Courses | Master of Divinity (Missions and Intercultural Studies)
Below are the course requirements for this academic program. For more program details, including graduation requirements and learning outcomes, visit Biola's academic catalog.
Admission Requirements
All applicants must hold the Bachelor of Arts degree, or its academic equivalent, with a 2.6 (on a 4.0 scale) grade point average. Those not meeting this latter requirement, if accepted, will be placed on probation. Graduates from approved unaccredited colleges, if accepted, will be granted provisional acceptance, though exceptions may be made when the grade point average is 3.0 or higher. Graduates from approved unaccredited colleges may be required to take additional liberal arts course work (not applicable toward the graduate degree) if their undergraduate program did not include these courses.
Specialization Requirements
Changes of specialization may be authorized under certain circumstances prior to the completion of 40 credits, but are discouraged after that point.
Advanced Standing
Applicants who have taken undergraduate courses in biblical or theological studies may request advanced standing based on collegiate work. See Talbot Admissions Requirements for details.
Graduation Requirements
- Satisfactorily complete 79 semester credits.
- Take the courses prescribed in the Master of Divinity curriculum.
- Complete the requirements in the specialization below, including co-curricular requirements.
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Students without previous courses in Old Testament Survey and New Testament Survey must take TTBE 519 and TTBE 520, which are not for credit unless taken in place of general elective credits.
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Complete the online introduction to theological research and writing by the end of the second semester.
- At least 50% of the total credits required for the degree program must be completed at this seminary, calculated prior to applying any advanced standing or transfer credit.
- The M.Div. program can be completed in three years. For those who need to extend the program, contact the department for advising on a four-year curriculum for the Master of Divinity in Missions and Intercultural Studies specialization.
- Must have a 2.5 cumulative GPA with no grade below a "D-".
- Meet with graduate academic records and degree specialist in the Office of the Registrar one year prior to graduation to declare intent to graduate. (See Graduate Graduation Check description in the Admission, Enrollment and Graduation Requirements section.)
Biblical Languages Requirement
Two biblical languages are required: Greek and Hebrew.
Greek
The courses listed below are required. Qualifying examinations to test out of TTNT 501 or TTNT 502 are available to all interested students. Depending on exam results, a student may enroll directly into TTNT 502 or TTNT 503. For any language courses waived by a qualifying examination, the student should take an equal number of credits in the New Testament department (3 or 6).
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| TTNT 501 | Beginning Greek I | 3 |
| TTNT 502 | Beginning Greek II | 3 |
| TTNT 503 | Introduction to Exegesis | 3 |
| TTNT 604 | Exegesis in the Gospels | 3 |
| or TTNT 605 | Exegesis in the Epistles | |
Hebrew
The courses listed below are required. Qualifying examinations to test out of TTOT 603 or TTOT 604 are available to all interested students. Depending on exam results, a student may enroll directly into TTOT 604 or TTOT 703. For any language courses waived by the qualifying examination, the student should take an equal number of credits in the Old Testament department (3 or 6).
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| TTOT 603 | Elements of Hebrew I | 3 |
| TTOT 604 | Elements of Hebrew II | 3 |
| TTOT 703 | Introduction to Hebrew Exegesis | 3 |
| TTOT 722 | Hebrew Exegesis | 2 |
Curriculum Requirements
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Prerequisite Courses 1 | ||
| Old Testament Survey | ||
| New Testament Survey | ||
| Program Courses | ||
| Students enrolling in the Missions and Intercultural Studies specialization will take the following courses: | ||
| TTBE 517 | Hermeneutics and Bible Study Methods | 3 |
| TTHT 505 | Patristic and Medieval Theology | 3 |
| or TTHT 506 | Reformation and Modern Theology | |
| or TTHT 514 | Historical Theology Survey | |
| TTNT 501 | Beginning Greek I | 3 |
| TTNT 502 | Beginning Greek II | 3 |
| TTNT 503 | Introduction to Exegesis | 3 |
| TTNT 604 | Exegesis in the Gospels | 3 |
| or TTNT 605 | Exegesis in the Epistles | |
| TTOT 603 | Elements of Hebrew I | 3 |
| TTOT 604 | Elements of Hebrew II | 3 |
| TTOT 703 | Introduction to Hebrew Exegesis | 3 |
| TTOT 722 | Hebrew Exegesis | 2 |
| TTPT 591 | Field Apprenticeship I | 1 |
| TTPT 609 | Expository Preaching | 3 |
| TTPT 707 | Foundations of Pastoral Care and Counseling | 2 |
| TTSF 501 | Introduction to Spiritual Theology and Formation | 3 |
| TTSF 503 | Personal Foundations for Spiritual Formation | 3 |
| TTSF 504 | Spiritual Formation, Vocation, and the Disciplines | 1 |
| TTSF 505 | Talbot Spiritual Direction I | 0 |
| TTSF 506 | Talbot Spiritual Direction II | 0 |
| TTTH 521 | Theology I: God, Scripture, Creation | 3 |
| TTTH 522 | Theology II: Christ, Humanity, Sin, Salvation | 3 |
| TTTH 623 | Theology III: Spirit, Church, Last Things | 3 |
| Missions and Intercultural Studies Specialization Courses | ||
| ISAN 507 | Cultural Anthropology | 3 |
| ISCL 751 | Theology of Mission | 3 |
| ISCL 791 | Field Internship | 1 |
| TTPT 592 | Field Apprenticeship II | 0 |
| TTPT 608 | Developing Strategic Church Ministries | 3 |
| TTPT 691 | Field Apprenticeship III | 0 |
| TTPT 730 | Biblical Leadership and Management | 3 |
| Emphasis/Elective Courses | ||
| Select an emphasis detailed below | 9 | |
| General elective courses | 6 | |
| Total Credits | 79 | |
- 1
TTBE 519 Old Testament Survey and TTBE 520 New Testament Survey are prerequisites for this degree. To meet the prerequisite, students must have received a "C" or higher in approved undergraduate or graduate survey courses from a regionally accredited institution. Students who enroll without the prerequisite courses must take TTBE 519 and TTBE 520 before graduating. Credits from these courses may count as general electives, or may add to the length of the program if electives are not available.
