College	Ministry
Academic Award	Master of Arts
Credits Required	36 semester credits
Faculty Lead	Bill Oliverio
Concentrations	Clinical Pastoral Education
CIP Code	39.0699

The Master of Arts in Ministry Leadership (MAML) is a 36-credit degree designed to help students develop a biblical, theological, and pastoral framework for leadership that is academically rigorous, praxis-oriented, and facilitates the growth and development of missional leadership for the twenty-first century Church.

Program Highlights

The MAML provides graduate students the opportunity to cultivate an academically informed biblical and theoretical approach for ministry leadership. This degree is concerned especially with developing and refining informed ministry practice and allows participants to develop ministry leadership skills helpful in their contexts. With the understanding that each set of ministry giftings and the varieties of settings in which ministry takes place are unique, this degree can provide a significant amount of elective space for students to explore their interests and develop their skills and perspectives.

For a full-time student, this program can take as little as two years, with courses scheduled across three annual terms (Fall, Spring, and Summer). The program delivery includes courses meeting for single four-day intensives and as a set of three Friday/Saturday weekend intensives. In some situations, students may elect to complete courses via an online delivery model or via the traditional semester model (classes meeting weekly or more often). This flexible delivery format is designed to accommodate the diverse needs of our graduate students.

Admissions

Admission into the Master of Arts in Ministry Leadership requires the completion of a Bachelor of Arts or Science (or an equivalent degree) from a regionally accredited college or university. Allowances may be made for degrees accredited by the Association for Biblical Higher Education (ABHE). Students also complete the application and acceptance process for the College of Ministry Graduate School. The College of Ministry has rolling application dates. The application must be completed no later than two weeks prior to the start of the semester.

Students whose academic histories reflect a GPA below 2.7 may be accepted to the program on a conditional basis for their first six credits of graduate study. These applicants wll be evaluated on a case-by-case basis, taking into account their personal and academic strengths and the specific academic program to which they are applying. Once the conditions have been met, they will be fully accepted to the program.

Students who are accepted conditionally will be subject to the following: (1) They must meet all other stated admissons qualifications (2) They must maintain a 3.0 or higher GPA in each of their courses during their first six credits hours in the program (3) If requested to do so, they may be required to interview during the admissions process and/or take additional or supplemental coursework. Students may also choose to take the GRE to supplement their application.

The Northwest University College of Ministry gives admissions preference to professing Christians whose doctrinal and lifestyle beliefs are in harmony with those of the University.

Credit Transfer

MAML students may transfer up to 18 credit hours of eligible graduate level coursework (subject to Program Director’s approval) from an accredited institution towards their degree.

Academic Progress

Students may be placed on probation if their GPA falls below 2.7. If the student’s GPA has been below 2.7 for two or more terms, he or she is placed on academic suspension (disqualification). Students must earn at least a 2.7 overall grade point average to graduate.

Program Outcomes

In addition to achieving the general goals of the University and the College of Ministry, completing the Master of Arts in Ministry Leadership results in the following learning outcomes:

Graduates will be able to:

1. Explain the role of pastoral care in the contemporary Church.
2. Evaluate a practical approach to spiritual formation.
3. Analyze Scripture using appropriate hermeneutical principles.
4. Develop a team leadership strategy for congregational settings.