Master of Divinity Program
Educating and forming candidates for official, ordained ministries of instruction and leadership in the church as pastors, evangelists, and teachers is the main purpose of the Master of Divinity degree program. It is designed to prepare ordained leaders who believe and love the Word of God, and who, therefore, strive to explore, communicate, and defend the depth and breadth of the instruction of the Scriptures for faith and life. Graduates should be able to interpret individual portions of Scripture accurately, to systematize data into a coherent and comprehensive theology, understanding the church’s historic reflection on the Word, and to apply this theology to the church and to individuals through preaching, witness, leadership, and spiritual nurture. The curriculum is designed to prepare graduates to meet the requirements for ordination as ministers of the Word, particularly in Reformed and other evangelical denominations. Because the Seminary Board and Faculty understand the criteria set down in Scripture as limiting candidacy for official teaching and leadership ministry in the church to qualified males, only men are admitted to the Master of Divinity program. Women are encouraged to enroll in any of the Master of Arts programs.

It is the aim of Westminster Seminary California that its Master of Divinity graduates demonstrate these key attributes:

• Belief in and love for God and his Word
• The ability to interpret individual portions of Scripture accurately, employing understanding of:
  • The original languages of the Scriptures
  •  The historical situation and redemptive-historical context of the text
  • The structures and conventions of biblical literature
• A sound understanding of the main themes of Scripture in their systematic relations, and the ability to articulate the Reformed system of faith and practice
• The ability to articulate exegetical and theological conclusions in light of the history of the church’s reflection on the Word
• The abilities to communicate and apply Scripture’s instruction to the church and individuals through:
  • Preaching
  • Liturgy and Sacraments
  • Witness
  • Leadership
  • Spiritual Nurture
• The ability to defend the breadth and depth of Scripture’s instruction for faith and life
• Respect for the freedom to draw theological conclusions from the examination of evidence and the exchange of ideas
• Knowledge of the various Christian traditions and non-Christian systems of thought, and the ability to articulate the persuasiveness of other views
• Godly character and spiritual maturity as requisite for ordained leadership as a shepherd of God’s flock
• The ability to meet churches’ academic requirements for ordination as ministers of the Word, especially in Presbyterian and Reformed denominations

The degree is conferred upon the completion of the prescribed program, which requires three years of full-time study or a longer period of part-time study. The courses prescribed should be taken in the sequence indicated below. The Academic Dean is available for counsel concerning each student’s needs.
 
Master of Arts Program (Biblical Studies)
Women and men develop understanding and skills in interpreting the Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments through the Master of Arts (Biblical Studies) program. Graduates should be able to apply their knowledge of the biblical languages, historical circumstances, and literary and theological interrelationships to exegete Scripture accurately. They should also analyze contemporary trends in biblical interpretation with discernment. Graduates of this program are prepared to pursue graduate research programs in Old or New Testament studies; or, with further practical training, to use their biblical knowledge in such ministries as teaching, missions, counseling, or lay church leadership. This program is not meant to prepare candidates for ordination to the ministry of the Word.

It is the aim of Westminster Seminary California that its Master of Arts (Biblical Studies) graduates demonstrate these key attributes:

• Belief in and love for God and his Word
• The ability to interpret individual portions of Scripture accurately, employing understanding of:
  • The original languages of the Scriptures
  • The historical situation and redemptive-historical context of the text
  • The structures and conventions of biblical literature
• A sound understanding of the main themes of Scripture in their systematic relations, and the ability to articulate the Reformed system of faith and practice
• Respect for the freedom to draw theological conclusions from the examination of evidence and the exchange of ideas
• Knowledge of the various Christian traditions and systems of thought, and the ability to articulate the persuasiveness of other views
• The ability to communicate and apply Scripture’s instruction to individuals, the academy, and the church
• Growing spiritual maturity consistent with Christian discipleship

The degree is conferred upon the completion of the prescribed program, which requires two years of full-time study or a longer period of part-time study. The courses prescribed for this emphasis should be followed in the sequence indicated below. The Academic Dean is available for counsel concerning each student’s individual needs.

