School of Theology

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Theology

 

Program Description
Theology Studies compliments General Studies by offering the student a contemporary, academic study of the Bible. Using the grammatical-historical method of interpretation, courses provide foundational knowledge of the Old and New Testament, which affords a basis on which to construct well-reasoned theological principles and personal applications. In addition, the student develops an understanding of other worldviews, religions, and contemporary issues. All faculty members are conservative evangelical Christians but realize that intellectual honesty demands exposing the students to differing points of view in order to prepare them for contemporary life. Every Courses are designed for students who desire to minister in the local church or in church-related ministries. Core courses include the philosophical and theological bases of ministry and focuses also on the practical aspects of putting theory into practice in the real world. A major may take a variety of professional courses to fulfill the required program of study.

Mission Statement
Theology’ mission is to provide an exceptional learning environment that prepares students for meaningful leader for the Lord, professional achievement, responsible global citizenship, and servant leadership in accordance with the University's vision, mission and Christian heritage through excellent program of higher education and excellent graduate program of Christian leadership
The purpose of Theology is to pursue knowledge of God, to cultivate leaders for communities of faith, to enrich the academy, and to seek peace with justice in a diverse and interconnected world.
We strive to equip women and men for ministries and academic excellence that foster personal and social transformation, that are oriented to the world’s diversities, and that expand the prophetic legacy of this historic Theology

Vision Statement
The vision of Theology is one of the nation's leading educational institutions at preparing students to participate in and contribute to society and the workplace with the necessary skills, knowledge, and ambition to improve other individuals' lives and societies' conditions though out follow principles:
1. Love. As a community with roots in a Christian tradition, we affirm that love for our neighbor, as an expression of God’s infinite love for humankind, is a compelling command to work towards the well-being of every single member of our community. An offense against one is therefore an offense against all.
2. Justice. As a community with an historic and sometimes prophetic commitment to justice, we must commit ourselves to working for justice and exposing injustice, not only for ourselves, but for every member of the community. That involves positively resisting the evils of violence, racism, hate, discrimination, and silencing.
3. Safety. We all must commit to making our community a safe learning environment where no student, staff, or faculty, regardless of age, sex, color, ethnicity, physical disability, sexual orientation, gender identity/expression, or religious opinion, is harassed, bullied, or intimidated for any reason. We must commit to support policies that prohibit the mistreatment of any individual or group and provide appropriate avenues for redressing grievances.
4. Rights. Religious liberty and freedom of expression are inalienable rights for all guaranteed by the First Amendment to the U. S. Constitution and by the United Nations Declaration of Human Rights. The purpose of these statements is to safeguard individual rights from the actions of majorities and institutions. Every effort should be made in the Theology community to protect these rights for all students, staff, faculty, and administrators.
5. Responsibilities. As members of the Theology community, we have a solemn responsibility to respect these rights for others, including those with whom we deeply disagree. Rights are best guarded and responsibilities best exercised when each person and group guards for all others those rights they wish for themselves. As fallible beings we acknowledge our failures, past and present, and agree to hold ourselves accountable to one another and to the values we wish to live by.
6. Respect. Frank and open discussions are vital to the health of any educational institution. Every individual within the School of Theology community, whatever the issue under discussion, and wherever the discussion takes place, has a responsibility to treat others with civility and respect, both in speech and in action.
These principles, as approved by USWA School of Theology, are not intended to be exhaustive or exclusive, but they at least provide a common denominator of civil discourse, along with mutual love and respect, that will govern our words and behavior in the School community. These are the principles we believe should govern our collective work as a professional/graduate faculty within a large, private urban research university
 

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Bachelor of Theology (B.Th)

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Program description
The Bachelor of Theology program offers students an opportunity to academically and critically explore the traditional Christian faith and practice. This program emphasizes a systematic, comprehensive and critical study of the Christian Scriptures and major Christian theological doctrines, spiritual disciplines, and ministry practices.  

 

Admission Requirement

Students seeking admission to Theology Program must provide an official transcript of their high school or college record and Personal Statement. Anyone possessing a high school diploma or its equivalent meets the basic requirement for ad-mission to the program.
• A completed and signed application form 
• Signed enrollment agreement form
• Copy of high school diploma and/or official transcript (or equivalent)
• Secondary school and college-level transcripts (if applicable)
• Personal statement (Childhood, vision, experiences and aspiring career path after graduation)
• Passport Copy

Program Requirements

Students receive the Bachelor of Theology degree when they fulfill the following program requirements:
• General education course requirements: 27 semester units
• Major requirements: 57 units
• Elective requirements: 36 units
• Unit requirement: A minimum of 120 semester units

Program Objectives
• To provide a basic knowledge of general education with a Christian world view that can be used in all areas of life. 
• To provide students with a practical Biblical foundation for Christian living.
• To prepare students to effectively serve in a chosen field of ministry
• To enable students to be conversant in the fields of theology and history of Christianity. 
• To engender a grasp of academic study of the Bible, from a number of critical perspectives and hermeneutical methodologies. 
• To be able to integrate the historical-critical study of the Bible into a faith environment, such as parish and community contexts of living Christian traditions. 
• To prepare the student for further academic study, if desired, in the field of Biblical Studies.
 

