M.A. in Media and Communication (M.A./MC)

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Purpose

The Master of Arts in Media and Communication degree program provides graduate-level training for those who desire to integrate a sound biblical and theological education with training and experience in media arts. The program, which assumes the student has some training or experience in the arts, enhances the ministries of worship leaders, writers, and other media practitioners.

Goals

By the time of graduation the student will show evidence that he or she is able to:

• Communicate biblical and theological knowledge to a contemporary audience.
• Articulate an understanding of the role of art in Christian thought and communication.
• Demonstrate specialization in writing, presentation, and/or worship arts.
• Demonstrate the integration of media arts into effective Christian communication.
• Construct and present a media presentation using effective production principles.
   

Course Requirements

Sixty-seven semester hours of course work are required as a minimum for graduation. Twenty-two of the 68 hours are prescribed Bible Exposition courses, 18 are prescribed Systematic Theology courses, 2 are in Historical Theology, 2 are in Spiritual Life, 6 are in prescribed Media Arts courses, and 2 are in a Media Arts and Communication internship. The remaining 15 hours must be taken in media arts and communication electives, with at least one elective taken in each of the three major program divisions— writing, presentation, and worship—listed below. All electives are taken in consultation with the program advisor.

No thesis is required for the M.A./MC degree.

Writing

CE605 Christian Journalism (3)
PM721 Creative Writing (3)
PM722 Advanced Creative Writing (3)

Presentation

PM103 Expository Preaching I (3)
PM711 Creative Radio (3)
PM712 Intro to Radio Broadcasting (3)
PM725 Publishing Layout and Design for Ministry (2)
PM731 Video Production for Ministry (3)
PM751 Effective Speaking (3)
PM753 Dramatizing Scripture (3)

Worship 

PM321 Leading the Church in Worship (3)
PM741 Intro to Hymnology (3)
PM742 Intro to Praise and Worship Music (3)
PM743 Seminar in Worship Arts (3)

Independent Study
PM903 Independent Study in Media Arts (1–4)

Spiritual Formation

Because Dallas Seminary values character and spiritual maturity, M.A./MC students are required to register for and participate in Spiritual Formation groups each of their first four semesters of study. Students taking extension, summer school, or compressed-schedule courses must contact the Spiritual Formation director regarding fulfillment of their Spiritual Formation requirements.

In the Spiritual Formation curriculum small groups (six to eight students) focus on identity, community, integrity, and ministry. The groups also provide an atmosphere for prayer, fellowship, career assessment, and the integration of learning with ministry. Additionally, the groups act as the small group component of all required internships. As courses should be taken consecutively, students are encouraged to arrange their schedules so they may stay in the same group each semester. Spiritual Formation is a noncredit, transcripted experience. The prerequisite for all required internships is SF101 Spiritual Formation I (Identity).

Admission requirements and application procedures for professional M.A. degree programs are the same as for all programs of study at the Seminary.  Students generally will not be admitted into a degree program without goals consistent with the ministries for which the program is designed to equip them.

Admission Requirements

Transfer of some credit is allowed toward the professional M.A. programs from accredited graduate theological schools. Up to 34 hours of credit may be transferred toward the M.A. in Media and Communication. 

Students must have earned a grade of C or better for a course to be considered in transfer. Transferability of credits earned at this institution and transferred to another is at the discretion of the receiving institution. Consult the Registrar’s Office for information on eligibility for transfer credit.

Transfer Credit

Admission requirements and application procedures for professional M.A. degree programs are the same as for all programs of study at the Seminary. Students will generally not be admitted into a degree program without goals consistent with the ministries for which the program is designed to equip them.

Curriculum

M.A. in Media and Communication

	Fall Semester				Spring Semester
	No.	Courses	Sem. Hours		No.	Courses	Sem. Hours
	First Year				First Year
	BE101	Bible Study Methods and Hermeneutics	3		BE102	OT History I	3
	ST101	Intro to Theology	3		BE105	The Gospels	2
	PM101	Spiritual Life	2		BE109	Ruth, Psalms, Jonah, and Selected Epistles	3
	PM701	A Christian View of Art	3		ST102	Trinitarianism	3
	CE104	Audiovisual Presentations	1		PM903	IS in Media Arts	1
	CE720	Creativity	2		FE150	Media Arts Internship 1	2
		Elective 2	3			Elective 2	3
			17				17
	Second Year				Second Year
	BE103	OT History and Poetry	2		BE107	Hebrews, Gen. Epis., and Rev.	3
	BE104	OT Prophets	3		HT200	History of Doctrine	2
	BE106	Acts/Pauline Epistles	3		ST104	Soteriology	3
	ST103	Angelology/Anthropology /Sin	3		ST106	Eschatology	3
	ST105	Sanctification/Ecclesiology	3			Electives 2	6
		Elective 2	2
			17				17

¹ The 400 hours of the Media Arts Internship must be completed in one to four semesters.
² At least one elective must be chosen from each of the three areas of Presentation, Worship, and
Communication (see above for a listing of courses in each category).

NOTE: Courses can be taken in Wintersession or Summer School to reduce the load during the
fall and spring terms.