Master of Arts Program (Theological Studies)
The main purpose of the Master of Arts (Theological Studies) program is to develop both the understanding and skills needed to apply biblical truth to the intellectual issues confronting the church and the surrounding culture. Graduates should be able to exegete individual passages of Scripture accurately and understand the system of truth revealed in the Scriptures, as well as the major issues in faith and life that the church has confronted throughout its history and in contemporary intellectual and cultural movements. They should be able to systematize exegetical, historical, and situational data into a consistent and coherent theology, to offer a thoughtful defense of Christian theology, and to explain how this theology applies to an individual’s belief and behavior. Graduates of this program are prepared to pursue research programs in such disciplines as theology, apologetics, and church history; or, with further practical training, to use their theological knowledge in such ministries as teaching, missions, counseling, or lay church leadership. It is not the purpose of this program to prepare candidates for ordination to the ministry of the Word.

It is the aim of Westminster Seminary California that its Master of Arts (Theological Studies) graduates demonstrate these key attributes:

• Belief in and love for God and his Word
• The ability to interpret individual portions of Scripture accurately, employing understanding of:
  • The original languages of the Scriptures
  • The historical situation and redemptive-historical context of the text
• A thorough understanding of the main themes of Scripture in their systematic relations, and the ability to articulate the Reformed system of faith and practice
• The ability to articulate exegetical and theological conclusions in light of the history of the church’s reflection on the Word
• Respect for the freedom to draw theological conclusions from the examination of evidence and the exchange of ideas
• Knowledge of the various Christian traditions and non-Christian systems of thought, and the ability to articulate the persuasiveness of other views
• The ability to communicate and apply Scripture’s instruction to individuals, the academy, and the church
• Growing spiritual maturity consistent with Christian discipleship

The degree is conferred upon the completion of the prescribed program, which requires two years of full-time study or a longer period of part-time study. The courses prescribed for this emphasis should be followed in the sequence indicated. The Academic Dean is available for counsel concerning each student’s individual needs.

Master of Arts Program (Historical Theology)
The Master of Arts (Historical Theology) program is designed to enable students to gain an understanding of the historiography of theology, the historical development of the various Christian theological traditions, and the critical skills for evaluating them. Graduates will have read and analyzed representative theologians and texts from the history of Christianity and demonstrated a grasp of the history of biblical exegesis. As a result they should be able to give a coherent account of the history of exegetical and dogmatic theology. They should also demonstrate historical sensitivity in evaluating theology, as well as a grasp of the intention behind the various theological formulations in each historical epoch. Graduates will possess an ability to relate the great issues of historical theology to contemporary intellectual and cultural movements. Graduates of this program are prepared to enter research programs in history and theology or, with further practical training, to use their theological knowledge in such ministries as teaching, missions, or lay church leadership. It is not the purpose of this program to prepare candidates for ordination to the ministry of the Word.

It is the aim of Westminster Seminary California that its Master of Arts (Historical Theology) graduates demonstrate these key attributes:

• Belief in and love for God and his Word
• A basic understanding of biblical hermeneutics, drawing on
  • Knowledge of the original languages
  • The historical situation and redemptive-historical context of the text
• A sound understanding of the main themes of Scripture in their systematic relations, and the ability to articulate the Reformed system of doctrine
• Respect for the freedom to draw theological conclusions from the examination of evidence and the exchange of ideas
• Knowledge of the various Christian traditions and non-Christian systems of thought, and the ability to articulate the persuasiveness of other views
• Knowledge of the history of Christian theology
• The ability to evaluate and use various historiographic models, integrating the best emphases of intellectual and social history together with the history of Christian theology and biblical exegesis
• The ability to read primary historical texts carefully and contextually while displaying a command of secondary literature and debate on the area of specialization
• The ability to write historical theology at an advanced level, displaying, in their research and writing, a commitment to fairness in treating alternative positions and a commitment to intellectual honesty that leads to revision of conclusions as necessary in the light of research
• The ability to recognize the major events, texts, and persons in church history that have helped to shape understanding (and misunderstanding) of the biblical text
• Interest in and a propensity for a lifetime of learning and instruction

The degree is conferred upon completion of the prescribed program, which requires two years of full-time study or a longer period of part-time study and includes the production and oral presentation and defense of a written research thesis. The courses prescribed for this emphasis should be followed in the sequence indicated below. The Academic Dean is available for counsel concerning each student’s academic needs.