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Master of Divinity (M.Div)

 

Program Description
The Master of Divinity program is designed to equip dedicated Christians for various ministries in the church setting, including the ordained ministries of instruction and leadership in the church. This program emphasizes developing the capacity to study and communicate the Christian Scriptures and the theological traditions and the capacity to model and facilitate Christian spiritual formation and communal practices.

 

Admission Requirement
Anyone possessing a bachelor’s degree or its equivalent meets the basic academic requirement for admission to the program. An Application File must include the following:

• A completed and signed application form 
• Signed enrollment agreement form
• College-level transcript which indicates bachelor degree is granted
• An overall GPA of 2.75 in undergraduate study. (A provisional admission status can be granted below GPA of 2.75)
• Copy of bachelor diploma
• Personal statement (Childhood, vision, experiences and aspiring career path after graduation)
• Passport Copy

Program Requirements
Students receive the Master of Divinity degree upon a successful fulfillment of the following program requirements:

• Major requirements: 30 units
• Elective requirements: 60 units
• Unit requirement: A minimum of 90 semester units

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Doctor of Theology

 

Program Description
The Doctor of Theology (Th.D.) program offers students an opportunity to explore, academically and critically, the scriptural basis of traditional Christian faith and practice. This program emphasizes systematic, comprehensive, and critical study of the Christian Scriptures and of major Christian theological doctrines that derive from scriptural sources, as well as the socio-historical contexts in which these developed and the debates surrounding them. Special emphasis is placed upon the historical context and development of the Biblical scriptures of the Hebrew Bible and the New Testament, and the canonical processes that brought them to their current states.
The Th.D. in Biblical Studies is designed to prepare students to teach on the undergraduate and graduate levels, as well as that of theological schools; this degree also assists in preparing students for professional leadership in the church and society. It is a historically-oriented theological degree, a research degree, and a professional degree. It requires broad historical-theological knowledge of the Bible and aims at preparing students for competent scholarly research and teaching in academic, secular and religious contexts, with the intent of adding wisdom and grace to the world. 
The student is also expected to understand the methodological presuppositions of one’s field of concentration and to become capable of advancing the field through original research. The degree program emphasizes the professional applicability of the field of research by engaging theological and interpretive skills as well as critical methods of scholarship. 

 

Admission Requirement
Anyone possessing a master’s degree or its equivalent meets the basic academic requirement for admission to the program. An Application File must include the following:

• A completed and signed application form 
• Signed enrollment agreement form
• College-level transcript which indicates master degree is granted
• An overall GPA of 3.0 in graduate study. (A provisional admission status can be granted below GPA of 3.0)
• Copy of master certificate of graduation
• Personal statement (Childhood, vision, experiences and aspiring career path after graduation)
• Passport Copy

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Program Requirements
Students receive the Doctor of Theology degree upon a successful fulfillment of the following program requirements:

• Major requirements: 24 units
• Elective requirements: 30 units
• Dissertation: 6 units
• Unit requirement: A minimum of 60 semester units
• The Th.D. requires 54 units of course work, plus 6 units of a dissertation. 
 

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School of Christian Counseling

 

Multiple Talent Major

Program Description
Religious Counseling is designed to help you understand the multi-faceted aspects of Christian Counseling Psychology. This specialization will allow you to learn more about counseling from a Christian perspective, equipping you to work in the Christian counseling fields of lay ministry.
In addition to gaining insight into the development and influence of personality based on current theories, you will delve into courses which discuss the diverse theoretical approaches of counseling and psychotherapy by evaluating associated methods and techniques, all biblically based.
The program is distinctive in that it also offers skills-based counseling training from a Christian perspective. The focused learning that students acquire through the counseling concentration provides graduates with skills applicable to almost any career.
This Programs aim to train Christian leaders to carry out the mission of the Church and Christianity.

