Baptist Missionary Association Theological Seminary

baptist missionary association theological seminary

Degree Programs at the Baptist Missionary Association Theological Seminary

Baptist Missionary Association Theological Seminary appears in our ranking of the 50 Most Affordable Master’s in Theology Degree Programs Online.

The degree programs offered by the Baptist Missionary Association Theological Seminary fall into four categories: online graduate, traditional graduate, online undergraduate and traditional undergraduate programs. Online students can choose between the seminary’s Bachelor of Arts in Religion or Associate of Divinity. Both programs require that students spend one week on the seminary’s campus to complete their degrees. The residency sessions take place in the middle of the summer each year.

Traditional and residential programs provide students with more assistance because they can meet with their professors before and after class. The seminary’s Associate of Divinity helps students respond to the religious callings they hear. It helps students gain the skills that ministers need and to understand the topics addressed in the Bible. The Bachelor of Arts in Religion residential program includes 18 credits of Bible courses and 18 credits of ministry classes. Some of the courses that religion majors take include Old Testament Interpretation, Christian Psychology, Church Administration and Special Studies in Sermon Delivery.

At the graduate level, the Baptist Missionary Association Theological Seminary offers four degree programs. The Master of Arts in Religion program features 36 credits of courses designed to help students understand the teachings in the Bible and to teach those subjects to others. Those courses include Old Testament and Survey I and II, Survey of Baptist Heritage, General Church History I and Systematic Theology. In the Master of Arts (Pastoral Leadership) program, students learn more about teaching to their parishioners and working with others in religious settings. It allows students to take classes such as Biographical History of Missions, Theology of Worship, History and Philosophy of Christian Education and Advanced History and Philosophy of Missions.

Also available is a Master of Arts in Church Ministries. Designed for ministers who want to work with children, families and other groups, it takes two years to complete. Students take courses that include Pastoral Ministry, Principles of Church Administration and Principles of Christian Counseling. Students in the seminary’s Master of Divinity program will spend up to three years working on their degrees as they take 90 credits of classes. They will take classes that teach them how to decipher the different interpretations of the Bible and the principles of church administration. All four of these programs are available online and on the seminary’s Texas campus.

About the Baptist Missionary Association Theological Seminary

The Baptist Missionary Association Theological Seminary is a private Christian school in Jacksonville, Texas. Also known as BMATS and BMA Theological Seminary, it opened in 1955 as one of the first seminary schools in the state. The Baptist Missionary Association of America worked with the regional branch of that organization in Texas to establish the new school. Construction began in 1956, with the campus opening to students the following year.

BMATS now offers degree programs for students who have a close relationship with God and a deep commitment to the church. Housing is available for students in the form of duplexes and apartments, some of which the seminary reserves for married students with children. It offers a total of six degree programs for graduate students and undergrads, all of which are available online. The BMA Theological Seminary is a small school with a total enrollment of fewer than 200 students.

Baptist Missionary Association Theological Seminary Accreditation Details

The BMA Theological Seminary has accreditation from the Association of Theological Schools in the United States and Canada (ATSUSC) for all four of its graduate programs. This accreditation covers both the traditional and online versions of those programs. The main accreditation held by the seminary comes from the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS).

Baptist Missionary Association Theological Seminary Application Requirements

Though the seminary has five steps that students can follow as they apply for admissions and register for classes, it has different requirements for undergrads and grad students. Undergrads applying to the associate program must be 25 years old or older and have a high school diploma. Those with a GED can enroll on a probationary basis. Once they finish a semester of classes and have a 2.0 or higher GPA, the seminary will admit them as full-time students. Those seeking a bachelor’s degree must complete at least 50 credits of classes at another school and maintain a GPA of 2.0 or higher. Prospective graduate students need a bachelor’s degree and a minimum GPA of 2.5.

Students applying to any of the BMA Theological Seminary programs should use the seminary’s application and make sure that they complete each of the six sections. They will then provide all required documents, which include forms filled out by three references and official transcripts. Students also need to supply a validation of church relationship form completed by a pastor, a completed questionnaire, and a biographical statement. All students taking traditional courses must submit a vaccination form too. Once the seminary sends an acceptance letter, the student can register for the next semester.

Tuition and Financial Aid

The cost of attendance is the same at BMATS for undergrads and graduate students. All students pay $220 per credit hour, which comes to $660 for most of their classes. They also pay a $45 fee that allows them to use all the seminary’s library resources. Distance education and online students pay the standard tuition rate and an additional fee of $100 for each course they take. Though students can do internships through the seminary, they’ll need to pay $220 for each internship that they do.

BMATS offers many different types of financial aid because it believes that students may hear a calling from God but not have the funds needed for college. Students can use federal financial aid, including Pell grants and student loans. Before dispursing those loans, the seminary requires that students sign an online promissory note and that they sign a Loan Request Verification form, which is available in the Dean’s Office. Students who pay a $20 fee and 25% of their total tuition can sign up for a payment plan. They’ll make equal payments on their balances by the middle of each of the following three months. All students enrolled in the degree programs offered by the Baptist Missionary Association Theological Seminary can get institutional scholarships also.