Get Your Master's in Apologetics Degree Online in 36 Hours
Apologetics is necessary for engaging our culture, but what else will you need?
Foundational claims about the nature of truth or the existence of God are in question and under fire. It is happening in our colleges and universities, over social media channels, in the endless comment-section arguments, and in conversations of eternal significance. More than ever, sound apologetics training is essential for personal or full-time ministry. That is part of what we have always provided at Southern Evangelical Seminary.
Students looking at online apologetics programs are impressed when they discover how our digital campus experience pushes far beyond the outdated models of asynchronous education most schools still use. Everything we have developed at SES will equip you to engage a culture that is hostile to the Gospel.
Maybe you have a clear sense today of what God is calling you to in ministry. That often is not the case for new seminary students. Even more frequently, the clarity about your trajectory comes along the way, as you take steps in faith. One of the best things about the 36-hour Master of Arts in Christian Apologetics (M.A.C.A.) degree at SES is the flexibility you will have:
A Degree in Less than Two Years
You could complete this master’s program in less than two years of full-time study and be equipped for service in a parachurch ministry, ordination in some denominations, or a wide array of personal ministry applications. Serve in your church. Lead outreach efforts in your community. Be equipped for missions. There are so many possibilities.
Transition to the 60-hour M.A.
Or, you could decide to roll your work from this degree into the traditional, 60-hour master’s in Christian apologetics degree we offer and open even more opportunities beyond graduation, such as our Doctor of Ministry program. You won’t lose any ground to start in this program and you can make a seamless transfer to the Master of Arts in Christian Apologetics and Theology at any point in your studies.
The unique blend of classical philosophy, evangelical Christian theology, and classical apologetics we weave together in all of our degrees is something you will not find elsewhere. Even better, this degree is offered as a part of SES’s immersive digital campus experience. Study from where you are and still connect with peers and faculty members through live-stream classes and discussions. Our new 36-credit-hour M.A.C.A. is a strong seminary training option for those considering a wide array of personal or full-time ministry opportunities. Read about highlights from the program, and download more details with our Program Preview.
Your Academic Experience at SES
We aren’t catching up with the distance learning trend — SES has been breaking ground and pioneering an immersive digital campus experience for years. As a student, you’ll enjoy a flexible, compelling, 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.
Collaborate with your peers through our integrated approach
Interact with 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 more about the remarkable digital campus experience at SES that will help you thrive as a student and be equipped with the technology tools you’ll need in ministry.
In the M.A. in Christian Apologetics program, you will:
- Form strong connections between core biblical doctrines and contemporary cultural and apologetic issues
- Cultivate effective rhetorical strategies for cultural engagement that are grounded in apologetics, philosophy, and theology
- Explore both the historical and philosophical development of critical ideas and how they are present in current theologies, philosophies, and ethical issues
- Have the option to seamlessly transfer into the 60-hour Master of Arts in Christian Apologetics & Theology program at any point in your studies
- Grow in your own likeness to Christ as manifested in love for God, love for others, and evidence of the fruit of the Spirit
- Become more equipped to love and serve people in whatever spiritual, moral, or physical condition you meet them
- Learn to communicate the truth of God effectively in a wide variety of contexts
Courses of Interest in the M.A. in Christian Apologetics Program
Theology Proper and Creation
This course is always impactful and formational — even for students with considerable apologetics training. You will dive into a more sophisticated understanding of core doctrines such as God’s triune nature and other attributes before turning your attention to how we understand and explain God’s creation of the world, angels, human beings, and His relation to His Creation.
Classical Philosophy
Much of the Church today has neglected or rejected classical philosophical foundations from thinkers such as Thomas Aquinas, but they are essential for sound theology and effective apologetics in contemporary discourse. In this course, you will find your footing with philosophical views of reality, objective goodness, and more which will directly impact your ministry with unbelievers and skeptics.
Christian Apologetic Systems
What do we mean when we talk about “apologetics?” Many in ministry today do not understand the various ways Christians have approached apologetics, which can lead to confusion or an insufficient set of tools to engage all the diverse opposition to the Gospel you will encounter. Through this survey course you will cultivate your understanding of classical and contemporary apologetic approaches.
Take a Deeper Look at Our Master of Arts in Christian Apologetics
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"Self-taught study in theology, philosophy, and apologetics, while usually better than no study at all, lacks focused training and an overarching structure that combines theory and practice in order to impact the breadth and depth of your ministry. It may produce knowledge, but self-study usually never rises to the proper level of insight, understand- ing, and wisdom in the practice of these disciplines."
Dr. Doug Potter
ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR OF APOLOGETICS AND THEOLOGY
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: $333 per credit hour.
Read more about our current tuition rates, scholarship opportunities, flexible payment plans, and more.
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
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 in everyday life.
Why Should You Seriously Consider the M.A.C.A. Degree at SES?
You almost certainly have at least some basic — and perhaps even advanced — knowledge of Christian apologetics. Many new students at SES have studied books like Tactics by Gregory Koukl, Lewis’ Mere Christianity, or I Don’t Have Enough Faith to Be an Atheist by SES alum Frank Turek and SES co-founder Norman Geisler. These are all very helpful resources, but perhaps you have reached that point in your self-guided research where you hit a wall or find yourself out of your depth.
It’s one thing to employ tactics effectively in online exchanges. It’s another thing to realize you have not integrated the ramifications of being grounded in a sound philosophy into a full, robust systematic theology. You can be a good philosopher without being a good apologist, but it does not work the other way around! Giving you the philosophical foundation you need is just one of the ways the Master of Arts in Christian Apologetics we offer at SES will serve you well.
Our Streamlined Admissions Process
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 graduate school 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. Take the next step now.