Southern California Seminary is a private institution of higher education dedicated to teaching from the inerrant Word of God. Here you will learn about God from His book – the Bible. As a ministry of Shadow Mountain Community Church, under the leadership of Dr. David Jeremiah, SCS offers the highest quality of biblical education with a tuition that is refreshingly affordable.
Master of Arts in
Christian Thought
Master of Arts in
Christian Thought (MACT)
48 units
AVAILABLE ON CAMPUS & 100% ONLINE
The Master of Arts in Christian Thought (MACT) sets a standard for a quality and robust 48-unit master’s degree in broader terms of Christian thought, balancing and integrating the study of theology, philosophy, and applied biblical study to create a broad range of discipline-specific concentrations that align with SCS distinctives and student educational and preparational need. The program consists of 30 units of core course with 9 units of concentration and 9 units of research and Thesis (48 total units). Each student selects a specific concentration based on educational and ministry interest. The MACT program also provides increased alignment for graduate bible students seeking to pursue the Doctor of Ministry program through MDIV equivalency, or other doctoral degrees that require additional or specialized course work for admissions.
Unlike programs focused exclusively on ministry or biblical studies, a Master of Arts in Christian Thought integrates multiple disciplines into a coherent intellectual framework. Students learn not only what Christians have believed, but why those beliefs developed, how they have been defended philosophically, how they shaped Western civilization, and how they can be communicated effectively in contemporary culture.
PURPOSE
The MACT degree is primarily designed to prepare students for:
- Christian ministry including educational and/or leadership positions where critical thinking skills and/or social-religious engagement may be required;
- Graduate-level discourse concerning the ideas that have shaped the church, the academy, and the marketplace;
- Advanced studies including: Master of Theology or PhD.
PROGRAM LEARNING OBJECTIVES (PLOS)
Upon successful completion of the Master of Arts in Christian Thought program students will be able to:
- Interpret the content of the Old and New Testaments utilizing a literal-grammatical-historical hermeneutic;
- Demonstrate a graduate-level proficiency in research and writing across multiple disciplines;
- Articulate essential theological doctrines which distinguish historic Christianity;
- Engage in classical and contemporary academic theological discourse;
- Integrate biblical truths within a specialized area of study.
GRADUATION REQUIREMENTS
Each candidate for the MACT degree must meet the general graduation requirements and complete 48 units of graduate-level courses of which no more than 12 units can be transferred from another institution.
- Complete 48 units of graduate-level courses;
- Complete a minimum of 36 units at SCS. Students are urged to follow the recommended curriculum to prevent scheduling conflicts later on;
- Defend a thesis in an area related to Christian thought as defined by their area of concentration which reflects a graduate-level of research and writing;
- Complete the program curriculum with not less than a 2.5 GPA;
- Submit a petition to graduate to the Registrar by the deadline in the Academic Calendar;
- Settle all financial obligations to SCS;
- Be recommended by the faculty based on demonstrated moral integrity.
Degrees that get you where you want to go
Southern California Seminary is more than just another Bible seminary, offering generic degrees in Ministry and Theology. We hold ourselves to the highest standards of biblical study and truth. Our distinctives cumulatively make our institution unique among biblical seminaries in a day and age where the Word of God is not taken at face value, and core doctrines are being diluted.
You have goals. Southern California Seminary can help you achieve them. Do you need a bachelor’s degree to help fulfill God’s call on your life? Do you need a master’s or doctoral degree to take the next step in your ministry or career? SCS has a program—either Online or On-Campus—designed to renew your mind and deepen your faith in Jesus Christ.
SCS is seeking students with a hunger for learning about God and a desire to dig deeper into the Bible. From your first visit until your graduation, we will strive to support you in your spiritual growth, and prepare you to minister in the 21st century.
