Master of Arts in Philosophy

42 Credit-Hours

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Flexible Payment Plans

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Be Equipped to Engage Today's Core Cultural Issues with Our Master of Arts in Philosophy

You Can't Be a Good Apologist without Being a Good Philosopher

At Southern Evangelical Seminary, we address a significant gap in evangelical education by offering a unique and accredited 42-hour Master of Arts in Philosophy degree. While the program explores the history of ancient and modern thinking, it unashamedly has a classical philosophical underpinning. This distinctive curriculum, foundational for strong theology and apologetics, prepares you for success as a scholar and teacher. Whether you’re considering a Ph.D. or aiming to elevate your thinking skills in order to engage core philosophical issues in today’s culture, our program is designed to meet your needs. With flexibility in mind, this degree is accessible worldwide through our immersive digital campus, making seminary education a feasible and enriching pursuit for individuals balancing family, work, and other commitments. Elevate your understanding and broaden your intellectual horizons with the Master of Arts in Philosophy at Southern Evangelical Seminary.

Your Path to a
Doctor of Philosophy

Your scholarly work—both today and in the future—should equip you with the tools to lead, teach, and serve. The M.A. in Philosophy provides a solid foundation for entering a doctoral program and gives you an effective voice to impact today’s culture.
Apologetics Discussion

Maintain Your
Personal Ministry

Being fruitful in your personal ministry requires diligence. Our program offers structure, guidance, and mentoring that meets the needs of busy people juggling multiple life commitments. It’s designed to help you grow in your faith and apply your training effectively.

Flexible Course Formats for Your Busy Schedule

SES provides a fully immersive digital campus experience where every aspect of traditional education is achieved in a virtual environment. Many courses are live-streamed, while others are offered asynchronously (recorded) with live-streaming components. Our innovative online education can deliver the training you need in a way that fits your schedule and budget.

Designed to provide the philosophical skills and understanding to help students discern major issues in current philosophical debate and prepare for future doctoral studies, this degree is ideal for those preparing for:

Go to the Next Level in Your Ministry Preparation

If you’ve delved into insightful works by Frank Turek, Alisa Childers, Greg Koukl, and other notable authors, you’ve laid a solid foundation. Yet, you may be at a juncture in your self-guided study where you recognize the need to elevate your preparation for defending the faith. To effectively engage the culture with the Gospel, you will need a deeply integrated understanding of philosophy, theology, and apologetics. This integrated approach is the core of every SES program and what makes SES one of the premier apologetics-focused seminaries in the country. Whether you’re seeking a degree or certificate in apologetics, philosophy, biblical studies, or something else, the foundation is the same. Good philosophy provides a solid foundation from which to do theology, and both provide necessary tools for sound apologetics. Together, all three disciplines aid in removing obstacles to the Gospel (evangelism) and in building mature disciples who live the Gospel (discipleship) and are steadfast in the truth. Choose a degree or certificate from SES to benefit from our unique integration, ensuring you’re well-prepared to engage with today’s issues and defend your faith effectively.

SES Integrated Approach Infographic

Go to the Next Level in Your Ministry Preparation

If you’ve delved into insightful works by Frank Turek, Alisa Childers, Greg Koukl, and other notable authors, you’ve laid a solid foundation. Yet, you may be at a juncture in your self-guided study where you recognize the need to elevate your preparation for defending the faith. To effectively engage the culture with the Gospel, you will need a deeply integrated understanding of philosophy, theology, and apologetics. This integrated approach is the core of every SES program and what makes SES one of the premier apologetics-focused seminaries in the country. Whether you’re seeking a degree or certificate in apologetics, philosophy, biblical studies, or something else, the foundation is the same. Good philosophy provides a solid foundation from which to do theology, and both provide necessary tools for sound apologetics. Together, all three disciplines aid in removing obstacles to the Gospel (evangelism) and in building mature disciples who live the Gospel (discipleship) and are steadfast in the truth. Choose a degree or certificate from SES to benefit from our unique integration, ensuring you’re well-prepared to engage with today’s issues and defend your faith effectively.

SES Integrated Approach Infographic

In the M.A. in Philosophy Program, You Will:

A Digital Campus Built for You

We aren’t catching up with the online education trend — SES has been breaking ground and pioneering an immersive digital campus experience for years. As a student, you'll enjoy a flexible, compelling, and connected environment for your studies. All of the easy-to-use technology you’ll need to thrive in seminary is housed in one place and accessed through a single, secure log-in. We truly take you beyond mere online education.

