MASTER OF DIVINITY (M.Div.)-WITH BACCALAUREATE DEGREE

a.	PURPOSE OF THE DEGREE
	The Master of Divinity degree is the normative degree to prepare persons for ordained ministry and for general pastoral and Christian leadership responsibilities in congregations and other settings. It is the required degree for admission to the Doctor of Ministry degree program, and the recommended theological degree for admission to advanced programs oriented to theological research and teaching.
b.	PRIMARY GOALS OF THE PROGRAM
	This program is aimed at nurturing servants and visionary leaders for the congregation. It tries to help the learner grow in spiritual depth and moral integrity; to give the student comprehensive knowledge in Biblical and theological studies; to nurture the capacity for critical and constructive theological reflection and the ability to articulate faith to themselves and others; to train the student in developing the specific skills needed for effective ministry and public leadership and to develop a deep understanding of the cultural and social context.
c.	REQUIREMENTS FOR ADMISSION
	The M.Div. is a post-baccalaureate degree for applicants who hold bachelor degree or higher who must have been baptized at least three years prior to application for study. Admission requirements shall include:
	(1)	a baccalaureate degree from an institution accredited by a recognized agency
	(2)	evidence of the commitment and qualities desired for pastoral leadership; and
	(3)	proof of the academic ability to engage in graduate education.
d.	CONTENT
	The M.Div. program provides a breadth of exposure to the theological disciplines as well as a depth of understanding within those disciplines. It educates students for a comprehensive range of pastoral responsibilities and skills by providing opportunities for the appropriation of theological disciplines, for deepening understanding of the life of the church, for ongoing intellectual, spiritual and ministerial formation, and for exercising the arts of ministry.
	i.	Personal and Spiritual Formation:
	(a)	The program provides for spiritual, academic, and vocational counseling and careful reflection on the role of the minister as leader, guide, and “faithful ervant of God's Word.” With the cooperation of the Tao Fung Shan Christian Center, every first year learner, besides an academic advisor, will be provided with a Spiritual Director to accompany her or his pilgrimage to maturity.
	(b)	The program provides opportunities to assist students in developing commitment to Christian faith and life in ways consistent with the overall goal and purposes of LTS.
	ii.	The Bible and Christian Heritage:
	(a)	The purpose of the M.Div. program is to assist all persons in the program to grow in a deeper understanding of and commitment to the Bible and know how to relate the liberating Gospel of Christ to the contemporary World.
	(b)	The program will provide an appreciation of the historical development and competence in contemporary articulation of the doctrinal and theological tradition of the church and in the social and institutional history of the community.
	(c)	Instruction in these areas is conducted so as to indicate their interdependence with each other and with other areas of the curriculum, and their significance for the exercise of pastoral leadership.
	iii.	Capacity for Mission, Ministerial and Public Leadership:
	(a)	The program nurtures a vision for World Mission as well as a commitment to become witnesses in the local society. Therefore, it is required for learners use one summer to spend at least two months on either the Cultural Exploration and Mission Trip overseas or a CPE Training Course in Hong Kong.
	(b)	The program provides all the pastoral skills necessary to minister in a congregation through preaching, teaching, counseling, organizing and liturgical leadership.
	(c)	The program provides opportunities for education through supervised experiences in ministry. These experiences should be of sufficient duration and intensity to provide opportunity to gain expertise in the tasks of ministerial leadership within both the congregation and the broader public context, and to reflect on interrelated theological, cultural, and experiential learning.
	iv.	Cultural and Social Context:
	(a)	The program provides for instruction in contemporary cultural and social issues and their significance for ministry. Such instruction draws on the insights of the arts and humanities, the natural sciences, and the social sciences.
	(b)	M.Div. education addresses the global character of the church as well as the multicultural and cross-cultural nature of ministry in Asian society and in other contemporary settings. Attention is given to the wide diversity of religious traditions present in the social context.
