University of Dubuque Theological Seminary to Offer New Master of Arts in Ministry
Apr 14, 2023 | University Relations
DUBUQUE, Iowa - A new master's degree this fall at the University of Dubuque Theological Seminary (UDTS) will serve an expanded group of partnering denominations to help them prepare lay and ordained ministers.
Beginning August 2023, the master of arts in ministry will prepare graduates to be pastoral leaders in local, regional, and missional contexts, especially those pursuing non-traditional pathways to ordained, lay ministry, and Christian formation positions. The fully-accredited, 30-credit degree will provide a flexible, 100 percent online asynchronous curriculum that is ecumenically welcoming, biblically and theologically informed, practical in expression, and focused on serving the Church in its many contexts. The program will also offer optional residential opportunities.
"At UDTS, we are constantly looking for innovative ways to train vibrant leaders for the Church. The master of arts in ministry meets the needs of the changing congregational landscape, providing students with a solid foundation in biblical interpretation, pastoral skills and personal spiritual formation, and giving them flexibility to take the courses most helpful for their ministry context," said Rev. Susan Forshey, PhD, director of the master of arts in ministry and associate professor of discipleship and Christian formation at UDTS.
Courses will be taught by UDTS faculty and easily transferred into other degree programs offered at UDTS including the master of divinity, master of arts in mission and discipleship, master of arts in Reformed theology, and master of arts in ministry.
"This program is a result of UDTS faculty listening to many different voices in the Church and hearing the need for a program that can be tailored to the student's particular call. I'm excited to see how this program will contribute to leadership across a wide spectrum of Christian faith traditions," said Mark Ward, PhD, dean of the seminary and vice president for academic affairs at the University of Dubuque.
The master of arts in ministry will offer a cohesive curriculum that integrates ministerial best practices with intentional formation in a flourishing pastoral identity. Students may complete the degree in as little as five semesters.
For more information, or to apply, contact Rev. Samuel Felderman, MACL, director of seminary admission at UDTS, at UDTSadmission@dbq.edu or 563.589.3115.
