Master of Arts in Liturgical Ministries (M.A.L.M.)

For those seeking to specialize in leadership in various areas related to the Christian community’s public worship

The M.A. in Liturgical Ministries (M.A.L.M.) is designed to equip people for leadership in various areas related to the Christian community’s public worship, such as preaching, liturgy, music, liturgical arts, or sacramental theology and practice.

The graduate should expect to assume responsibility for the ordering of public worship in a local church and to guide others in their participation in the task.

In addition to required and elective courses, each student will do a major paper or project (three semester hours) as a Directed Study with an approved member of the faculty or an adjunct. It will be reviewed in an oral examination conducted by the supervisor and one other member of the faculty nominated by the Professor of Homiletics and Worship.

The M.A. in Liturgical Ministries is designed for people who are:

• Preparing for the work of Deacon or Deaconess in The United Methodist Church
• Seeking ordination in a denomination that requires a 60-semester hour seminary degree
• Seeking to supplement existing professional specialties with theological studies
• Graduates with a Master of Divinity, or other theological masters degree, who would like to gain greater competency in a field of practical theology
• Laypersons who seek to serve the church with specific competencies

Students who complete the M.A. in Liturgical Ministries will:

• Develop personal and spiritual characteristics necessary for Christian ministry
• Know the theories undergirding their ministry and be able to utilize them to carry out the practice of that ministry
• Be able to draw on different disciplines to create an effective ministry
• Be able to plan, implement, and evaluate ministry programs in their area of specialization

Academic Course of Study

The M.A. in Liturgical Ministries degree program requires sixty (60) semester hours of academic study including:

• 30 semester hours of gateway courses in basic theological studies
• 30 semester hours in liturgical ministries studies to develop skill in the theory and practice of the ministry
• Experiences of personal and professional formation
• Supervision in the context and practice of the specialization

Academic Areas and Requirements

Gateway Courses (30 sem. hrs.)

• CHH 101G History of Christianity I (3)
• CHH 102G History of Christianity II (3)
• CHR 110G Foundations for Church Renewal (3)
• MIN 104G Formation I (3)
• MIN 105G Formation II (3)
• NET 121G Jesus: Introduction to New Testament (3)
• OLT 104G Created in the Image: Introduction to Old Testament (3)
• PCC 103G Reading Congregations in Context (3)
• PTH 101G Forming a Faithful People (3)
• THE 102G The Faith of the Church: An Introduction to Theology (3)

Liturgical Ministries Studies (30 sem. hrs.)

Required Courses (9 sem. hrs.)

• PRE 204 Preparing to Preach (3)
• WOR 104 The Work of Worship (3) or WOR 106 History of Christian Worship (3)
• Directed Study in Liturgical Ministries Specialization (3)

Recommended Courses (12 sem. hrs.) - Choose from the following:

• WOR 207 Sunday Service of Word and Sacrament (3)
• WOR 210 Sacraments of Christian Initiation (3)
• PRE 217 Preaching and Presiding in the Church Year (3)
• WOR 036 The Funeral (1)
• WOR 038 The Wedding: Preaching and Liturgy (1)
• One course in Church Music (3)
• One course in Visual / Liturgical Arts (3)

Other Electives (9)

• In consultation with her or his advisor, a student may use these hours to fulfill denominational requirements, or choose courses from across the curriculum.

Assessment (non-credit requirements)

The Thirty-hour Progress Review (0)

In the semester in which the student will finish 30 semester hours of credit, the academic advisor, in consultation with the student, will review the student’s progress and performance thus far.

The Forty-five hour Candidacy Review (0)

In the semester in which the student will finish 45 semester hours of credit, the academic advisor, in consultation with the peer group facilitator or a service learning site mentor, a student colleague, and the student will evaluate the student for candidacy to the M.A.L.M. degree.

The Sixty-hour Portfolio Review (0)

In the semester in which the student expects to complete the 60 semester hours required for graduation, the academic faculty advisor, in consultation with the student, will evaluate the student’s professional development and the overall effectiveness of the M.A.L.M. program.

See the Academic Catalog for additional details.