	A.	OLD TESTAMENT	credits
		Introduction to the Old Testament	3
		2 basic courses (level 2)	6
		1 advanced course (level 3)	3
		Total credits	12
		OT100 Introduction to the Old Testament (3) Basic course (level 2): choose 2 courses from this level OT200 Genesis and the Pentateuch (3) OT215 Deuteronomy and the Pentateuch (3) OT220 Deuteronomistic and Chronistic Histories (3) OT225 Judges (3) OT230 David Story and the Books of Samuel (3) OT235 Isaiah 1-39 and the Prophets (3) OT240 Amos, Hosea and Micah (3) OT245 Jeremiah (3) OT250 Ezekiel (3) OT255 Isaiah 40-55 (3) OT260 Post-Exilic Prophecy (3) Advanced course (level 3): choose 1 course from this level OT310 Wisdom Literature (3) OT315 Psalms (3) OT320 Old Testament Theology (3) OT330 Daniel and Jewish Apocalyptic (3) OT340 Hebrew Old Testament Readings (3)
	B.	NEW TESTAMENT	credits
		Introduction to the New Testament	3
		2 basic courses (level 2)	6
		1 advanced course (level 3)	3
		Total credits	12
		NT100 Introduction to the New Testament (3) Basic course (level 2): choose 2 courses from this level NT210 Gospel according to Matthew (3) NT220 Gospel according to Mark (3) NT230 Gospel according to Luke (3) NT240 Gospel according to John (3) NT250 Acts (3) NT260 Pauline Letters—A (3) NT270 Pauline Letters—B (3) NT280 Pastoral and Catholic Letters (3) NT285 Romans (3) NT290 Revelation to John (3) NT295 Exegetical Methods (3) Advanced course (Level 3): choose 1 course from this level NT310 Letter to the Hebrews (3) NT320 New Testament Theology (3) NT330 Text Centered New Testament Studies (3) NT340 Intertestamental Period (3) NT350 Biblical Hermeneutics (3) NT360 The Old Testament in the New Testament (3) NT370 Greek New Testament Readings (3)
	C.	CHURCH HISTORY AND HISTORICAL THEOLOGY	credits
		Introduction to Church History	3
		Introduction to Historical Theology	3
		1 basic course (level 2)	3
		Total credits	9
		CH100 Introduction to Church History (3) CH110 Introduction to Historical Theology (3) Basic course (level 2): choose 1 course from this level 1. Church History CH210 Early Church History (3) CH220 Medieval Church History (3) CH230 Reformation Church History (3) CH240 History of the Church in China (3) CH250 History of the Church in Asia (3) 2. Historical Theology and Luther Studies CH260 Theology of Augustine (3) CH270 Theology of Martin Luther (3) CH280 Ethics of Martin Luther (3)
	D.	SYSTEMATIC THEOLOGY	credits
		Introduction to Theology	3
		Introduction to Christian Ethics	3
		2 basic courses (level 2)	6
		Total credits	12
		ST100 Introduction to Theology (3) ST110 Introduction into Christian Ethics (3) Basic course (level 2): choose 2 courses from this level 1. Dogmatics ST210 Doctrine of the Triune God (3) ST220 Creation and Anthropology (3) ST230 Christology and Soteriology (3) ST240 Ecclesiology and Sacramental Theology (3) ST250 Pneumatology and Eschatology (3) 2. Christian Ethics ST270 Personal Ethics (3) ST280 Social Ethics (3)
	E.	PASTORAL THEOLOGY AND COUNSELING	credits
		Introduction to Pastoral Formation	3
		Introduction to Homiletics	3
		Introduction to Counseling Theory and Practice	3
		1 basic course (level 2)	3
		1 advanced course (level 3)	3
		Total credits	15
		PT100 Introduction to Pastoral Formation (3) PT120 Introduction to Homiletics (3) PT130 Introduction to Counseling Theory and Practice (3) Basic course (level 2): choose 1 course from this level 1. Pastoral Formation and Christian Leadership PT210 Pastoral Ministry and Ethics (3) PT220 Church Growth and Church Planting (3) 2. Homiletics PT230 Homiletic Practicum (3) 3. Pastoral Counseling PT240 Crisis Counseling (3) PT250 Marriage and Family Counseling (3) PT260 Youth Counseling (3) Advanced course (level 3): choose 1 course from this level 1. Pastoral Formation and Christian Leadership PT310 Theology of Ministry (3) PT315 Human Relationships and Conflict Management in Ministry (3) PT320 Stewardship (3) PT325 Church Administration and Christian Leadership (3) 2. Homiletics PT340 Law and Gospel Distinction in Preaching (3) PT350 Word and Worship for Special Occasions (3) PT360 Preaching the Old Testament (3) 3. Pastoral Counseling PT370 Spiritual Direction and Christian Counseling (3) PT380 Chinese Culture and Pastoral Care (3)
	F.	CHRISTIAN EDUCATION	credits
		Introduction to Christian Education	3
		1 basic courses (level 2)	3
		Total credits	6
		CE100 Introduction to Christian Education (3) Basic course (level 2): choose 2 courses from this level CE210 Teaching Methodologies (3) CE220 Understanding the Learner (3) CE230 History of Christian Education (3) CE240 Catechesis (3)
	G.	SPIRITUALITY AND WORSHIP	credit
		Introduction to Spiritual Formation	3