Collaborate with your peers through our integrated approach

Interact with world-class professors during many live-streamed classes

Conduct research in one of the most expansive theological libraries ever created

(With our membership as a supporting sponsor of the Digital Theological Library)

Learn from World-Class Faculty

At SES, you will have the opportunity to study under some of the best Christian thinkers in the world. Many of our professors studied under SES co-founder Dr. Norman Geisler, while others have their own distinguished educational linage. Each of them bring their unique areas of expertise to the classroom as well as a genuine desire to see their students grow, not only intellectually, but in spiritual maturity as well. Here are just some of the professors from whom you’ll be learning:

Provost, Professor of Philosophy & Apologetics, Norman L. Geisler Chair of Christian Apologetics

Director of SES Ph.D. Program, Associate Professor of Philosophy & Theology

Associate Professor of Philosophy

"Apologetics wasn’t a side issue. It was the actual essence of the ministry I was doing…I’m finding out more and more how important it is to be trained in order to pick up on these philosophical problems to answer the real question at hand."

Anthony Miller

SES Alum

Courses of Interest in the M.A. in Philosophy

Epistemology

Learn about the nature of knowledge with emphasis on theology and metaphysics while becoming versed in responses to skepticism, agnosticism, and other views that deny knowledge of reality.

Moral Philosophy

Explore questions relating to the problems and possibilities of rationally grounding distinctions between moral and immoral conduct. This course takes both a historical and critical approach.

Theology Proper and Creation

Study the triune God, as well as His existence and attributes. This course also explores God’s creation of the world, angels, human beings, and His relation to them.

Full Course Listing

PH502 History of Ancient & Medieval Phil. (3)
PH505 History of Modern & Contemporary Phil. (3)
PH513 Symbolic Logic (3)
PH514 Moral Philosophy (3)
PH601 Philosophy of Religion (3)
PH604 Metaphysics (3)
PH605 Epistemology (3)
Philosophy Electives (6)

BS501 Biblical Backgrounds & Criticism (3)

ST501 Prolegomena & Bibliology (3)
ST502 Theology Proper & Creation (3)
ST503 Hamartiology & Soteriology (3)
ST504 Pneumatology, Ecclesiology, & Eschatology (3)

SM501 Writing & Research Skills (3)

GENERAL ADMISSIONS REQUIREMENTS

  • Have earned a bachelors degree from an institution
    accredited by an accrediting agency recognized by the Council on Higher Education Accreditation, the United
    States Department of Education, or the equivalent (as assessed by SES)
  • GPA of 2.5 or above for their undergraduate program

If one does not meet the undergraduate GPA requirement, he may be granted a Provisional Admission. This requires
that the student maintain a 2.5 or higher GPA on the first semester of work at SES in order to be granted full admission.

Contact the Admissions Department with any specific questions you may have or visit our FAQ page.

A Valuable Degree with Exceptionally Affordable Tuition

Prospective students are almost always surprised to learn how affordable we keep our degree programs at Southern Evangelical Seminary.

You need effective training for ministry — not a crippling load of student loan debt. The value of a degree here pays off through your entire career and truly has an eternal value as well.

As a result, we're delighted to tell you that you'll have a very difficult time finding a better tuition rate than what we offer at SES: $475 per credit hour.

$475

per credit hour

LET'S PARTNER TOGETHER ON YOUR TUITION

Financial Aid & Discounts

Built for Your Calling

Whether you are pursuing full-time vocational leadership or personal ministry growth, this program is designed to provide a path for your success.

Full-time Ministry

Full-Time Ministry

Christians are called to be salt and light in our world, and leaders should be equipped to confidently engage the ideas shaping today’s culture. Apologetics training is essential for breaking down barriers and effectively leading others. As you pursue God’s calling on your life through ministry, a seminary education will maximize your impact.

Personal Ministry

 If your personal study hasn’t yielded the growth you’re looking for, formal training can equip you to answer hard questions and present the truth in love. Being grounded in apologetics prepares you to be fruitful in all aspects of your personal ministry. Our apologetics program offers structured training you need to share the faith and defend truth everyday.

accessible

Ready to Apply Now?

Start the admission process today. You can begin in just a few minutes by filling out our initial application and it will open the door for us to have an exploratory conversation about your educational priorities and hopes for ministry. We have an entire team at SES who is ready to help you in the process of discerning your gifts and calling to ministry so you can engage our culture in the conversations that matter the most.

See the Vital Need for Apologetics-Focused Education

Engaging real-world issues for the sake of the Gospel

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Compare the M.A. in Philosophy with Other SES Degrees

Master of Arts in Christian Apologetics (M.A.C.A.)

36 HOURS

Dig into the meat of classical apologetics with this foundational M.A. degree; be equipped for ministry or further studies

Master of Arts (M.A.) in Christian Apologetics & Theology

60 HOURS

This seminary-level degree will take your apologetics training to the next level by layering in important theological study

Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) in Philosophy of Religion

60 HOURS

Take your philosophical knowledge to the next level and prepare for a career in academia, research, and/or writing