degree, it may be pursued by those with a view to secondary level teaching in Quaker or other parochial schools or some other form of educational ministry. It may also serve those called to Peace and Justice ministries or other vocations in which the study and research skills of this degree are enabling. Students planning to continue toward a doctoral program in religious studies may appropriately enroll in either the M.A. or the M.Div./M.Min. program.
The M.A. at ESR allows for concentration in one of four areas: Biblical Studies, Christian Theology, Quaker Studies, or Peace and Justice Studies. Course work in the areas of Applied Theology and Spirituality normally does not count toward the degree. M.A. students may take work in these areas, and many do, but it is above and beyond the requirements for the degree. For this reason, students who are planning to engage in ministry that requires the experience and skills gained in these areas are encouraged to pursue the M.Div./M.Min. program. Likewise, students who plan toward a peace and justice ministry that draws on abilities other than those of research and writing should normally follow a peace and justice ministry emphasis in the M.Div./M.Min. program.
Progress toward a successful completion of this degree requires considerable initiative and discipline on the part of the student. M.A. students or persons enrolled at ESR who are considering the program should acquire from the Director of Academic Services a copy of the Guidelines for Students in the M.A. Program (available on the Academic Services web site). These guidelines contain important information about the requirements, procedures, and deadlines. The student is responsible for all information and deadlines contained in the "Guidelines."
A student's work on the M.A. is overseen first by the student's advisor, and after approval of an M.A. Committee for the student, by the chairperson of that Committee, who then becomes the student's advisor. Students are also encouraged to develop a peer support group, especially during the time of thesis writing.
Residency requirements affectingtransfer students stipulate that at least twelve semester hours must be taken at ESR, and that the thesis must be done under the guidance of ESR.
Basic Requirements (36 semester hours)
Beyond the prerequisite courses, students must complete thirty-six semester hours of work, which includes nine hours on the thesis project. In addition, many students must study a language to fulfill a language requirement, which will demand extra time and work.
1) Prerequisite Courses (0 hours)
Every M.A. student must demonstrate competency in theology, Old Testament and New Testament before taking advanced courses in these areas. The student may do this in any of three ways: transferring of credit from another accredited graduate school or seminary; taking the courses at ESR (THST 101, BIST 101, BIST 102); or passing a proficiency exam in each of the subject areas. Students should ask their advisors when the proficiency exams are offered in each area. If the student must take these courses at ESR, they do not count toward the 36 semester hours required for the degree.
2) Core Requirements (18 Hours)
Biblical Studies (6 hours)
These courses must be advanced Biblical courses, at the 300 level or higher. At least one of them must be a course in exegetical theory and practice.
Theological Studies (6 hours)
These courses must be advanced theology courses, at the 300 level or higher. One of them must be Constructive Theology.
Historical Studies (6 hours)
These will be chosen from among the following three major periods of church history: History of Christianity I, History of Christianity II, or U.S.A. Church History.
3) The M.A. Guidance Committee and the Thesis (9 hours)
Upon the completion of fifteen semester hours, the student will petition the faculty for the appointment of an M.A. Guidance Committee and will present a thesis proposal. Approval of the thesis and the appointment of such a committee by the faculty constitute the student's admission to degree candidacy.
The thesis project may take one of two forms, each worth nine semester hours of credit. It may be a major, single piece of research, which results in a monograph with a single, unified thesis. Or it may be three separate but related papers, which together form a single monograph with three related theses, but not a single unified thesis. Whichever route taken, the final monograph will normally come to about 25,000 words-a significant piece of research and writing.
In the case of the single thesis, the student will do independent research under the guidance of the Chairperson of their M.A. Committee. Students should expect a minimum of two major revisions of their research before getting it to the quality expected of a thesis.
In the case of the three related papers, the student must root their research in three additional courses beyond the normal M.A. requirements. In this case, the student begins the research with the instructors of the classes forming the context for the original papers. While offering the benefit of a course structure to facilitate research, this option contains the difficulty of showing unified interrelationships among the three papers when they are brought into the thesis project. Students should understand that a high evaluation of a paper in a class does not mean it will receive a high evaluation for the thesis project. Typically, students will have to do major expansions and revisions on their papers before they become acceptable as parts of a thesis.
As contrasted with the M.Div./M.Min. degree, it is difficult to predict when the M.A. will be completed, as this depends not on when a certain set of courses is finished but when the student produces a thesis project of sufficient quality to warrant awarding the degree.However, the M.A. must be completed within five years from the time of the student's first class at ESR.
4) Area of Concentration (9 semester hours)
At the time of petitioning the faculty for an M.A. Guidance Committee, the student will choose to focus his or her work in one of the following areas of curricular concentration: Biblical Studies; Christian Theology Studies; Quaker Studies; or Peace and Justice Studies. Together with the chairperson of the student's M.A. Committee, the student will develop a program of study through 300 level elective courses in the area of concentration. This program should be designed to offer a solid foundation for thesis research.
5) Language Requirement and Research Skills
Students in the Biblical Studies area of concentration must demonstrate reading proficiency in Hebrew or Greek. Those in the Theological Studies area of concentration must show reading competence in an appropriate research language, normally German, French, Spanish, or Latin. In other areas, such as Quaker Studies or Peace and Justice Studies, faculty may waive the language requirement. However, faculty may require certain competencies in research skills.
6) Oral Examination
Upon satisfactory completion of the M.A. thesis as judged by the M.A. Guidance Committee, the student will take a comprehensive oral examination with the Guidance Committee. It will focus both on the student's general knowledge and understanding of the major field of emphasis, and also on the student's particular project represented in the thesis or three research papers. This examination must be completed successfully by the date as specified in the academic calendar.
Registration for Thesis Credits
M.A. students are expected to register for the thesis no later than the semester following the one in which all of the core courses and concentration courses are completed.The student will be billed accordingly for nine semster hours
Continuing Research
The M.A. student who has completed the required courses, who is not regularly enrolled in course work or for thesis credit, and who continues in residence at ESR, will be charged a "Continuing Research Fee." This will formalize the student's continuing participation in the ESR community, including community activities, mail box, library privileges, and consultation with faculty. If the student does not continue in residence at ESR, she or he will be charged the fee on a semester basis any time active consultation with faculty on the thesis is undertaken.