MA Christian Thought
Core Curriculum
BIBLICAL STUDIES – 9 UNITS
- BH-501 HERMENEUTICS *
- BH-505 METHODS OF INDUCTIVE STUDY **
- NT-601 ANALYSIS OF ROMANS (PRE-REQS)
THEOLOGY AND CHRISTIAN PHILOSOPHY – 21 UNITS
- PH-501 LOGIC AND RHETORIC
- PH-503 HISTORY OF PHILOSOPHY AND WORLDVIEWS
- PH-507 CHRISTIAN ETHICS AND LEADERSHIP
- TH-510 BIBLICAL THEOLOGY
- TH-608 COMPARATIVE SYSTEMS OF THEOLOGY
- HI-601 CHURCH HISTORY 1
- HI-602 CHURCH HISTORY 2
RESEARCH AND THESIS – 9 UNITS
- RS-501 GRADUATE RESEARCH & WRITING
- RS-551 THESIS WRITING 1 (TRIMESTER)
- RS-552 THESIS WRITING 2 (TRIMESTER)
CONCENTRATIONS – 9 UNITS (SEE BELOW)
* TH-508 AND NT-601 ANALYSIS OF ROMANS PREREQUISITES: RS-501, BH-501
** ADDITIONAL NT-601 ANALYSIS OF ROMANS PREREQUISITE: BH-505
MACT Concentrations
Students must declare an area of concentration from the following categories: Applied Theology, Christian Education, Church History, Cultural Engagement, Leadership and Ethics, Philosophy and Apologetics, or Theological Studies.
Concentration in Applied Theology
Prepares students to understand and employ biblical, theological, and practical knowledge in real ministry contexts with a focus on key theological issues as they relate directly to the life of the local church.
- TH-551 Historical Theology
- TH-601 Systematic Theology 1
- TH-602 Systematic Theology 2
Concentration in Christian Education
Prepares students to lead teaching and discipleship ministries in the local church and related ministry settings. Building on a strong foundation in Bible and theology, students are equipped to design, implement, and oversee Christ-centered educational ministries that foster spiritual growth across all ages.
- CE-507 Fundamentals in Christian Education
- CE-508 Teaching Dynamics
- CE-512 Leadership in Christian Education
Concentration in Church History
This concentration is designed to equip students, through the study of the history of the church, to communicate faithfully the teachings of Scripture and advance the orthodoxy of the faith in continuity with the faith of body of Christ over the centuries.
- HI-607 Canonicity and Early Christian Literature
- RE-507 Contemporary Religious Movements
- TH-551 Historical Theology
Concentration in Cultural Engagement
Prepares students to understand various cultures theologically and engage in them missionally—bridging biblical truths and cultural analysis. Students learn to analyze cultural narratives and to craft strategies in their ministry context.
- AP-505 Apologetics and Christian Evidences
- RE-607 Christianity and World Religions
- SS-503 Cultural Anthropology
Concentration in Leadership and Ethics
Equips character-centered leaders to navigate moral complexity with biblical wisdom. Students integrate virtue ethics, biblical moral theology, and organizational leadership to make principled decisions in their ministry setting.
- BC-515 Conflict Resolution
- LS-509 Servant Leadership
- PH-510 Contemporary Issues in Ethics
Concentration in Philosophy and Apologetics
Equips students to think rigorously and defend the Christian worldview with intellectual charity by integrating Scripture, philosophy, and the Christian intellectual tradition. Students learn to analyze arguments, engage competing views, and communicate doctrine coherently for various ministry settings.
- AP-505 Apologetics and Christian Evidences
- AP-603 Naturalism and Supernaturalism
- PH-601 Epistemology and Metaphysics
Concentration in Theological Studies
This concentration is designed to equip students to engage a range of theological issues in Christian doctrines including biblical, systematic, and historical studies.
- TH-551 Historical Theology
- TH-601 Systematic Theology 1
- TH-602 Systematic Theology 2
Our Distinctives
Southern California Seminary is more than just another Bible seminary — more than just another Christian College or Christian University. We hold ourselves to the highest standards of biblical study and truth. Our distinctives cumulatively make our institution unique among biblical seminaries in a day and age where the Word of God is not taken at face value, and core doctrines are being diluted.
Our Mission
Southern California Seminary’s mission is to bring glory to God by assisting local churches to equip believers of various cultures and languages to live and minister biblically based on the inerrant Word of God. This equipping includes building biblical knowledge, Christian character, and ministry skills—all at modest tuition.