Emphases
Students earning the Missions and Intercultural Studies specialization choose any three courses from the categories below. These three courses may be from one or from multiple categories below. Other courses offered by the Cook School of Intercultural Studies may also be used to satisfy this requirement with the permission of the department chair.
Anthropology
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| ISAN 528 | Cultures of the World | 3 |
| ISAN 555 | Kinship and Family in Cross-cultural Perspective | 3 |
| ISAN 561 | Economic Anthropology | 3 |
| ISAN 631 | Topics in Cultural Anthropology | 1-3 |
| ISAN 671 | Applied Anthropology | 3 |
| ISAN 751 | Social Anthropology | 3 |
| ISAN 761 | Culture and Transformation | 3 |
| ISCL 520 | Interpersonal and Intercultural Adjustment | 3 |
| ISCL 556 | World Religions | 3 |
Applied Linguistics
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| ISAL 520 | Introduction to Language and Linguistics | 3 |
| ISAL 525 | Introduction to Syntax | 3 |
| ISAL 529 | Introduction to Semantics and Pragmatics | 3 |
| ISAL 535 | Introduction to Bible Translation | 3 |
| ISAL 646 | Sociolinguistics | 3 |
| ISAL 648 | Discourse and Text Analysis | 3 |
| ISAL 679 | Planning, Evaluation, and Research in Applied Linguistics | 3 |
| ISAL 683 | Topics in Linguistics | 1-3 |
Church Planting
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| ISCL 520 | Interpersonal and Intercultural Adjustment | 3 |
| ISCL 555 | Introduction to World Missions | 3 |
| ISCL 556 | World Religions | 3 |
| ISCL 663 | Cross-cultural Implications in Evangelism | 3 |
| ISCL 727 | Principles of Church Multiplication | 3 |
| ISCL 732 | Church Planting Models and Strategies | 3 |
| ISCL 735 | Principles of Church Growth | 3 |
| ISCL 742 | History of the World Christian Movement | 3 |
| ISCL 743 | Urban Church Planting Models | 3 |
| ISCL 744 | Narrative in Scripture and Teaching | 3 |
| ISCL 765 | Cross-Cultural Leadership | 3 |
Cross-Cultural Education
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| ISCL 520 | Interpersonal and Intercultural Adjustment | 3 |
| ISCL 555 | Introduction to World Missions | 3 |
| ISCL 575 | Multicultural Education | 3 |
| ISCL 709 | Intercultural Communication | 3 |
| ISCL 744 | Narrative in Scripture and Teaching | 3 |
Linguistics and Biblical Languages
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| ISAL 520 | Introduction to Language and Linguistics | 3 |
| ISAL 521 | General Articulatory Phonetics | 3 |
| ISAL 523 | Introduction to Phonology | 3 |
| ISAL 525 | Introduction to Syntax | 3 |
| ISAL 529 | Introduction to Semantics and Pragmatics | 3 |
| ISAL 535 | Introduction to Bible Translation | 3 |
| ISAL 648 | Discourse and Text Analysis | 3 |
| ISAL 650 | Seminar in Linguistics and Biblical Exegesis | 3 |
Missiology
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| ISCL 555 | Introduction to World Missions | 3 |
| ISCL 655 | Contemporary Theology of Mission | 3 |
| ISCL 680 | The Local Church and World Missions | 3 |
| ISCL 722 | Spiritual Conflicts in Cross-Cultural Context | 3 |
| ISCL 724 | Issues in Spiritual Warfare | 3 |
| ISCL 730 | Directed Study | 1-4 |
| ISCL 742 | History of the World Christian Movement | 3 |
| ISCL 747 | Christianity and Culture | 3 |
| ISCL 750 | Issues in Contextualization/Cross-Cultural Theology | 3 |
| ISCL 752 | Acts: Biblical and Missiological | 3 |
| ISCL 755 | Biblical Morality and Cultural Relativity | 3 |
Urban/Multi-Ethnic
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| ISCL 520 | Interpersonal and Intercultural Adjustment | 3 |
| ISCL 531 | Peoples of Ethnic America | 3 |
| ISCL 559 | Topics in Urban Studies | 3 |
| ISCL 560 | Urban Research and Study | 3 |
| ISCL 568 | Theology of the City | 3 |
| ISCL 583 | Poverty and the City | 3 |
| ISCL 730 | Directed Study | 1-4 |
| ISCL 744 | Narrative in Scripture and Teaching | 3 |