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Study with Purpose

Whether you’re preparing for a PhD, or looking to develop your skills and knowledge for non-ordained ministry roles and leadership in parachurch organizations, our Master of Arts (Theology) will equip you with the knowledge and skills to succeed.

If you have your sights set on doctoral studies, we have crafted the program to stimulate exciting and innovative research topics, and our rigorous graduate seminars will develop your ability to prepare and present scholarly work to your peers.

ADC MA(Th) graduates have been accepted into major research universities across North America and in Europe, and are teaching in Bible Colleges, universities, and seminaries worldwide.

Thesis & Project

For the Practical Theology specializations, students have the choice between a Thesis and a Project.

  • Thesis: Candidates for a Master’s degree with Thesis must prepare a thesis of 25,000 – 30,000 words under the direction of a supervisor, who is normally a faculty member (or honorary research associate, or a supervisory committee), appointed by the MA Director in consultation with the Associate Dean. The thesis cannot be a previous piece of research, published or otherwise, by the student, but a fresh exploration done during the degree. A thesis is a coherent conversation in which one states a problem, tells us how they will examine it, and then does the examination and proves or disproves the point, and finishes by telling us what they learned and how one might pursue it further, in the future.
  • Project: An MA Project is an applied academic work that does not argue a thesis but rather investigates a topic with clarity and academic rigour and identifies a problem or opportunity in the practice of ministry which the student’s project will seek to address. MA Projects are graded internally by the supervisor, in consultation with the MA Director, and one other internal reader who will be present at the final presentation. A project demonstrates that a student has the ability to apply scholarship at an advanced level, but without having developed an extended argument. Coupled with the theoretical investigation is a practical project, which can take a variety of forms and should be discussed with the supervisor. Examples of past MA Projects include:
    • A resource website for leadership training for a particular community (with both the website and numerous resources created by the student)
    • A manual for churches seeking an interim pastor
    • A project focused on dance ministry in the church, which included a newly choreographed group dance piece that was performed and recorded
    • A written analysis of a student’s past teaching in a separate academic field, seeking to critique and integrate a theological component

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