		Introduction into Liturgy	3
		Total credits	6
		SW100 Introduction to Spiritual Formation (3) SW110 Introduction to Worship and Liturgy (3)
	H.	MISSION AND CULTURE	credit
		Introduction to Missiology	3
		Introduction to Religion and Culture	3
		Total credits	6
		MC100 Introduction to Missiology (3) MC110 Introduction to Religion and Culture (3)
	I.	LANGUAGES & PRACTICAL TRAINING	credits
		LP100 Choir	6
		LP210-240 Field Education	10
		LP351-352 Greek I, II or LP361-362 Biblical Hebrew I, II	9
		LP361-362 Biblical Hebrew I, II	9
		LP400 Integrative Seminar	3
		LP410 Preparation for Pastoral Ministry	3
		Total credits	31
			credits
	Core courses		109
	Electives courses		11
	Credits Required for Graduation		120
f.	LANGUAGE REQUIREMENT
	Learners must have sufficient knowledge of English for studying at a graduate level
g.	CREDIT HOURS
	A learner in the M.Div. program may not take more than 21 credits in each semester or more than 3 credits in each J Term.
h.	ASSESSMENT
	At the end of each academic year, the advisor will discuss with the learners their progress on personal and spiritual growth; their willingness to serve; their commitment to the fellowship and their academic studies. Before entering the last academic year, each learner should summit a comprehensive review of their theological understanding of ministry, academic record, field education experience, proficiencies in ministry and a plan for improvement to the advisor and discuss the plan with him or her.
i.	RESIDENCY REQUIREMENTS
	Since M.Div. education has a complex goal: the personal, vocational, spiritual, and academic formation of the student, and because of the importance of a comprehensive community of learning, the M.Div. degree cannot be viewed simply as an accumulation of courses or of individual independent work. In order to ensure an appropriate community life and formation, at least one year of residency is required.
j.	DURATION
	In order to fulfill the broad educational and formational goals of the M.Div., the program requires at least three academic years of full-time work or its equivalent. The time allowed for completion of the program on a part-time basis may not exceed three times that of the full-time program, or nine years.
k.	REQUIREMENTS FOR GRADUATION
	In order to earn the Master of Divinity degree, a learner must:
	1.	Complete the LTS required courses for M.Div. with a 2.00 point average or above.
	2.	Satisfactorily meet the assessment of the advisor.
l.	FOLLOW-UP ADVISORY SERVICE AFTER GRADUATION
	Theological education doesn't end with graduation ceremonies at LTS. It is a process of lifelong learning that addresses ministry in our changing ministry contexts. This requires faithful leaders with abundant gifts and special qualities: depth in the faith, practical congregational skills, competence in communicating across cultures, capacity to reach out to unchurched people, ability to make connections between faith and everyday life, and a heart for seeking justice for society. Foundations for these competencies have been laid in seminary education. To a large extent, however, these ministry skills are finally realized only in the practice of ministry in the setting of a specific congregation and its larger social, economic and cultural context. In order to help our learners in formation and in building up their capacity as “faithful servants of God's Word,” LTS provides a follow-up advisory service to our graduates for one year. This program includes:
	i.	Sending ten letters to the graduates on various topics concerning the preparation of heart and mind for embarking on a new ministry.
	ii.	Meeting with the chaplaincy department every month for the first semester after graduation to discuss the problems each person faces and to seek mutual support.
	iii.	Meeting every two months with the chaplaincy department for the second semester after graduation. The last meeting will be in the form of a retreat camp.
	Howerer, whether a student joins the follow-up service or not, LTS always welcome graduates to come back to share their joy or seek assistance. Learners who want to join the follow-up learning experiences (ii) and (iii) above, will be asked to pay $500 for the registration process. Learners wishing to register must do so on the Early Registration Day of the Spring Semester prior to their graduation. Following the first year after graduation, LTS works with the member churches and the Alumni Association to form a Committee for Continuing Education to provide lifelong education opportunities for our graduates.
m.	LOCATION
	Courses are provided on the main campus and a few may be offered in our Theological Education by Extension site.