Mission Statement
Religious Counseling is committed to excellence in undergraduate and graduate education. Our faculty and graduates are expected to be competent, ethical and spiritual professionals committed to the spirituality and its application to real-world situations. Our undergraduate program provides a foundation for the spiritual understanding of behavior and mental processes and promotes scholarship and spirituality. Our graduate programs prepare students to become Licensed Psychologists, Psychology Specialists, and Licensed Professional Counselors who provide evidence-based services for children, adults, and families in a variety of healthcare and educational settings. Our department promotes an environment characterized by collaborative learning and scholarship among its undergraduates, graduate students, and faculty, guided by the following core values of our university and professional organizations.

Vision Statement
Religious Counseling aspires to be a nationally spiritual leader in undergraduate and graduate education, where undergraduates, graduate students, and faculty establish close collaborations to learn the spiritual principles of behavior and mental processes, to make significant contributions to the spiritual and practice of psychology, and to produce professionals who serve the local, national, and global believer communities.

Program Objective
The objectives of the Religious Counseling are:
• To provide a basic knowledge of Religious education with a Christian world view that can be used in all areas of life. 
• To provide students with a practical Biblical foundation for Christian living.
• To prepare students to effectively serve in a chosen field of ministry
• To acquaint the students with basic counseling techniques that will assist them in nurturing emotional well-being.
• To prepare students for handling loss and crisis situations.
• To give students tools for giving biblical guidance and counsel to those under their care.
• To aid students to develop their ability to integrate the concept of psychology and counseling with the theological perspective of the Bible.
 

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Bachelor of Religious Counseling

 

Program Description

Bachelor of Religious Counseling program is designed to prepare students for ministry of counseling. This program educates students to bring healing and hope to people in pain as counselors in churches or faith-based organizations. This degree can prepare for non-clinical positions in the field of psychology and counseling.

Admission Requirement
Students seeking admission to Bachelor of Religious Counseling program must provide an official transcript of their high school or college record and Personal Statement. Anyone possessing a high school diploma or its equivalent meets the basic requirement for ad-mission to the program.
• A completed and signed application form 
• Signed enrollment agreement form
• Copy of high school diploma and/or official transcript (or equivalent)
• Secondary school and college-level transcripts (if applicable)
• Personal statement (Childhood, vision, experiences and aspiring career path after graduation)
• Passport Copy

Program Requirements
Students receive the Bachelor of Religious Counseling degree when they fulfill the following program requirements:
• General education and Religious studies course requirements: 57 semester units
• Major requirements: 33 units
• Elective requirements: 30 units
• Unit requirement: A minimum of 120 semester units

 

Master of Religious Counseling

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Program Description
The Master of Religious Counseling program provides the Christian leaders of today and tomorrow with the knowledge and skills required to succeed in a spiritual environment. The program emphasizes Christian counseling psychology, support church    and counseling skills, ethics, and Christian real-world applications for the Load.

Admission Requirement
Anyone possessing a bachelor’s degree or its equivalent meets the basic academic requirement for admission to the program. An Application File must include the following:

• A completed and signed application form 
• Signed enrollment agreement form
• College-level transcript which indicates bachelor degree is granted
• An overall GPA of 2.75 in undergraduate study. (A provisional admission status can be granted below GPA of 2.75)
• Copy of bachelor diploma (Certificate of Graduation)
• Personal statement (Childhood, vision, experiences and aspiring career path after graduation)
• Passport Copy

Program Requirements
Students receive the Master of Religious Counseling degree upon a successful fulfillment of the following program requirements:

• Religious core studies: 6 units
• Major requirements: 12 units
• Elective requirements: 6 units
• Thesis 6 units or elective 6 units requirement
• Unit requirement: A minimum of 30 semester units
 

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Doctor of Religious Counseling

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Program Description
Doctor of Religious Counseling is designed to build the counseling knowledge and skills needed for those who desire to bring healing and hope to hurting people as counselors in churches or faith-based organizations. This program will prepare students for an advanced level of pastoral counseling, hospital chaplaincy, crisis pregnancy centers, family case management, or other counseling positions which do not require professional licensure.

Admission Requirement
Anyone possessing a master’s degree or its equivalent meets the basic academic requirement for admission to the program. An Application File must include the following:

• A completed and signed application form 
• Signed enrollment agreement form
• College-level transcript which indicates master degree is granted
• An overall GPA of 3.0 in graduate study. (A provisional admission status can be granted below GPA of 3.0)
• Copy of master certificate of graduation
• Personal statement (Childhood, vision, experiences and aspiring career path after graduation)
• Passport Copy

Program Requirements
Students receive the Doctor of Religious Counseling degree upon a successful fulfillment of the following program requirements:

• Religious core studies: 6 units
• Major requirements: 21 units
• Elective requirements: 18 units
• Dissertation: 12 units
• Unit requirement: A minimum of 57 semester units
• The program requires 45 units of course work, plus 12 units of a dissertation

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