The Bachelor of Theology degree (BTh, ThB, or BTheol) is a three- to five-year
undergraduate degree in
theological disciplines and is typically pursued by those seeking ordination for ministry in a church, denomination, or parachurch organization. Candidates for this degree typically must complete course work in
Greek and(or)
Hebrew, as well as
systematic theology,
biblical theology
Because scholars have tended to use the term in different ways, Biblical theology has been notoriously difficult to define.
Description
Although most speak of biblical theology as a particular method or emphasis within biblical studies, some scho ...
, ethics,
homiletics,
hermeneutics,
counseling
Counseling is the professional guidance of the individual by utilizing psychological methods especially in collecting case history data, using various techniques of the personal interview, and testing interests and aptitudes.
This is a list of co ...
and
Christian ministry
In Christianity, ministry is an activity carried out by Christians to express or spread their faith, the prototype being the Great Commission. The '' Encyclopedia of Christianity'' defines it as "carrying forth Christ's mission in the world", in ...
. The Bachelor of Theology may include a
thesis component and may consist of an additional year beyond the coursework requirements for the degrees of
Bachelor of Religious Education and
Bachelor of Arts. In some denominations, such as the
Church of England or the Presbyterian Church of America, it is considered sufficient qualification for formal
ordination.
Europe & South Africa
In the United Kingdom and other European nations, the Bachelor of Theology is a three to four year degree for adult students pursuing ordination, who do not hold another degree and for whom the requirement to hold a Master of Divinity degree has been waived.
United States
Within the United States, the Bachelor of Theology (or
Bachelor of Divinity
In Western universities, a Bachelor of Divinity or Baccalaureate in Divinity (BD or BDiv; la, Baccalaureus Divinitatis) is a postgraduate academic degree awarded for a course taken in the study of divinity or related disciplines, such as theology ...
) is generally identical in coursework and requirements to the
Master of Divinity
For graduate-level theological institutions, the Master of Divinity (MDiv, ''magister divinitatis'' in Latin) is the first professional degree of the pastoral profession in North America. It is the most common academic degree in seminaries and divi ...
. A Bachelor of Theology, however, does not academically amount to MDiv equivalence since it is an undergraduate degree. More common than the Bachelor of Theology in the US are dual-degree programs where one may earn an undergraduate degree in Bible and(or) theology and a Master of Divinity simultaneously.
See also
*Associate of Theology
*
Bachelor of Divinity
In Western universities, a Bachelor of Divinity or Baccalaureate in Divinity (BD or BDiv; la, Baccalaureus Divinitatis) is a postgraduate academic degree awarded for a course taken in the study of divinity or related disciplines, such as theology ...
*
Bible College
*
Ordination
*
Licentiate in Theology
*
Seminary
References
Theology
Religious degrees
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